I love chu kiok chou (pig’s trotters cooked with black vinegar). Chu Kiok Chou is a Chinese dish where pig’s trotters are cooked with black vinegar. It is a popular dish for Chinese women in confinement after child birth. The confinement ladies whom I hired to care for my babies and me would throw in some black beans, hard boiled eggs and lots of ginger into the pot of chu kiok chou. I was never fed up of having chu kiok chou during my confinement. As I am typing this post, I am already craving for it!

Picture of pig’s trotters in black vinegar aka chu kiok chou obtained from Google images.

I know some of you worry that eating too much chu kiok chou will cause gastric, tummy upset or other abdominal problems. Some of you worry that black vinegar is not healthy. I did a google search on black vinegar and to my surprise, found out that black vinegar is a health tonic, similar to apple cider vinegar. Some find it similar to balsamic vinegar.

Black Vinegar Health Benefits

Popular in China and Japan as a health tonic or drink, black rice vinegar is reputed to have an array of health benefits, similar to apple cider vinegar and other vinegars. Black vinegar has a deep color and a full, rich flavor, making it a tasty ingredient for dipping sauces and braised dishes. The vinegar can also be used as a fat- and cholesterol-free alternative to balsamic vinegar. Black rice vinegar is most often made from unpolished rice, millet, wheat or sorghum.

Cholesterol Reduction
Black rice vinegars have long been used in China and Japan as natural treatments for the heart and blood vessels. Black vinegar contains acetic acid, an organic acid that may help your body reduce glucose or sugar levels in your blood. As a result, black vinegar can have a long-term, preventative effect with an array of cardiovascular diseases, including high blood pressure, artery disease, heart disease and stroke.

Energy Production
Black vinegar contains high levels of citric acid, which is essential for the metabolic processes that help your body convert food into energy. Citric acid, in fact, helps to boost your body’s energy production over and above normal levels. Many body systems benefit from the increased energy, including your digestion and immune system.

Cancer Prevention
Black rice vinegar contains high levels of antioxidants, which may help to reduce your risk of some types of cancer.

Health Promotion
Black rice vinegar contains many essential amino acids, which your body uses for everything from repairing muscle tissue to growing your nails. The amino acids contained in black vinegar may help to balance your body’s pH, both neutralizing lactic acid and alkalizing the blood, as well as to heal everyday ailments ranging from congestion to constipation.

Promotes weight loss
Drinking black vinegar every day is said to be a great way to get thin. Many studies support that incorporating vinegar in one’s diet leads to improved health with emphasis in weight loss, fat burn and skin care.

As with all health food and drinks, moderation is the key. Everything taken in excess is bad for your body. Drinking too much water is also bad for you. The same goes with black vinegar. Drinking an excess of black vinegar may put a strain on your stomach. I like to drink my black vinegar broth with eggs and lean pork along with other dishes. Personally, I find that if I drink too much vinegar (black vinegar and apple cider vinegar), it causes me to have gastric. One time, Cass had diarrhea after over-eating pig’s trotters in black vinegar.  So remember, eat your black vinegar in moderation.