Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsIngredients8 Possible BenefitsDisadvantages
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Ingredients
8 Possible Benefits
Disadvantages
Pickle juice might not be for everyone, especially people who need to watch their sodium intake. One 8-ounce serving contains up to 821 milligrams (mg) of sodium.Too much sodium can bring up blood pressure and put you at risk for a number of other health conditions.
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What’s In Pickle Juice?
Pickle brands use different recipes for their pickle juice, which makes it harder to break down what is precisely in pickle juice and its nutritional content. For the most part, pickle juice does not contain many ingredients, minerals, or vitamins. However, it does containpotassiumandsodium.
Potassium is a mineral vital for the basic functions of cells and for nerve and muscle function.Sodium is also involved in nerve and muscle function and it is needed to maintain water and mineral balance.However, too much sodium can be harmful and can lead to highblood pressureand cardiovascular disease.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the nutritional content of 8 ounces of pickle juice sold as a sport drink is:
Ingredients in pickle juice include water, salt, vinegar, natural dill flavoring, potassium,zinc, vitamin C, vitamin E, yellow 5, and polysorbate 80.Some of these ingredients might help your health, while others are not beneficial and may even be harmful.
Some varieties of pickle juice includeLactobacillus,a probiotic bacterium beneficial to overall health. This is the case for varieties that are naturally fermented and unpasteurized but not for commercially prepared pickles that use vinegar as a primary ingredient.
Where to Find Pickle Juice
Pickle juice can be found in the condiment aisle of your local grocery store, near the vinegar and oils. If you cannot find it in the store, it is also available online.
You can also get pickle juice from a jar of pickles, which is also available in the condiment aisle of a grocery store. Look for fermented, unpasteurized pickles in the refrigerated sections.
A Word From VerywellPickle juice can help keep you hydrated before or after a workout. But note that the high sodium content makes this drink unsuitable for those who should be watching their sodium.—AVIV JOSHUA, RDN, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
Pickle juice can help keep you hydrated before or after a workout. But note that the high sodium content makes this drink unsuitable for those who should be watching their sodium.—AVIV JOSHUA, RDN, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Pickle juice can help keep you hydrated before or after a workout. But note that the high sodium content makes this drink unsuitable for those who should be watching their sodium.
—AVIV JOSHUA, RDN, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Eight Possible Benefits and Uses of Pickle Juice
There are many claims about health benefits related to pickle juice. Below are eight purported benefits and the research behind them.
Soothes Muscle Cramps
Most people experiencemuscle crampsbecause of fluid andelectrolyte lossor imbalances.This is often the case following an intense workout when fluids have been depleted through increased sweating. The research on drinking pickle juice for managing muscle cramps is mixed.
ElectrolytesElectrolytesare particles your body needs for processes like contracting muscles, hydration, conducting nerve impulses, and regulatingpH levels.When certain minerals, such as sodium and potassium, dissolve in a fluid, they form electrolytes.
Electrolytes
Electrolytesare particles your body needs for processes like contracting muscles, hydration, conducting nerve impulses, and regulatingpH levels.When certain minerals, such as sodium and potassium, dissolve in a fluid, they form electrolytes.
A newer study, reported in 2022, of people withcirrhosis(extensive liver scarring) found that pickle juice could improve cirrhotic cramps (muscle cramps related to liver disease).The researchers had 82 people with a history of cirrhotic cramps sip either pickle juice or tap water at the onset of the cramping.
Up to 70% of the study participants who sipped on the pickle juice said their cramping stopped compared to the 40% who drank the water. The study authors concluded that sips of pickle brine at the onset of cramping could improve cramp severity without any side effects or adverse events.
However, a 2014 study found conflicting results. Researchers found that consuming small amounts of pickle juice was unlikely to replenish fluid or electrolyte loss or reduce cramping.
Assists With Hydration
Drinking potassium and sodium-containing beverages can help youstay hydratedor get hydrated quickly.Sodium and potassium are both electrolytes lost in sweat.
Pickle juice contains lots of sodium and some potassium. Sipping it after a workout or after being out in the heat may help your body maintain some fluids and allow the body to recover its electrolyte levels more quickly.
Contains Antioxidants
Research shows that homemade fermented pickle juice containsantioxidantsthat help combat free radical damage.These include significant amounts of vitamins C and E.
Free RadicalsFree radicals are unstable chemicals found inside the body and linked to diseases like cancer and heart disease.
Free Radicals
Free radicals are unstable chemicals found inside the body and linked to diseases like cancer and heart disease.
You get some antioxidants from pickle juice, but you can get even more from eating a fermented pickle. Raw vegetables are used to make pickles, and the antioxidant content of the vegetables will be left intact.
Supports Weight Loss
Pickle juice may aid in weight loss, but this benefit is more about the vinegar content than the pickles themselves. The research on vinegar’s effects on metabolism is limited, but it has been suggested that vinegar may delay gastric emptying (how long it takes food to move through your stomach and empty into your intestine).
A 2014 study found that vinegar might reduce appetite, leading to weight loss.However, the appetite loss in this study was mainly attributable to feelings ofnausea.
Controls Blood Sugar
Consuming pickle juice might help manageblood sugar. A study reported in the Journal of Diabetes Researchfinds that consuming a small serving of vinegar before a meal can regulate blood sugar in people withtype 2 diabetes.
Keeping your blood sugar regulated is important for health. Unregulated blood sugar can lead to diabetic complications, including kidney and heart damage and even blindness.
Could You Have Undiagnosed Diabetes?
Boosts Gut Health
Naturally fermented pickles and their juice contain helpfulprobiotics.Probiotics are live microscopic yeasts and bacteria. They can help keep your gut health in balance.
Fermented FoodsFermentation is a way to preserve food, and it goes back to ancient times.Fermented foods and drinks are produced through controlled microbial growth. Examples of fermented foods are wine, cheese, yogurt, kombucha, andsauerkraut. Fermentation allows these foods to be rich in probiotics.
Fermented Foods
Fermentation is a way to preserve food, and it goes back to ancient times.Fermented foods and drinks are produced through controlled microbial growth. Examples of fermented foods are wine, cheese, yogurt, kombucha, andsauerkraut. Fermentation allows these foods to be rich in probiotics.
Probiotics in fermented pickle juice may support the growth and balance of good bacteria that keep the gut healthy.People who consume probiotic foods can reap the benefits of probiotics, including better digestion and stronger immunity.
One 2017 study found that large amounts ofLactobacillusbacteria that form with pickle fermentation are vital for digestion and may provide vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates.That study also found that fermented pickles contain antioxidants and other vital elements that can ward off cancer, diabetes, high cholesterol, and more.
If you are looking for pickles with probiotic qualities, you will want to locate refrigerated, unpasteurized, non-vinegar-based ones.You can find similar probiotics in yogurt, sauerkraut, miso, and kimchi.
The Surprising Health Benefits of Fermented Foods
Treats Upset Stomach
Some people may have a stomachache due toachlorhydria(low stomach acid production). The acidity of pickle juice may have an effect on stomach acidity. However, there is no scientific evidence that pickle juice can help relieve stomachaches. Achlorhydria occurs due to other conditions, which should be diagnosed and treated.
Helps Relieve a Hangover
Alcohol is adiuretic, so it will increase urine output and accelerate fluid and electrolyte loss, contributing tohangover symptoms.Common symptoms of a hangover include headache, sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain.
Because pickle juice contains potassium and sodium, it may help to reduce fluid and electrolyte loss after excessive alcohol consumption, which may reduce hangover symptoms.
Unfortunately, any evidence of the effectiveness of pickle juice on hangovers is limited, and most is anecdotal.
Disadvantages and Risks of Pickle Juice
While pickle juice might offer some health benefits, it may not be for everyone. For example, it is high in sodium, which can causewater retention, bloating, and swelling in some people.Its sodium content may also increase blood pressure in people with preexistinghypertension(high blood pressure).
Because of its vinegar content, pickle juice might exacerbate acid reflux and indigestion symptoms.
Commercial pickles are prepared with various chemicals, includingyellow 5and polysorbate 80,which can be harmful to health. These chemicals are linked to skin rashes, allergic reactions, and more.
SafetyDrinking a few ounces of pickle juice daily may be safe for most people to consume. However, It is always a good idea to discuss health risks with a healthcare provider before using pickle juice to manage any health condition.
Safety
Drinking a few ounces of pickle juice daily may be safe for most people to consume. However, It is always a good idea to discuss health risks with a healthcare provider before using pickle juice to manage any health condition.
Summary
Some research suggests that pickle juice may help soothe cramps, manage blood sugar levels, promote weight loss, and balance gut bacteria. However, much of the research is not exclusive to pickle juice and is mainly related to the vinegar content of food or fermented pickled vegetables. Other proposed health benefits are anecdotal.
While pickle juice may be safe in small quantities for most people, it may not be for everyone. It contains high amounts of sodium, which can lead to fluid retention, bloating, and swelling. The high salt content can also increase blood pressure.
If you want to try pickle juice, you can drink a few ounces from a jar of pickles or buy a bottle of the juice online or in a grocery store.
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