Food Trend: What is Pickle Juice & Its Health Benefits

Remember the days when your grandma used to have huge beautiful pickle jars soaked up in sun? Days, when you used to relish the unbeatable flavor of different combinations of veggies, dipped in enriched solution of salt and spices. That secret grandma recipe is not old yet!

Pickle juice is similar to the brine solution with bit spices, but it is surprisingly an incredible source of electrolytes, antioxidants, and nutrients. Pickle juice is mostly fermented and basically a combo of salt and some minerals and can be used as a rehydrating fluid.

Pickles are the perfect accompaniment of the regular food, too often the juice—you know the stuff responsible for turning your everyday veggies into crunchy, sour goodness—gets tossed out and forgotten but here are few benefits given below:

• Prevents dehydration

Pickle juice contains a good amount of sodium. It also has potassium too. After a sweaty or lengthy exercise session, having some pickle juice can help your body recover to its normal electrolyte levels more quickly and prevent the body from feeling dehydrated.

• Helps soothe muscle cramps

It can be a perfect pre and post-workout drink and is really popular with athletes. It replenishes body with sodium and potassium which is lost while sweating during a workout and needs to maintain the electrolyte balance. The calcium chloride and vinegar present in pickle juice make the sodium and potassium more readily available to get absorbed by the body. The next reason why pickle juice is every athlete’s favourite pick-me-up is that it helps prevent or get rid of muscle cramps. It hydrates the body and alleviates cramps. Pickle juice can be quite acidic due to vinegar so avoid drinking it empty stomach before a workout, as it can cause stomach issues.

• Improves gut health

The vinegar in pickle juice can help your gut stay healthy, too. Vinegar is a fermented food and fermented foods are helps improve digestion. They enhance the growth and healthy balance of good bacteria and flora in your gut.

• Good source of vitamins and antioxidants.

Pickle juice might be a good source of essential vitamins A and E. It also contains a trace amount of antioxidants, which help protect your body and its cells from harmful molecules but you should also keep other better sources in your lists like fruits and vegetables.

Risks of Drinking Pickle Juice
Drinking pickle juice has no such serious side effects, but there are certain you should know about and avoid drinking pickle juice under these conditions:

• In case if you are on a low sodium diet due to any medical reason, it is not recommended for you. If you have gout or any family history of gout, avoid as it can cause a build-up of uric acid.
• Water retention and bloating are common side effects of having pickle juice in excess, so be careful. Excessive use of pickle juice may also cause hypertension or may shoot up your blood pressure.

Over to you
While if you are having pickle juice, watch your sodium intake or if you may be having any side effects. Make sure to check with your doctor and dietitian about pickle juice before drinking it.