Is Pickle Juice a Low-Calorie Drink?
Pickle juice is considered to be a zero-calorie drink with many benefits. According to the information given by the Pickle Juice Company, it is completely free from carbohydrates. This is because the product's ingredients are all zero calories such as the major ingredients - water, vinegar, salt, and natural dill herb added or infused for flavor. As none of these ingredients have any carbs, they also do not provide any calories as such. However, according to the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), one is likely to gain around 41 calories and around eight grams or 0.282 ounces of carbohydrate when one consumes one cup of this juice from other commercial brands.
According to many individuals, pickle juice may possibly help in relieving exercise-induced muscle cramps and provide a range of other health benefits. Though this juice has purportedly many health benefits, the scientific evidence regarding its benefit needs to be revised as per current nutrition research and needs more investigation.
What Are the Nutrition Facts About Pickle Juice?
The nutrition information for commercially manufactured pickle juice as provided by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) for one cup serving or approximately 240 ml or 8.12 fluid ounces is as follows:
Fat: 0 ounces.
Sodium: 29.01 ounces.
Carbohydrates: 0 ounces.
Fiber: 0 ounces.
Sugars: 0 ounces.
Protein: 0 ounces.
Potassium: 2.46 ounces.
Vitamin C: 0.63 ounces.
Potassium: 2.46 ounces.
Total calories: 0 ounces.
The amount of carbohydrates consumed through pickle juice would be dependent on the commercial brands purchased, as it would vary from brand to brand. Usually, there is no fat content as one can find in pickle juice whether one prepares it at home or purchases it commercially (regardless of the brand).
There is also absolutely no protein in this juice (0 ounces of protein per serving). Sodium is one of the essential electrolytes that can maintain or sustain a healthy cell function that is found in pickle juice in high quantities. However as most commercial brands of juice usually have added sodium content, for individuals looking forward to cutting back on extra sodium or who are possibly taking medications or have hypertension, it is ideal to avoid this juice. Pickle juice also contains another important electrolyte is potassium with the Pickle Juice Company's juice yielding 2.46 ounces of potassium per cup serving. This contributes to around 2 percent of the daily value of potassium needed (in regard to a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet plan). Pickle juice is a good source of dietary zinc, which is an essential mineral needed for both digestion and cell metabolism. One serving of pickle juice would usually provide 13 percent of the daily value of zinc needed. This juice is primarily rich in vitamin C, yielding almost 18 mg or 0.63 ounces per cup or around 30 percent of the daily value needed for vitamin C.
What Are the Possible Benefits of Pickle Juice?
-
Some individuals like gym goers, athletes, and fitness experts have popularized in recent times that drinking pickle juice is deemed more beneficial than the conventionally available commercial sports drinks or beverages. This is because many people believe that pickle juice has the ability to prevent muscle cramps soon after exercise or workout and also boost hydration levels post-workout. Nutrition research shows that these are only claims made in the world of fitness and current scientific evidence gives a mixed result regarding this benefit. Preliminary research studies have found that when muscle cramps occurred upon electrical stimulation in control group subjects, consumption of pickle juice after a workout had the ability to reduce muscle cramping. On the contrary, some research studies exist that show consuming pickle juice did not as such affect or improve the aerobic performance or temperature regulation factors after or before exercise in athletes. Hence so far, the scientific research on this benefit of pickle juice may be said to be inconclusive.
-
According to 2015 clinical study that was published in the Journal of Diabetes Research, the focus was on studying the effects of vinegar on regulating blood sugar levels in individuals. According to the results of this research, because pickle juice contains vinegar as one of its ingredients or in its content commercially, the vinegar present would possibly help in regulating blood sugar levels when consumed pickle juice. Hence according to this preliminary research, pickle juice would be part of the diabetic diet. Again the drawback is high sodium content may not be suited to diabetics as well, hence more research is needed to investigate this benefit of pickle juice.
-
Some research also shows that pickle juice may produce the same level of hydration in the body similar to fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, yogurt, and many more. Also, because its effect on the gastrointestinal system is similar to that of fermented probiotics, one of the benefits would be an improved gut microbiota or simply improved digestive health (by promoting the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut and intestine).
-
Preliminary research shows pickle juice may possibly help in relieving the effect of hangovers, however, more research is needed to explore or prove this benefit.
What Are the Adverse Effects of Pickle Juice?
Individuals would be allergic to the vinegar used during the brining process of pickle juice. If one experiences possible clinical symptoms such as itchy skin, nausea, skin hives, gastric discomfort, constipation, or diarrhea after consuming pickle juice, immediately report to the allergist. A diet high in sodium is definitely not recommended for hypertensive patients or could interfere with individuals who are taking systemic medications. Hence it would be wiser to consult the health care provider before consuming pickle juice.
What Are the Home-Made Versions of Pickle Juice?
Commercially prepared pickle juices would contain more amounts of sodium and added sugars that are not ideal for systemic health. Hence it is always wiser to check the ingredient or nutrition label on the bottle before purchasing from the grocery store.
The healthy way is to simply prepare pickle juice at home. One can do this by adding water, vinegar, salt, and pickling herbs or spices such as dill herb which is commonly infused or added to this drink. Usually, it's better to combine one or two parts of water with one part of vinegar. One can then add salt and spices along with sugar (if needed) as per the taste preferences. After the ingredients are combined, mix them in a pot and then heat on the stove. Subsequently, one can place the prepared or homemade juice in the refrigerator for cooling down. One can then serve it and consume pickle juice post-exercise.
Conclusion
Nutrition research sheds light upon some preliminary studies that link the effect of pickle juice to boost exercise performance and reduce muscle cramps as well as post-exercise rehydration. However, this requires scientific evidence that is currently lacking and it is best to prepare one’s own juice and cut back on the added sodium in commercial drinks. Ultimately, whether pickle juice is a good choice for hydration and health depends on individual preferences and dietary needs. It can be a beneficial option in specific situations, but it should not replace a well-balanced diet and other sources of hydration. It is advisable to consult with a healthcare professional or nutritionist to determine if pickle juice aligns with individual health goals and dietary requirements.
