Acetic acid intake linked to protein and vitamins
What it found
In 141 Japanese adults, people who ate more acetic acid tended to eat more protein and more of most vitamins.
The study found no link between acetic acid and blood sugar or blood fat measures.
What they found
Studies in people
Acetic acid intake varied
The average daily acetic acid intake was 0.16 g, and people ate foods containing it on about 2.77 days a week. Day-to-day intake varied about ten times more than energy or macronutrient intake did.
More protein and cholesterol
After adjusting for age, sex, BMI and energy intake, people who ate more acetic acid also ate more protein and more cholesterol. The link with protein was strong.
More vitamins
People who ate more acetic acid also ate more of all vitamins tested except vitamin K. The link held after adjusting for age, sex, BMI and energy intake.
Frequency and B vitamins
People who ate acetic acid more often also ate more protein, vitamin B1, niacin and vitamin B12. The authors say this means the frequency of acetic acid intake may hint at protein and some vitamin intake.
No link to blood measures
The amount or frequency of acetic acid intake was not linked to HbA1c, total cholesterol, triglycerides or HDL cholesterol. The authors note that the amounts eaten were much lower than the 0.75 g used in studies that reported benefits.
What the authors conclude
“The use of seasonings containing acetic acid, such as vinegar, may be beneficial for the intake of a variety of vitamins as well as proteins.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say that using seasonings containing acetic acid, such as vinegar, may be beneficial for getting a variety of vitamins as well as protein.
- They suggest that asking about the amount and frequency of acetic acid-rich foods may help show whether protein and vitamin intake is adequate.
- They call for studies with more people to test the effects of acetic acid on lifestyle-related diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
How it was done
The authors say that usual diet questionnaires only ask about mayonnaise and dressings, so they likely underestimate how much acetic acid people actually eat. They wanted to see whether a recipe-based food app could capture acetic acid intake and what it might be linked to.
They asked 141 people aged 20 to 60 who had workplace health checks to record their meals in a food app for at least 7 days in December 2022 or December 2023. The app worked out acetic acid from meal recipes, and the researchers compared that with nutrient intake and with blood measures like HbA1c and cholesterol.
What it can’t tell you
- This was a cross-sectional study, so it can show links but not cause and effect.
- The participants were mostly healthy women having checkups, so the results may not apply to people with conditions like diabetes or obesity.
- The study did not include people whose acetic acid intake was high enough to affect glucose tolerance.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by Mizkan foldings Co., Ltd (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- Katsumi Iizuka has received research support from Mizkan Holdings Company.
- Authors work at
- Fujita Health University, Japan; Central Research Institute, Japan; Fujita Health University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Japan
The paper
- Title
- Associations of Acetic Acid Intake with Protein and Vitamin Intake Estimated via a Food Recording Application
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Deguchi K, Yoshimoto J, Yamamoto-Wada R, et al (2024). Associations of Acetic Acid Intake with Protein and Vitamin Intake Estimated via a Food Recording Application. Nutrients. doi:10.3390/nu16172977Free full textPubMed 39275292DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error