Meet the teenage vinegar addict who drinks at least two bottles every week

Reading about addicts can be intriguing as one realises we are all wired differently. Ella Ruby Ginn, 19, has been drinking vinegar by the glass since she was a child, and she can't get enough of the acidic condiment. She is so addicted that she even keeps spare sachets in her bag, in case she gets a craving when she's out and about - and she gets through nearly 184 pints (about 88 litres) a year. Ella, from Hastings, East Sussex, said: "I can't even remember when I started drinking vinegar, I must've been really young, I've drunk it for as long as I remember.
"I used to nick vinegar sachets from cafes and restaurants and slip them into my bag.
"Once I was round my nan's and I got them out and started drinking them - she had a right go at me, she said it would burn my stomach lining.
"I don't care though, I just love the taste. It's really sour, but I love it - my favourite bit is when it burns in my chest.
"I drink at least a glass a day, and have it on all my food too - if I have chips I drown them in it.
"I always sip it - I've tried to glug it down in one but that hurts!
"I've always liked sour things - when I drink it it makes my jaw feel funny, I like that feeling.
"I always have at least a couple of bottles in the cupboard, I don't know what I'd do if I ran out so I like to keep stocked up.
"I wouldn't order a glass when I'm out, but if I have sachets with me I'll drink them - I don't care what people think."
Ella used to favour classic malt vinegar, but after losing 3st last year she switched to apple cider vinegar - which is believed to aid weight loss.
As well as drinking at least a glass a day Ella douses her food in the sour ingredient, throwing generous amounts into her cooking and covering her dinner in balsamic vinegar too. While she struggled to find love because people were taken aback by her odd habit, Ella has now settled down with a doting boyfriend who even goes out on vinegar runs for her.
Ella, a make-up artist and aspiring singer, said: "Everyone thinks it's really weird and an odd habit to have.
"People automatically assume my breath smells, which can put them off me at first - but I do brush my teeth!
"Some of my family worry about my health - they think the acid could damage my stomach, and apparently cravings for vinegar can mean you have a deficiency, but I'm not worried.
Helena Gibson-Moore, a nutrition scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation, said: "Vinegar, particularly apple cider vinegar, has been purported to have health benefits such as weight loss.
"Research looking at potential benefits is limited, with small studies mostly in rats, so there is currently no robust evidence to support health benefits in humans.
"Vinegar consumed in small amounts is unlikely to cause harm in most people, however the long term effects of drinking large amounts of vinegar regularly are unclear.
"Vinegar is known for its acidic properties so it is advised that people who have acid reflux should avoid vinegar. In addition drinking acidic drinks regularly is associated with dental erosion."