Vinegar is probably one of the many inventions discovered by accident many years back. There was no official record in history of the exact origin of vinegar but there are various legends on how and when it was discovered.
Many say that it was discovered through having a barrel and cask of wine rot and eventually, it then tasted sour. Others claim that vinegar was discovered in Babylonia where a courtier neglected to consume grape wine and it eventually turned sour hence, the vinegar.
Tracing back to before 5000 BC, it was said that a civilization of Sumerians from Babylonia, used vinegar as a cleaning agent because the acetic acid content inhibits the growth of pathogens including bacteria. Hence, they also used vinegar to preserve or pickle their food because it inhibits the bacteria that thrive in soiled food.
After many years, in the time of Ceasar, his armies used vinegar as a beverage and in the time of the Egyptians, paintings and artifact show evidences of brewing activities. During the Roman times, they drank a combination of water and vinegar in their every meal. They called it "Posca" and were part of their everyday life.
Therefore, during the middle ages, aside from a condiment or a drink, vinegar was widely used as a cleaning agent and a cure for many illnesses like leprosy, plaques and other life-threatening conditions. Actually, it was a life saver for the many because during plaques like the Black Plaque in Europe, people used vinegar to bathe the people to save them from germs.
The Father of Medicine, Hippocrates prescribed vinegar to treat many ailments. He adorned its many medical uses and formulated his own medical recipe to treat his patients..
Today, vinegar still plays an important role in communities worldwide. Aside from a major ingredient in cooking not only in Europe but also in other continents, its medical uses have been known as a fact to many people. In fact, it is still being used as a cleaning agent for wounds, bites and rashes. Vinegar has indeed come a long way and this accidental discovery changed the lives of civilizations for the past centuries. Apple Cider Vinegar is now dubbed as the most potent healthy vinegar in the world with its wide array of health benefits including its role in heart health and weight loss.