In order to preserve food, pickling as a process is one of the oldest. Pickles are also an important part of the diet of a large number of Indians, and at present the habit is being picked up by people around the world. However, there is a question as to if pickles are good for your health or not. Many people cite the health benefits of pickle, as a source of minerals, vitamins etc, though there can be some negative effects of it. Here are some relevant information on the matter –
Are Pickles Good or Bad for your Health?
There are a number of health benefits of pickles, but not everything is great about it. Here are the benefits of the pickles, which you might want to know.
Protection of Antioxidants
Generally pickles contains fruits and vegetables which have antioxidants in a huge number. These antioxidants help in the fight with the unstable chemicals that can form in the body, known as free radicals. The process of preserving vegetable by pickling them also preserves the antioxidants in them.
Supply of Pro Biotic Bacteria
There are certain friendly bacteria living inside our digestive system known as pro biotic bacteria. Sometimes having antibiotics kill these bacteria too, and thus result in digestive disorder. Pickles that are made without vinegar are good for these helpful bacteria, and can help their growth.
Contains Essential Minerals and Vitamins
Because most freshly made pickles contain leafy vegetables and herbs, they supply the essential minerals required for the body quite easily, along with Vitamins C, A, K etc.
Control of Diabetes
Some pickles are vinegar based and researches show, that these types of pickles are good to control diabetes, by improving the hemoglobin rate in a patient’s body. However, pickles that contain too much salt are not good in this regard since they can lead to increase of blood pressure.
Alongside these benefits, there are certain negative aspects of pickles too. They are as follows –
- Pickles that are too salty can increase the risk of stomach cancer.
- Pickles that contain too much salt are also bad for blood pressure. However, not all the pickles come under this category.
- Some pickles may contain too much oil and spice making it too rich.
In conclusion it can be said that it is better to use some restraint when you are consuming pickle, and try to choose homemade and freshly made pickles.
