Is Balsamic Vinegar Keto? The Truth

If you’ve ever ate a good Mediterranean salad, or really anything Italian, you’ve probably unknowingly tasted balsamic vinegar.

But, you may be wondering if balsamic vinegar is keto since it’s made of grapes.

In this article I’ll discuss if balsamic vinegar is keto or not so you can make the right food choices.

What Is Balsamic Vinegar?

Balsamic vinegar is a vinegar that’s made from fermented grape juice. Balsamic vinegar has a deep, tart taste & is used mostly in Mediterranean cooking.

You can use balsamic vinegar in foods like salads, glazes, & marinades.

My favorite way to use balsamic vinegar on keto is to make a Mediterranean salad by pouring balsamic vinegar onto salads with olive oil, lemon juice, & feta cheese.

How Many Carbs Does Balsamic Vinegar Have?

Balsamic vinegar has 2.7 grams of carbs per tablespoon. Though this makes balsamic vinegar a high-carb food, you shouldn’t worry too much. This is because you never eat balsamic vinegar by itself. Instead you eat it along side a different food, so its impact on your blood sugar would be low.

Is Balsamic Vinegar Keto?

Yes, balance vinegar is a keto approved vinegar because it only has 2.7 grams of carbs per tablespoon.

So if you’re looking to make a refreshing salad, or a keto marinade, you can use balsamic vinegar without worrying about its carbs.

What Are The Benefits of Balsamic Vinegar?

The biggest benefits of consuming vinegar, but specifically balsamic vinegar, is that it can help you to reduce your insulin spikes, improve your digestion, reduce acid reflux, & help you to lose weight.

Here are some of the benefits of consuming balsamic vinegar in more detail:

Reduces Insulin Spikes

Vinegar, specifically balsamic vinegar, is an anti-glycemic. This means that when you consume vinegar, your insulin & blood sugar stabilizes. In one study, people with insulin resistance consumed vinegar & their blood sugar stabilized for 5 hours. 

This can be a game changer if you have insulin resistance or want to lose weight with keto.

If you have insulin resistance, or constantly feel tired & hungry for carbs, try taking 1 – 2 tablespoons of vinegar per day & see if it helps.

Whenever I eat a big, high-carb meal, I make sure to drink around two tablespoons of vinegar after so my blood sugar can be more stable and I don’t hit that 3 PM nap (if you know you know.)

Helps Digestion

Balsamic vinegar contains a lot of acetic acid, which contains good probiotics for your gut. That’s why drinking balsamic vinegar can help you to digest food better & have less digestion issues like GERD or acid reflux.

But, really the biggest benefit of drinking vinegar daily is that it can add to your gut’s acid, which can help you to digest food with less bloating, tiredness, & GERD.

Reduces Acid Reflux

Balsamic vinegar can help to solve your acid reflux because it adds acid back into your digestive system. Though most doctors recommend antacids for acid reflux, drinking vinegar daily has been shown to help cure your acid reflux.

This is because with acid reflux, your body needs more acid, not less. When you take antacids, in the short-term it helps reduce the symptoms. 

But, later on, the acid reflux is just going to become worse.

Instead, if you have acid reflux, try drinking 1 to 2 tablespoons of vinegar for a month & see if your acid reflux goes away.

I cured my acid reflux just by drinking 1 to 2 tablespoons of vinegar for a month & I’m almost certain that it’ll work for you as well.

Lowers Cholesterol

Drinking vinegar has been shown to help lower people’s cholesterol. The antioxidants in balsamic vinegar help to lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol. Just by putting balsamic vinegar on salads, glazes, & in marinades, you can help improve your heart health & cholesterol.

Helps You to Lose Weight

Vinegar, including balsamic vinegar, has been shown to help people to lose weight. The probiotics in vinegar help you to feel full for longer, making it much easier to lose weight.

Though drinking vinegar won’t automatically get you to lose weight, drinking vinegar on top of eating a keto diet & intermittent fasting can help you to lose weight faster & with more ease.

I personally never used vinegar during my weight loss journey, but once I lost weight, I started drinking vinegar when I experienced indigestion issues like bloating or acid reflux.

But, if you want to lose weight faster with the insulin lowering power of vinegar, I highly recommend taking 1 – 2 tablespoons of vinegar daily.

The vinegar you choose doesn’t really matter, but in my opinion the best tasting ones are the fruity ones like balsamic vinegar & apple cider vinegar.

Improves Circulation

Balsamic vinegar has a lot of polyphenols, which may help with your circulation & overall heart health. Since balsamic vinegar is made from grapes, balsamic vinegar is essentially fermented grape juice. And grapes have been shown to help reduce your risk for heart disease.

This is because grapes have been shown to help stop your blood platelets (part of the blood) from aggregating (sticking to each other.) 

This has been shown to help reduce your risk for heart disease.

So, if you’re already at a high-risk for heart disease, then you should definitely consider drinking balsamic vinegar daily.

Better Skin

Since balsamic vinegar contains acetic acid, antimicrobial compounds, & antioxidants, applying it onto your face can help your skin to feel & look better. 

But, you might not want to apply balsamic vinegar to your face, either because of its smell or because you don’t have the time.

If that’s the case, then consuming balsamic vinegar as part of your regular diet might can also make a big difference on the way your skin looks & the brightness of you skin.

Reduces Hypertension

Balsamic vinegar has been shown to help reduce hypertension in rats who consumed vinegar for a long time. So, if you blood pressure issues, add some balsamic vinegar to your food. Not only would it improve your blood pressure, but it would also make your food taste better.

Balsamic Vinegar on Keto FAQ

Now I’ll answer some of the most frequently asked questions that people have about balsamic vinegar on keto.

Does Balsamic Vinegar Help You to Lose Weight?

Yes, balsamic vinegar can help you to lose weight. It can help make your insulin rise more slowly after you eat food, so you’d store less fat & be more full after eating. But, if you want to lose weight, taking vinegar is just a small addition to an overall healthy diet.

Is the Sugar in Balsamic Vinegar Bad for You?

Yes, the sugar in balsamic vinegar is bad for you. But, since there is only 2.4 grams of sugar per tablespoon, you shouldn’t worry about it too much.

What Is the Difference Between Balsamic Vinegar & Normal Vinegar?

Balsamic vinegar is made with grape juice, but white vinegar is made only of acetic acid & water. Balsamic vinegar has a more deep & wine like taste, but most other vinegars have a more harsh, less deep taste.

Ways to Eat Balsamic Vinegar on Keto

The most common ways to eat balsamic vinegar on keto is by pouring it on salads, making a sugar-free glaze, or by adding it into any other sauce you’re making.

Here are two of the ways I use balsamic vinegar on keto to make my food taste better!

Mediterranean Salad

A great way to eat more balsamic vinegar is with a Mediterranean salad. With a Mediterranean salad, you usually use something sour, like lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, in addition to some fats, like olive oil & feta cheese.

Here’s how to make my favorite, sour & olive-y salad that works great on keto:

• Greens (base)––around 4 cups
• Tomatoes (sweetness)––around 1/2 cup
• Balsamic Vinegar (sour flavor)––around 2 – 4 tablespoons
• Lemon Juice (sour flavor)––around 2 – 4 tablespoons
• Olive Oil (dressing)––around 2 – 4 tablespoons
• Feta or Goat Cheese (creamy element)––around 2 – 4 tablespoons

Sugar-Free Glaze

Another great way to eat balsamic vinegar on keto is with a thick, sugar-free glaze. This glaze can go on anything, like a Mediterranean vegetable stir-fry, salmon, a steak, or anything else that needs a deep, wine-like flavor.

Here’s the ingredients to make a balsamic vinegar glaze without using any sugar. Start by pouring all of these things into a pan.

• Balsamic Vinegar (liquid & flavor) — around 2 cups
• Sugar-Free Sweetener (sweetener)––around 1/2 cup
• Sea Salt (salt)––around 1 teaspoon

Once you’ve poured all of the ingredients into your sauce-pan, just turn up the heat to high & keep mixing until it becomes thick.

Once the liquid reaches around half of its original size, you can use it in foods immediately, let it cool & store it in the fridge for later.

This glaze goes really good with savory foods that you’d typically use red wine in, like vegetables, meats, etc.

Conclusion

In conclusion, balsamic vinegar is great for keto since it only has 2.7 grams of carbs per tablespoon. Balsamic vinegar’s biggest benefit is that it reduces your insulin, which can make it much easier to lose weight. If you want to eat more balsamic vinegar in your diet, try adding it into your salads or into savory foods with a sugar-free balsamic glaze.

If you’re interested in learning how I lost 40 pounds with keto & intermittent fasting, here’s my article where I answer all of your questions about losing weight with keto & intermittent fasting.