You may have noticed your supermarket offering more types of vinegar lately. Sure, balsamic and apple cider vinegars are veterans of the condiments aisle, but new shelf neighbors, like coconut, champagne, pomegranate, and raspberry are moving in. That’s probably at least in part due to recent research showing that small amounts of vinegar, consumed daily, could support your health in important ways. But which vinegars are evidence-backed to promote health, in addition to lending some zing to your cooking?  Here’s what research says about vinegar’s effects on blood sugar, obesity, and fighting colds—and which kind to reach for. A long-standing tonic Since the Babylonians first made vinegar about 7,000 years ago, cultures around the world have used it for medicinal purposes. Hippocrates mixed apple cider vinegar with honey to treat ancient Greeks’ respiratory troubles. Europeans in the Middle Ages believed it protected against the plague, while the Chinese used rice vinegar to treat pain.  Several scientific studies later, dietitians such as New Jersey-based Erin Palinski-Wade are increasingly recommending vinegar to their clients. “What I love about using vinegar is that it may offer a variety of benefits with little to no downside,” she says. What makes vinegar special One defining ingredient could explain […]