The benefits and harms of pickles | Health and environment

Ammon – the benefits of pickles
Pickle Ingredients Are Nutrients
Pickles contain certain health-promoting nutrients, including the following:

A good source of antioxidants: All types of fruit and vegetable pickles contain antioxidants, which help reduce free radical damage because the presence of free radicals in the body increases the risk of many diseases , such as cancers, infections and heart problems. disease, in addition It accelerates aging.
Good source of vitamins: pickles are rich in vitamins; Indeed, the brine reduces the water content of fruits or vegetables, which increases the concentration of vitamins they contain. A pickled cucumber contains about 23% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin K, which contributes to healthy bones and blood clotting functions, as well as 21% to 24% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A, which is important for the maintenance of bone health. It supports eye health, immune system support and pregnancy health, and it also contains between 3% and 4% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C, which acts as an antioxidant and reduces damage to cells in the body. body. .
A rich source of electrolytes: (in English: electrolytes), because pickles contain large amounts of sodium, which is one of the electrolyte substances, and therefore the consumption of pickle juice can help people suffering from dehydration to restore the levels of electrolyte substances in their body. .
A Rich Source of Probiotics: Beneficial bacteria present in pickles, known as probiotics, help in the digestion process and maintain intestinal health, by regulating bacteria in the intestines, stimulating and developing the immune system in the body, and they also produce beneficial nutrients and increase its bioavailability in the body, in addition to alleviating the symptoms of lactose intolerance and reducing the risk of many diseases.
Studies on the benefits of pickles
A study published in the Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise in 2010 showed that drinking pickled juice can help reduce muscle cramps and spasms.

The nutritional value of pickles
The following table shows the nutrients present in 100 grams of pickled cucumbers, pickled turnips and pickled canned green olives:

Pickled cucumber, pickled turnip, pickled canned green olives
Water (millilitre) 94.08 87.93 75.28
Calories (kcal) 11 43 145
Protein (grams) 0.33 0.84 1.03
Lipids (grams) 0.2 0.14 15.32
Carbohydrates (grams) 2.26 9.95 3.84
Fiber (grams) 1.2 1.6 3.3
Sugars (grams) 1.6 7.35 0.54
Calcium (milligrams) 0 23 52
Iron (milligrams) 0.4 0.26 0.49
Magnesium (milligrams) 4 10 11
Phosphorus (milligrams) 14 22 4
Potassium (milligrams) 23 147 42
Sodium (milligrams) 1208 191 1556
Zinc (milligrams) 0.02 0.22 0.04
Copper (milligrams) 0.085 0.062 0.12
Vitamin C (milligrams) 1 15.7 0
Folate (micrograms) 1 10 3
Vitamin A (micrograms) 10 9 20
Vitamin E (milligrams) 0.09 0.13 3.81
Vitamin K (μg) 47 0.4 1.4
Pickle damage
How safe pickles are
Eating pickles or fermented foods is safe for most people, but there is a small group of people who may experience side effects from eating them.

Precautions for using pickles
People with high blood pressure or heart or blood vessel health problems are advised to avoid eating pickles, and in general, eating large amounts of pickles leads to high amounts of sodium and high blood pressure, thereby increasing the risk of heart attacks, strokes and diabetes. , and kidney disease, in addition to this, excessive sodium consumption can increase the leaching of calcium from the bones, which leads to their weakening and an increased risk of fractures. It should also be noted that high consumption of salted pickles may increase the risk of stomach cancer. A study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention in 2012 showed that eating foods high in salt, such as pickles, was associated with a 50% higher risk of stomach cancer.

Common questions about pickles
What are the benefits of pickles for diet
There is no information available on the benefits of pickles for diets, and it should be noted that some information has spread about the benefits of pickle juice for weight loss, but in fact, it is an unfounded rumor that is unrelated to weight loss. As the weight loss process has to completely change the diet and lifestyle, adding pickled juice to the daily diet cannot reduce weight or make the body burn fat.

What are the benefits of pickled cucumber?
Pickled cucumbers, like other types of pickles, are a rich source of beneficial bacteria that help support and improve the health of the digestive system. It is also low in calories and a rich source of vitamin K, which is important for healthy blood clotting in the body, as mentioned earlier.

What are the benefits of pickled olives?
There is no information available on the benefits of pickled olives specifically, but olives and their oil are generally considered useful foods, as monounsaturated fats make up about 70% of olive oil, which which is the highest percentage compared to any other type of oil, and it also contains components and compounds, others, such as pigments, flavonoids and phenolic compounds that act as antioxidants in the body.

An overview of pickles
Pickles are foods that have gone through a process of fermentation, or so-called pickling, which is one of the ancient methods used to preserve food over 4000 years ago, and it is believed that its first use was in the state of India, and this method is still used today to change the flavor of food; This is because vinegar, oil, salt or spices are usually added to foods during the fermentation processes used to make pickles, and it should be noted that there are many foods that can be pickled for prevent spoiling and add other flavors. such as fruits, vegetables and meat. It should be noted that the pickling process changes the color and flavor of foods and increases their acidity.