Vinegar, the cure all!

When you go and eat ramen, at almost every single place, you will notice that they have 3 bottles of sauce at the table. One is dark, which is soy sauce, one is red chili oil, and the other clear one is vinegar.

When I eat ramen, I always take a small spoonful of soup and pour some vinegar in it. I repeat this about 3 or 4 times, in order to ingest a good amount of vinegar. I have found in my years in Japan that having extra vinegar with my meal helps tremendously with digestion, and it also helps to relieve the effects of alcohol the next day; along with plenty of water of course.

I have also heard from my former rugby teammates when I played in Japan, that having plenty of vinegar in your diet improves your flexibility and general joint health. Perhaps just an old Japanese wives' tail, but having lots of vinegar always makes me feel sharp and clean.