Brown rice vinegar adds flavor to foods and contains an abundance of amino acids that might enhance your health. Amino acids are necessary for proper digestion and absorption of nutrients from foods. They help break down the harmful buildup of toxic fats in your system, according to Cal Orey, author of “The Healing Powers of Vinegar.” Consult a professional nutritionist or your primary care doctor about the benefits of brown rice vinegar in a healthful diet.

According to Dr. Yoshio Takino of Shizuka University in Japan, authentic rice vinegar contains 20 amino acids and 16 organic acids that help prevent the formation of toxic fat peroxides. Takino explains that when unsaturated fatty acids from vegetable oils and other foods are heated in cooking, exposed to light, or oxidized in the metabolism process, fat peroxides develop and contribute to aging and unhealthful cholesterol formation.

When calcium is properly absorbed from the foods you eat, it helps to keep your bones healthy and prevent osteoporosis. Brown rice vinegar contains acetic acid, which aids in the body’s absorption of essential vitamins and minerals, according to Orey. Consuming rice vinegar with your food might help you absorb some of the minerals and vitamins that otherwise would have been lost in the digestive process.

Because it inhibits fatty peroxides, brown rice vinegar helps to reduce or prevent a buildup of harmful cholesterol on blood vessel walls. Consuming brown rice vinegar might help to lower your blood pressure, reduce your LDL cholesterol levels and increase your “good” cholesterol -- HDL, according to Orey. Add a little vinegar to a salad or other dishes for a heart-healthy meal. Brown rice vinegar complements various foods and can also be helpful when added to a drink taken just prior to your meal, adds Orey.

Some rice vinegars are made through a process of boiling that destroys many of the beneficial amino acids. The full benefit of amino acids can be found in brown rice vinegars such as kurozu, a Japanese vinegar fermented in earthenware crocks by a process that takes a full year, according to FitLifeJapan.com. Consult your primary health-care provider before making any changes in your diet.