White Vinegar vs. Apple Cider Vinegar
Vinegar is a staple cooking and household item. What many are unaware of, however, is that there are multiple types of vinegar. Geographic locations and the specific ingredients tend to determine the type of vinegar that is developed.
As mentioned above, there are numerous types of vinegar. Malt vinegar, which is made from grains (most commonly barley), originated from the English. Coconut vinegar is common in Asia and is produced through the process of fermenting coconut juice. Cane vinegar, produced from fermented sugar cane, is popular in the Philippines. There are many others, but the most widely known ones are white vinegar, mainly utilized in cooking to cleaning, and apple cider vinegar, which has gained popularity in recent times thanks to its versatility and health benefits.
The same process used in distilling wine is utilized in producing vinegar. However, the fermentation process of the ethanol is more concentrated, producing acetic acid. The term ‘vinegar’ was derived from the French ‘vin aigre’, which literally means ‘sour wine.’ Traditionally, vinegar is produced over the course of several weeks or longer. This promotes the natural accumulation of acetic acid bacteria (aka ‘mother of vinegar’). Modern methods allow for faster development through the usage of bacterial cultures and machinery that speed up the oxygenation and, consequently, the fermentation. White vinegar and apple cider vinegar are produced in a similar manner, but with slight differences.
White vinegar is actually clear vinegar. It is produced using the same means as other vinegars, but is often derived from vinegars themselves. A popular choice is malt vinegar due to its cheap cost. In comparison to other vinegars, white vinegar is extremely sour. Because of its higher acidity level than others of its kind (distilling malt vinegar with water, for instance, yields around 5-8% acetic acid content), white vinegar is more often used for cleaning purposes, though it is also known for its medicinal uses as well as for baking, pickling, and preserving meat products. Rice vinegar, popular in Asian countries, is perhaps the only white vinegar almost exclusively utilized in cooking. White vinegar can be used to clean windows, stains, and even to sterilize tools; it is often used in laboratory settings.
Apple cider vinegar (commonly referred to as ACV), on the other hand, is made through the fermentation process of apple cider. In the same manner as all vinegar is produced, apple cider vinegar is first fermented into alcohol. Next, it is further processed to increase its acetic acid content, thus turning it into vinegar. Another difference between white vinegar and apple cider vinegar is that the latter has a yellow-brown light coloration. It is commonly distributed unfiltered and without going through pasteurization. Remember the ‘mother of vinegar’ that is produced using other processed vinegar? Apple cider vinegar is often distributed with the ‘mother of vinegar’ residue at the bottom of the container. Apple cider vinegar is popular among the health conscious due to its supposed health benefits superior to those of vinegars. While both white vinegar and apple cider vinegar have potential medicinal uses, many contend that apple cider vinegar is more potent, particularly in the areas of controlling blood sugar levels and weight loss, as a remedy to some skin conditions and allergies, as well as boosting the immune system. It is also thought to have positive effects on reducing high levels of bad cholesterol and lowering blood pressure.
In summary:
1.White vinegar and Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) are produced through the same process; through the distillation of fermented ethanol, which yields acetic acid, the key component of vinegars.
2.White vinegar encompasses a larger scope of vinegar types as it is generally produced from vinegars themselves; apple cider vinegar is the product of the distillation of ethanol from apple cider.
3.White vinegar is more often used as a cleaning agent, while apple cider vinegar is popular for its health benefits.