. . . made the traditional Italian wayIf you've ever had the privilege of tasting traditional Italian balsamic vinegar, you know that its rich, layered complexity and intensity is universes away from the pale imitations commonly available in the US.Traditional Italian balsamic vinegar comes from a specific region in Northern Italy known for its sweet grapes. These grapes are picked at the peak of ripeness and crushed to make a juice which then undergoes a lengthy and exacting process of double fermentation (first to alcohol and then to vinegar) and aging and reduction in a series of wooden barrels made of a variety of different woods - oak, chestnut, mulberry, ash, cherry, juniper and other fruitwoods, each of which imparts its particular flavor to the vinegar. Balsamics can be aged over a hundred years, and small bottles are sometimes sold for more than $150.Contrast this to what's packaged in fancy bottles and commonly sold in the U.S. as balsamic vinegar: conventional grape juice mi…

... from weight loss to cancer preventionWhether you want to lose a few pounds, prevent or reverse diabetes, protect your bones, reduce blood pressure and heart disease risk, or boost your immunity and fight cancer, balsamic vinegar can help.Weight Loss and Blood Sugar RegulationJapanese researchers found that giving 1 or 2 tablespoons of vinegar to obese subjects for 12 weeks significantly reduced body weight, visceral fat, BMI, waist circumference and triglyceride levels. Researchers at Arizona State University found that people who took a tablespoon of vinegar with lunch and dinner lost an average of two pounds over 4 weeks. Vinegar helps with weight loss by keeping blood sugar levels from spiking and improving insulin resistance, which also helps prevent, reverse or manage diabetes. In fact, the Arizona researchers noted that vinegar may be as effective as the medications acarbose and metformin (glucophage) in controlling blood sugar.Mineral Absorption and Bone HealthVinegar helps…