Eating pickles: What you need to know

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1. What are the benefits of pickles for your health?

Pickled pickles can do more than one can think of them. Pickled pickles also contain many vitamins and minerals in their pickled brine.
Pickled pickles originated in India, where they were considered a delicacy even before recorded history. Christopher Columbus brought pickles to the Americas in the 15th century. People began pickling them about 4,000 years ago as a way to preserve them and extend their shelf life for shipping.
1.1. Nutritional value of pickles To find out the health benefits of pickles, it's important to know their nutrient content first.
Like most vegetables, pickles are mostly water and have very little fat or protein. They are also high in vitamins because the salty brine will draw all the water out of the pickles. Their nutritional value varies depending on the variety. For example, one plate of pickles can contain:
23% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin K, which helps with blood clotting and keeps bones strong 21%-24% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin A, which is especially important. Important for a person's eyesight, immune system and helping pregnant mothers have a healthy pregnancy 7% of adult calcium needs for strong bones and teeth as well as maintaining mental health 5% of daily needs each person's daily requirement of potassium, which helps the nervous system function properly 3% - 4% of a person's daily requirement of vitamin C, an antioxidant that protects the body's cells from damage . For those who love a smaller serving of pickles, a small bowl of pickled pickles with avocado can provide them:
More than 60% of the recommended daily vitamin A requirement About 1/3 of the vitamin requirement Recommended daily K About 4% of the recommended daily calcium About 2.5% of a person's daily potassium requirement

1.2. Health benefits of pickles Fermented foods like kefir, kimchi and miso can help keep our gut healthy. But most jars of pickles on the shelves of grocery stores or supermarkets are not fermented, but use yeast, bacteria and other microorganisms to preserve food. Instead, pickles are often hardened by being soaked in salt water mixed with vinegar and spices.
For fermented pickles, choose naturally fermented foods, or make your own is best. Look for a label that says “naturally fermented.” When you open the jar, you will see foam on the surface, which is a sign of bacteria living inside.
Here are some notable health benefits of pickles :
Supports a healthy digestive system : Fermented pickles contain large amounts of good bacteria called probiotics, which are important for good health. intestinal tract. Pickling is a form of fermentation. As vegetables and fruits ferment, healthy bacteria break down the indigestible cellulose in foods as well as some natural sugars. This is why some people who are lactose intolerant can eat yogurt. These healthy bacteria will help keep fermented foods safe and less likely to spoil, and can also help increase the good bacteria in your gut when eaten. Eating pickles with a meal can help boost healthy probiotic levels. Pickles also provide a variety of beneficial microorganisms for your digestive system, stimulate digestion and help strengthen the body's resistance and immunity. Support against disease. Pickles are high in an antioxidant called beta-carotene, which the body can use to convert to vitamin A. Carotenoids are a powerful compound that has been shown to reduce the risk of dying from heart disease, stroke, cancer, respiratory disease and other diseases. The natural antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables help neutralize free radicals. Free radicals are substances that are harmful to your health that are formed naturally in the body and can lead to cell damage and problems, such as heart disease and cancer. During cooking, any food can break down some of the nutrients due to heat sensitivity, but preserving vegetables in the form of pickles helps maintain their antioxidant properties. May reduce cramps. Some athletes have confirmed that drinking pickle juice after exercise can quickly replace lost electrolytes. One study found that pickle juice may work slightly better than regular water for reducing muscle cramps. But the evidence to support this hypothesis is still limited Limit blood sugar spikes. Pickle juice, especially vinegar, can help keep your blood sugar levels even. That could be beneficial for people at risk of developing diabetes. Provides essential minerals and vitamins: Eating fresh pickles is not only delicious but also provides essential vitamins such as vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, folate and minerals such as iron, calcium, and potassium. Vitamins and minerals are important micronutrients that help protect your body from disease, help build immunity, strengthen bones, protect vision, cure anemia, and other bodily functions. Fights spleen cancer: Recent research shows that Japanese pickles have health benefits and the ability to fight certain types of cancer. A 2014 study found that probiotics in traditional Japanese pickles were found to fight spleen cancer cells in mice. This finding could lead to the future treatment of human spleen cancer. 1.3. Disadvantages of pickles However, a major drawback of pickles is that they contain a lot of salt. Just one large plate of pickles and dill has more than two-thirds of the ideal amount of sodium an average adult should have for the whole day. Too much salt in your diet can raise blood pressure, which in turn increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and kidney disease. Sodium can also strip calcium from your bones. That can weaken your bones and increase your risk of fracture.
Preservation of any food requires the addition of salt, and salt makes up about 5% of most pickle recipes. Too much salt can raise blood pressure. Salt and sodium are villains when it comes to living with high blood pressure and heart disease. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans indicate that people with hypertension or prehypertension need to limit their daily sodium intake to just 1,500mg/day.
Eating a lot of pickles at one time will easily stimulate gastric acid secretion, develop gastroesophageal reflux syndrome, and easily trigger an existing stomach ulcer.

2. How to make homemade pickles

There are many ways to make pickles so people can experiment with different methods. The right combination of different spices can make a big difference, as can choosing the right cucumber. For example, some people like to pickle small cucumbers to make Mexican sour gherkins. Others may prefer to slice long cucumbers and make pickles to put on bread. This simple recipe is a great place to start:
Put 3 - 4 cloves of garlic and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of cumin in a jar. Place 8 - 12 small cucumbers in a jar, stacked on top of each other to minimize the space between the cucumbers. Add water until the cucumber is completely submerged. Return the water in the pitcher to the measuring cup, then add 3⁄4 tablespoons of sea salt to each cup of water. Stir until the salt has dissolved, then pour the mixture back into the jar. Close the vial tightly and store it at room temperature. Pickles should still be submerged. If not, try adding another vegetable on top to keep them underwater. If the melon is not in the water, the melon will be moldy. After 3 days, transfer the vial to the refrigerator. Then the pickles are ready to be used. People who are pregnant or have a weakened immune system due to chemotherapy, immunosuppressive drugs or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome should not eat pickles on their own. do. Homemade pickles can contain dangerous bacteria that increase the risk of illness. Anyone at risk should consider only enjoying pickles from a reputable and controlled source.

3. How to eat pickles to benefit your health

Do not eat pickles when they are still green and have a pungent taste. Because melons are still green, they are not gentle, and contain a lot of nitrosamines that can cause cancer. Therefore, you should only eat melon when it has turned bright yellow, sour, crunchy and fragrant. If you have a history of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, you should limit eating pickles because they contain high salt content that can further increase blood pressure. Before eating should wash many times, squeeze the melon to reduce the saltiness and acidity of the pickle. Do not eat too much and often. You should only eat snacks with many other dishes in one meal, especially meals on Tet holiday. Uneaten pickles should not be put back into the jar because it will easily damage the melons available in the jar, use a clean chopstick to pick up the melon, cover the jar tightly and store it in the refrigerator. Pickling your own vegetables and fruits can help you adjust the amount of salt added and ensure clean food, store products safely in the refrigerator, and keep the flavor. Pickle salt for Tet dishes. Pickles are a popular dish in the meals of Vietnamese families, especially during the traditional Tet holiday. On Tet holiday, without pickles and fatty meat, an interesting culinary dish is missing. In addition to the special taste, pickles are also a healthy dish, bringing many benefits to human health, especially when eaten in moderation and performing steps to reduce salinity and acidity before eating or preparing them. variable. In addition, people with certain diseases related to immunodeficiency or pregnant women are also advised not to eat homemade pickles.
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