There are many claims made for balsamic vinegar from lowering cholesterol to antimicrobial effects, though none of them seem to have been demonstrated absolutely (and antimicrobial vinegar in a dresesing is not a substitute for washing your salad vegetables properly!). What you can be sure of is that a simple balsamic vinaigrette such as this recipe is better for you than most commercial salad dressings, which are often either very high in fats and sugar or filled with heavily processed chemical ingredients.