As in the case of Extra Virgin olive oils, the production of the highly-prized traditional Balsamic Vinegar is governed by very strict regulations administered by a Consortium of producers (Consorzio Produttori Aceto Balsamico di Modena).
The vinegar that is created according to Consortium regulations is also known as Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena, in English: Traditional Balsamic Vinegarof Modena.
Below are some basic examples of the “Tradizionale” requirements.
The thick syrup resulting from reduction, called “mosto cotto” (“cooked must” in English), is particularly aged for a minimum of 12 years in a battery of barrels of much smaller sizes. Additionally, they are made from varied woods, including chestnut, juniper, acacia, cherry, and ash. Each of these woods makes its own contribution to the complex, nuanced flavour that will be the ultimate result.
This aging process is not as seamless as aging the syrup for either 12 or 25 years in the cask it happened to be placed in. But instead, there is a more difficult process in which currently aging vinegar contributes to the new vinegar that has just arrived.
Because of the strict restrictions on production, the lengthy aging process, and the small volumes produced, traditional balsamic vinegar can be very expensive at times.
Condimento Balsamico
Fortunately for you, there are alternatives to ‘tradizionale’ balsamic. The next grade in balsamic vinegars is called ‘condimento’. This grade may be labelled as “condimento balsamico”, “salsa balsamico”, or “salsa di mosto cotta”.
Condimento Balsamic Vinegar can be made in a handful of ways:
The Atkins diet principles lay the foundation for a healthy, more balanced way of eating than the standard American diet. Its emphasis is on using good carbohydrates in balance with adequate protein. This is in stark contrast to what most Americans eat on a daily basis.
The average American eats a tremendous amount of processed foods that have hidden sugars and highly processed carbohydrates. This has put most Americans on the road to diabetes and pre-diabetic conditions. What is sad is that diabetes has a predictable set of stages and that they can be easily recognized.
The road to diabetes has to do with something called the glycemic index. All carbohydrates are rated on this index with regards to the level of insulin reaction they produce.
Generally speaking, foods that have a high glycemic index rating will cause your pancreas to release a lot of insulin to break down the amount of sugars and carbohydrates (which produce high amounts of glucose). The refined carbohydrates and sugars that make up the vast majority of the American diet rank very high on the glycemic index.
We are able to more readily digest these foods as children, because our bodies function more efficiently in our youth. There may have been side effects, like weight gain and mood swings, but they didn’t stand out.
Usually, as we age, however, these symptoms begin to grow and become more prevalent. The nationwide obesity epidemic is a result of high-carbohydrate diets and unstable blood sugar levels.
A variety of people who are overweight are also insulin resistant. Insulin resistance means that the insulin is not doing its job in removing glucose from the blood stream. The pancreas gets over worked and it releases massive amounts of insulin, sometimes 20 times more than the body actually needs. This results in the blood sugar dropping to extremely low levels.
This sets off a chain reaction in the body that leads to a release of adrenaline to correct the blood sugar problem.
