Why is vinegar a mood tonic?

[andygates]

When I'm feeling blue and low - acutely melancholy, bonk of the soul stuff - a teaspoon or two of vinegar lifts my mood right away.

Why?

[border-rider]

Because it's so horrible, everything else in the world seems so much better when you stop tasting it ?

[Oaky]

Because it's evocative of chips?

[Moloko]

Vinegar strokes are a much better mood lifter.

[Valiant]

Is that true? How did you first find out?

[redshift]

Malt vinegar, 'non-brewed condiment', wine vinegar or cider vinegar?  Balsamic?  same effect or different?  Cider vinegar is touted as the panacea for arthritic joints (mixed with molasses).  How psychotropic can a carboxylic acid get?

Think there's room for some science here...   

[andygates]

Cider and rice are best, malt is good, it needs to be light - absolutely glorious is Mitsukan vinegar dressing, which is sweetened, salted vinegar which I have on hand as an ultimately skinny salad dressing. 

One time I was just incredibly low and had the munchies and an epic wave of 'meh', and looking around, saw the vinegar and a little light went on on the internal dashboard.  Turned out to work nicely, and I filed it as a trick for those bonks that don't clear with chocolate.

Today I got hit by a monstrous belt of melancholy (after seeing a pretty girl: I thought I was past being belted over the head by beauty, go figure).  Got home, was staring moodily at the shelves and vaguely remembered it.  Boing!

[redshift]

You diabetic?

[Psychler]

I was told recently that a daily two spoonfuls of vinegar help you lose weight.  Is there any truth in this or is it yet another old wives tale

[andygates]

You diabetic?

No.  There is type-2 in the family (my mother's side run to John Bull fat) but after a scare around 105kg, I dropped a load of weight and got unscared.  It's not happened in ages, and my training routine has been consistent. 

I was told recently that a daily two spoonfuls of vinegar help you lose weight.  Is there any truth in this or is it yet another old wives tale

It's oft-repeated.  Dunno about truthiness though.

[Valiant]

Probably the same way that a grapefruit before dinner does?

[andygates]

Grapefruit are evil. They are banished to the attic.

But it's some sort of psych effect from the slightly-sweet sharpness, has to be.

[redshift]

Bungling around with Google pulls up a paper relating to its antiglycaemic properties but that's an "it don't work this way" test.  So the properties are real, but the mechanisms aren't understood yet - of course, whether that's anything to do with your mood is a different question!

[Adrian Midgley]

When I'm feeling blue and low - acutely melancholy, bonk of the soul stuff - a teaspoon or two of vinegar lifts my mood right away.

Why?

As I understand it the body needs to have the correct acid alkali balance to maintain health.
Vinegar promotes alkalinity in the body. (Even though it's an acid)
Most folks diets contain too many acid forming foods like meat and dairy.
Cider vinegar and lemon juice are said to be powerful alkalizing foods.
People who follow a diet that is designed to get the balance right can get relief from degenerative problems like arthritis or digestive issues.
I don't know how they measure the acid/alkaline potential of various foods.

[Jaded]

arthritic joints (mixed with molasses)

Rule 34. 

[mr endon]

Kombucha anyone?

[andygates]

As I understand it the body needs to have the correct acid alkali balance to maintain health.
Vinegar promotes alkalinity in the body. (Even though it's an acid)
Most folks diets contain too many acid forming foods like meat and dairy.

Well, I'm a very meat and dairy person (especially if you include protein shakes) so that might be it, but the effect is nearly instant - way too fast to be primarily metabolic, surely?

[Valiant]

Maybe you just like the taste?

[andygates]

Could be!  Weird one to just like with an Asterix ka-pow though.  I am none the wiser...

[Valiant]

Could trigger memories?

I get similar things with smell.

[andygates]

Here's an interesting study: carbohydrate mouthwash

A remarkable new UK study has found that a carbohydrate mouthwash, rinsed around the mouth at regular intervals during a one-hour cycling time trial, led to a significant improvement in power output and performance time.

Carbohydrate (CHO) ingestion immediately before and during exercise of a relatively short and intense nature has been shown to boost performance in previous research, with no obvious metabolic explanation for this effect.

I get this effect from gels: very rapid kaboom power-up well before there's time for digestion to kick in.  I wonder if it's the same effect?

[Adrian Midgley]

As I understand it the body needs to have the correct acid alkali balance to maintain health.
Vinegar promotes alkalinity in the body. (Even though it's an acid)
Most folks diets contain too many acid forming foods like meat and dairy.

Well, I'm a very meat and dairy person (especially if you include protein shakes) so that might be it, but the effect is nearly instant - way too fast to be primarily metabolic, surely?

Yeah... whey protein is reckoned to be very acid forming.
Protein shakes based around hemp are better.....more money though.

Interesting about the instant effect of vinegar on your mood.
Do you have to be be really down in the dumps or can you lift your mood if you're just mildly disinterested in life at any given moment?

[andygates]

Deepy mcdeepo glooms only need apply. 

[Adrian Midgley]

Deepy mcdeepo glooms only need apply. 

Why I might add the old cider vinegar for weight loss idea to my plan since this has reminded me about it.

I fractured my ankle at the end of January and have been getting no exercise other than hopping about with crutches.
I've altered my diet as I really can't afford to put weight on.
So far I've maintained my pre-accident weight but not lost any.

[longers]

I tried this today.

No change. I'll try different vinegar next time, this was white.