Vinegar not only harmonizes the taste of dishes, enhancing their umami and fragrance, but also possesses numerous medicinal properties. As early as in the "Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases" by Zhang Zhongjing of the Han Dynasty, there are records of using vinegar to treat illnesses, referring to it as "Ku Jiu" (bitter wine). The "Compendium of Materia Medica" documents the medicinal effects of vinegar: "It is generally used to treat various sores, swellings, accumulations, abdominal masses, heart and abdominal pain, phlegm and fluid disorders, and blood diseases. It kills toxins in fish, meat, and vegetables and various insect poisons. This is all due to its astringent nature, but it also has the effect of dispelling stasis and detoxifying." The "Essentials of Materia Medica" states: "Vinegar can remove dampness, dispel stasis, detoxify, promote the downward flow of qi, aid digestion, and whet the appetite." Legend has it that the Qianlong Emperor of the Qing Dynasty also drank a cup of vinegar every night before bed as one of his imperial recipes for longevity, proving to be quite effective.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) posits that the sour flavor enters the Liver, and the Liver governs the blood. Many gynecological diseases are caused by stagnation of the Liver meridian. Since vinegar is sour, it specifically targets the Liver meridian, enhancing the medicinal effect of herbs in soothing the Liver and alleviating pain. It also invigorates blood circulation, dispels stasis, soothes the Liver, relieves depression, and resolves stagnation to alleviate pain. "Vinegar processing" is an important method in the preparation of Chinese medicine. TCM clinics often use vinegar to process various herbs, such as commonly used gynecological medicines like vinegar-processed Bupleurum root, vinegar-processed Angelica sinensis, and vinegar-processed White Peony root, to treat menstrual irregularities, metrorrhagia, and leukorrhea. For specific proven formulas, for example, dividing Cyperus rotundus into three parts and soaking them separately in salt, vinegar, and yellow rice wine, then making them into pills for oral administration, can regulate menstrination and alleviate pain. Another formula involves boiling 50 grams of burnt Sanguisorba root and 50 grams of rice vinegar in water for oral administration, suitable for excessive menstrual bleeding and metrorrhagia due to blood heat. Another example from the "Zengding Jingyan Ji" (Expanded Collection of Experience) records a formula for treating leukorrhea: "Use one whole Dryopteris crassirhizoma, scrape off its skin and hair... moisten it with rice vinegar, slowly roast it over a low fire, grind it into a powder, and take it on an empty stomach with rice soup, two qian (about 6 grams) per dose." This is effective for treating red and white leukorrhea in women caused by damp-heat when other medicines have failed.
Link: Recent research has found that vinegar also has beauty-preserving effects. Regular consumption of health vinegar and vinegar products can make the skin smooth and delicate, reduce wrinkles, and keep the complexion moist and healthy. Long-term use of diluted vinegar to wash the face is also beneficial for facial skin nutrition. Mixing vinegar and glycerin in a 5:1 ratio and applying it to the skin can, over time, gradually restore rough skin to tenderness. Applying vinegar to the scalp skin before bed each night can also reduce dandruff. Moreover, drinking a small amount of vinegar before sleep can not only aid in sleep but also benefit skin care.