9 Potential Health Benefits Of Drinking Pickle Juice
The first thought that probably pops into your head when you think of drinking pickle juice is that it’s unappetizing or even gross. Well, here’s a little piece of advice: Next time you eat pickles, don’t toss out the juice.
Is It Healthy To Drink Pickle Juice?
Believe it or not, this liquid has been consumed for its characteristic flavor and health benefits for a long time. For instance, many athletes prefer drinking pickle juice because it’s believed that it can improve performance and help relieve muscle cramps. And some people claim that this briny liquid can help control blood sugar levels.
But these are not the only health benefits you can reap from drinking pickle juice. So, in what follows, we’ve presented 9 ways consuming this liquid may potentially benefit your health. So, without further ado, let’s dive right into it.
9 Potential Health Benefits Of Drinking Pickle Juice
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It Keeps Your Body Hydrated
Most people prefer drinking plain water to hydrate after exercising in the gym, which is fine. But, when you’re doing strenuous exercise, exercising in hot weather, or exercising for two hours, it’s recommended that you drink beverages that contain potassium and sodium as such drinks hydrate you more quickly.
Potassium and sodium are electrolytes that you lose while sweating, and pickle juice is high in sodium and contains a small amount of potassium too. So, drinking some pickle juice after an intense workout can help balance the electrolyte levels in your body faster.
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It May Help Relieve Muscle Cramps
For the purposes of one 2010 study, muscle cramps were electrically induced in participants, after which they were asked to ingest pickle juice or deionized water.
The results showed that cramps lasted for a shorter time in participants who ingested pickle juice than in participants who drank deionized water. It was concluded in the study that pickle juice was effective in inhibiting muscle cramps (1).
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It May Promote Weight Loss
In one 2009 study, two groups of obese Japanese were asked to consume 15 or 30 milliliters of vinegar over a 12-week period. Participants in the control group didn’t consume any. The results showed that body fat mass, weight, and triglyceride levels were considerably reduced in those participants who consumed vinegar (2).
Pickle juice is high in vinegar. Moreover, it doesn’t contain fat. So, if you’re trying to shed weight, pickle juice may be the right choice for you.
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It May Improves Your Gut Health
Due to the probiotics found in fermented pickles, this salty liquid can help boost your gut health. Probiotics are bacteria that benefit your digestive system and help balance your beneficial gut bacteria.
In addition, many people claim that pickle juice is an effective home remedy for acid reflux and that it can help ease stomach pain caused by low production of acid in the stomach due to the vinegar present in it.
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It May Help Control Blood Sugar Levels
One study examined the effects of consuming vinegar on people with type 2 diabetes before a meal. The results showed that vinegar consumption reduced postprandial blood glucose, insulin, and triglyceride levels (3).
Type 2 diabetes is a common condition, and many people have it without knowing it. Unregulated blood sugar levels can lead to serious health issues, such as kidney damage, heart disease, blindness, hearing impairment, and nerve damage in limbs.
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It Contains Antioxidants
Antioxidants are substances that protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals. Vitamins E and C are the most familiar antioxidants, carotenoids, manganese, and selenium.
Some pickle juice recipes include vitamin C and vitamin E. These two vitamins play an essential role in improving your immune system.
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It May Help With Hangovers
Dehydration is one of the main factors that contribute to hangovers. And due to the high content of sodium in pickle juice, this briny liquid can make you drink more water.
However, whether pickle juice is more effective than other briny beverages or not hasn’t been scientifically proven yet.
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It Freshens Your Breath
When drinking pickle juice, your lips can pucker since it is salty and sour, but many people are not aware that sipping a bit of this briny liquid may sweeten your breath.
Bad breath is often caused by bacteria that are found in your mouth. Vinegar has antibacterial properties. In addition, some commercially-produced pickles are flavored with dill, a herb that also has antibacterial effects.
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It Soothes Sunburns
Pickle juice has been used as a traditional remedy for soothing sunburns for a long time. You can apply a small amount of pickle juice to the affected area on your skin or soak a cloth in the juice and put the cloth on the affected area.
Pickle Juice Potential Side Effects
Drinking pickle juice may pose some risks due to the high amount of sodium present in it. Pickle juice may cause the following side effects:
- It may worsen stomach ulcers. Although drinking pickle juice can’t cause you to develop stomach ulcers, people who already have this condition should avoid drinking it as it can cause additional discomfort and pain.
- People with hypertension should also avoid drinking this salty liquid. Foods rich in sodium are known to increase blood pressure.
- People on low-sodium diets, i.e., have heart disease or kidney disease, should also avoid consuming pickle juice.
- Pickle juice should not be consumed in large quantities due to the high amount of sodium found in it. Consuming foods high in salt in large amounts can result in bloating, diarrhea, stomach pain, swelling, and water retention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Pickle Juice Burn Belly Fat?
As we already said, it’s been scientifically proven that vinegar can decrease body fat mass and body weight. So, because pickle juice is high in vinegar, this briny drink may be effective in promoting weight loss and helping you burn belly fat.
How Much Is Pickle Juice Too Much?
It is not recommended that you drink more than 175 millilitres of pickle juice at a time since this can lead to excessive flatulence and bloating. Since pickle juice is high in sodium, it should be consumed in moderation.
What Happens If You Drink Pickle Juice Every Day?
Regularly consuming foods or beverages high in sodium can cause bloating, flatulence, swelling, diarrhea, water retention, and increased blood pressure.
When Should You Drink Pickle Juice?
One study has shown that consuming vinegar, which pickle juice is rich in, can help reduce blood sugar levels after the meal, particularly for those who have type 2 diabetes (3).
Conclusion
- Although limited research backs the potential health benefits of pickle juice, this salty liquid is believed to benefit your health in several ways.
- Pickle juice is good for you because it contains antioxidants and can help keep you hydrated. Pickle juice may also help with muscle cramps and hangovers, promote weight loss, improve gut health, control blood sugar levels, freshen your breath, and soothe sunburns.
- Drinking pickle juice can cause side effects due to the high amount of sodium present.
- Pickle juice should not be consumed in large amounts as this may cause flatulence, bloating, swelling, and water retention.
- People with stomach ulcers, hypertension, heart disease, and kidney disease should avoid drinking pickle juice.
