What are the health benefits to pickled and fermented foods? (2024)

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What are the health benefits to pickled and fermented foods? ›

The health benefits of pickled and fermented foods

Fermented foods have become increasingly popular as research continues to reveal that their high concentration of probiotics can improve gut health, boost immunity, and enhance digestion. “Pickles are fun, tangy, potentially health-promoting ways of eating cucumbers,” according to Dr.

Fermentation is the breakdown of carbs like starch and sugar by bacteria and yeast and an ancient technique of preserving food. Common fermented foods include kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, tempeh, kombucha, and yogurt. These foods may reduce heart disease risk and aid digestion, immunity, and weight loss.

This age-old process of food preservation extends shelf life, adds flavor and texture, and offers healthy bacteria for better digestion.

An easy way to remember the difference between the two despite their overlap is that pickling involves putting food into an acidic brine to produce a sour flavor, whereas fermenting gives food a sour flavor without any added acid. Pickling is often the least healthy choice in terms of these two foods.

Fermented foods like pickles are basically probiotic superfoods, packed full of good bacteria that can support the health of your gastrointestinal microbiome and are good for your gut bacteria. Be sure to go for fermented pickles rather than vinegar-pickled.

Consistently eating fermented foods has been associated with weight loss, reduced obesity, and maintaining a healthy weight. However, these effects are only present with fermented foods as part of an overall health plan that includes movement and stress reduction.

What happens to your body when you eat pickles everyday? ›

Although pickles have some health benefits, it's not a good idea to eat pickles every day because they tend to be high in salt. Too much sodium can: Increase water retention. Cause hypertension.

Fermented dill pickles are made with salt and not vinegar, so by comparison they are milder than vinegar pickles which contain acetic acid. These are the gut healthy, microbiome-boosting superfood pickles that you should be consuming everyday, three times a day.

The vinegar in pickle juice can help your belly stay healthy, too. Vinegar is a fermented food. Fermented foods are good for your digestive system. They encourage the growth and healthy balance of good bacteria and flora in your gut.

Pickles. Pickles won't technically help you fall asleep, but the probiotics in naturally-fermented pickles (my favorite is the Bubbies brand) can help to increase your levels of good gut bugs, thus improving your digestion.

They're a source of fiber, as well as vitamins A and K. And, like all vegetables and fruit, they have antioxidants. But Peart says pickles come with some serious nutritional drawbacks — namely that they're generally very, very high in sodium.

Beyond the classic cucumbers, other fruits and vegetables that work well for pickles include asparagus, beets, bell peppers, blueberries, cauliflower, carrots, cherries, fennel, ginger, grapes, green beans, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, peaches, peppers, radishes, ramps, rhubarb, strawberries, squash, tomatoes, turnips, ...

Lactic acid fermentation is used to preserve foods like meat, dairy and vegetables. In this process, bacteria consumes the sugars in foods and produces lactic acid. The lactic acid bacteria destroy the organisms that cause spoilage, so the fermented food lasts longer and gives it that signature tangy taste.

For those that are used to fermented or probiotic foods and consume a good amount of fiber, the right amount is three times a day. The amount you consume doesn't have to be a lot. Serving sizes are quite reasonable, for example, a half a pickle, or a quarter cup of sauerkraut.

Fermented vegetables are metabolized by the gut bacteria and produce a short chain fatty acid called butyrate that has a heap of health benefits. The cells that line our intestines manufacture killer cells that are the soldiers who roam our bodies, looking for pathogens—including viruses--to kill.