The difference between white vinegar and aged vinegar

There are many types of vinegar, and people in different regions have different preferences for vinegar. For example, southerners like Zhenjiang fragrant vinegar, northerners like Shanxi aged vinegar, and some people like white vinegar. Nowadays, many young people don’t know the difference between these types, and often cannot find what they want when purchasing. Let’s understand the difference between white vinegar and aged vinegar to avoid buying the wrong ones.

1. Types of vinegar

1. As the name suggests, aged vinegar is vinegar that has been aged for a long time. It takes at least one year to make. The longer the fermentation time, the stronger the aroma. But also because of this, the sour taste of aged vinegar is the strongest. Therefore, use less when cooking. If someone in your family does not eat vinegar or can't stand such a strong sour taste, it is recommended not to use it. Dishes that require a stronger sour taste and darker color, such as hot and sour soup, vinegar-braised fish, and hot and sour radish, are suitable for adding aged vinegar. In addition to seasoning dishes, aged vinegar can also be used to dip dumplings or steamed buns, which is also very delicious.

2. White vinegar: White vinegar is made by fermenting distilled wine and basically contains only two nutrients: acetic acid and water. White vinegar has a light taste and a relatively mild sour flavor. It is usually used as a condiment that does not affect the taste of dishes. In addition to its edible nature, white vinegar also has very good beauty and health effects. For example, it can be used to wash your face or soak your feet.

3. Rice vinegar is fermented from high-quality rice and sorghum. It tastes sweet and sour and has a good taste. It is not as irritating as aged vinegar. It is also rich in alkaline amino acids, sugars and vitamins. It has higher nutritional value among many vinegars.

2. How to choose high-quality vinegar

When purchasing vinegar, you should identify its quality from the following aspects:

First, look at the color. There are two types of vinegar: red and white. High-quality red vinegar should be amber or reddish brown. High-quality white vinegar should be colorless and transparent.

The second is to smell the fragrance. High-quality vinegar has a sour aroma and no other odor.

The third is to taste it. Although high-quality acetic acid has a high acidity, it is not irritating, has a mild sour taste, is slightly sweet, is not astringent, and has no other peculiar smell.

3. Drinking vinegar cannot help you lose weight

Drinking vinegar to lose weight was once popular. In Japan and Taiwan, it was popular to soak soybeans in vinegar to make pickled beans. It was claimed that eating 10 to 20 beans every morning and evening could achieve the effect of weight loss. The argument is that vinegar can improve the body's metabolism and prevent fat accumulation, but nutrition experts shake their heads and say there is no definite research to support this claim.