What Are Pickles?
The word 'pickle' comes from 'pickling', an age-old technique used to increase the shelf life of food or modify its taste. Pickles are not just granny's thing; they also add taste and flavor to the food. That is why they are mandatory for every kitchen or dining table. They are used as additives to various foods and can be enjoyed in endless ways. People, irrespective of their age, love them. They can be sliced and added to a burger or a patty or cut and slid into a sandwich. Pickles are low in calories, carbohydrates, and sugar, with no fat or cholesterol, so they can be considered healthy. One portion of pickles contains 17 calories, 0.13 ounces (3.7 grams) of carbohydrates, and 0.07 ounces (1.9 grams) of sugar. However, pickles would not be considered healthy in certain health conditions like hypertension or diabetes.
It is because of the high sodium content of pickles that they are a threat to health in specific individuals. The high sodium found in most pickles may be bothersome, as high-sodium foods can increase the chances of stomach cancer, high blood pressure, and bloating. The usual pickle can have up to 0.04 ounces (1200 mg) of sodium, which is above the upper limit of the recommended daily intake of sodium for adults. Most people take more than the advised dosage in their diet due to increased consumption of processed and packaged foods. As per the studies, the probability of diseases associated with increased sodium intake includes stroke, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, osteoporosis, and stomach cancer.
How Are Pickles Prepared?
Two methods are used to prepare pickles; one is by fermenting the fruit or the vegetable in a salty brine, and the second is by dipping it in vinegar. The chosen process of preparation determines how healthy the pickle is. The fermented pickles pack a much greater nutritional punch than those immersed in vinegar.
The fermented pickles are a healthier option because fermentation assists in the progression of probiotic bacteria into the food. Such bacteria are essential for good digestive health. They balance the pH (potential of hydrogen) of the gut microbiome, fight pathogenic bacteria, and promote a balanced immune response. Probiotics have also been related to enhanced mental well-being, improved immunity against allergies, and decreased incidence of yeast infection of the vagina in people prone to them.
Vinegar pickles are not a healthy choice and can be consumed very rarely. Though vinegar is a good preservative, most pickles packed with vinegar have abundant other preservatives, such as calcium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium benzoate, and more. Even artificial colors are mostly added to them. They also lack the most important property of fermented pickles; they are devoid of probiotic components.
Supplementing pickles with herbs and spices like ginger, garlic, chilis, basil, turmeric, peppercorn, and bay leaves increases their healthy content by incorporating a suitable amount of strong phytonutrients, antioxidants, antimicrobials, etc.
What Is the Difference Between Fermented Pickles and Regular Pickles?
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Fermented Pickle: Pickles prepared through fermentation have more benefits than non-fermented pickles. Fermentation is a process of preservation. When pickles are fermented, they act as a source of probiotics. This pickle is sour due to the chemical reaction that occurs between the natural sugar and the bacteria present, which produces probiotics. Fermented pickles are more nutritious.
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Non-fermented Pickles: Not all types of pickles are fermented. Those that are present in the grocery shops are usually packed through a process called fresh pack pickling. This pickle also tastes sour as it is soaked in vinegar.
What Are the Health Benefits of Pickles?
Pickled pieces undergo a unique preparation process, and their nutrient profile is altered. However, only minor changes take place, and most of the nutrients that were originally present in that particular food remain intact. Generally, certain nutrients are incorporated into the pickled item, while the vitamins, antioxidants, mineral composition, and taste depend on the food item. So, the original food items are mostly similar to their pickled forms.
Besides this, usually, the increased sodium content of pickles is beneficial for health as sodium is an electrolyte, and it is required by the body to carry out its imperative functions at an appropriate dose. When the body perspires, it loses electrolytes increased perspiration results in muscle cramps. And here is the benefit of pickles coming in, particularly of pickle juice. As per a published study in the Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, having pickle juice can alleviate muscle cramps as quickly as thirty-five seconds. Pickle juice is also used as a hangover remedy for alcoholics.
Other benefits of pickles include the following:
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Pickles are high in vitamin A and thus support healthy vision and a good immune system.
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Pickles contain vitamin K, which regulates calcium levels in the body and helps prevent osteoporosis.
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Pickles are packed with antioxidants. This is one of the most valuable nutritional profits of having pickles.
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Pickles are good for gut health.
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Pickles boost the immune system and hence, immunity.
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Pickles support weight loss.
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Pickles aid in regulating blood sugar levels in the body.
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Pickles are a rich source of potassium, which is another important electrolyte required by the body after sodium.
How to Pickle Cucumbers?
Pickling is a way of fermentation that is done to preserve the food. Pickling uses salt, seasoning, and vinegar. Pickling can be done by using cucumber, carrot, beets, cabbage, and more.
Hot, salted vinegar, along with water, is poured on top of the cucumber and left to cool. Cover them up and allow them to soak in the refrigerator for two days. In this way, homemade pickles are prepared.
What Are the Adverse Effects of Having Pickles?
Pickles come with some side effects too. Those pickles that can be stored on the shelves in the stores do not contain the probiotic gains. They are loaded with extra preservatives and sodium to increase their shelf life. This type especially causes more bloating, too, due to its higher sodium content. The high salt composition further poses a predilection to many critical illnesses.
How to Buy the Healthiest Pickle?
Pickles prepared at home are way healthier than those bought from the store. Preparing pickles at home is easy, takes less preparation time, and is inexpensive. But still, if one is planning to get the pickle from a store, then head to the section on refrigerated food products. Search for an unpasteurized and fermented type, as it is better than the pasteurized one because the pasteurization process kills the good bacteria in the pickle.
Conclusion:
Pickles, particularly fermented ones, can be occasionally included in the normal diet. However, do not take them regularly or in large quantities yet; in moderate amounts, they are fine to consume. Avoiding vinegar-immersed and non-refrigerated types is the catch. Pickles are a kind of food whose little consumption goes a long way, so they are a healthy food choice when chosen and eaten carefully.
