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Interestingly, the vinegar in commercially prepared pickle juice may help lower blood sugar levels. Research shows that vinegar can improve the body's response to insulin and significantly reduce blood sugar after meals.

medicalnewstoday.com - Drinking pickle juice: Nutrition, benefits, and side effects

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We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness. Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we: Medical News Today only shows you brands and products that we stand behind. We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process. In this article, we look at the research behind the health effects of pickles and pickle juice.

However, it is very high in sodium .

Many people believe that drinking pickle juice is good for the body. Some claim, for example, that it might enhance exercise performance or help control blood sugar .

People have considered pickles to be a health food for centuries, and some claim that pickle juice has its own benefits. What does the research say?

Bottom line : Pickling is a simple way to preserve cucumbers and other foods, using salt, water, and sometimes vinegar. After several weeks of curing, the cucumbers have transformed into pickles and are ready to eat. The juice is what surrounds the pickles in the jar. Lactobacillus bacteria, which normally cover the vegetable’s skin, can ferment the cucumber. However, commercial manufacturers usually remove these beneficial probiotic bacteria during processing and add vinegar instead. According to the New York Food Museum , records of pickles date back to 2030 B.C., when travelers from India helped start a custom of preserving cucumbers in the Tigris Valley. Bottom line : Pickle juice contains trace amounts of carbs, minerals, and sometimes probiotic bacteria. It is also very high in sodium. Also, unpasteurized pickle juice, without vinegar, may contain significant amounts of probiotic bacteria. However, most commercial varieties of pickle juice are pasteurized.

Around 3.5 ounces (oz) of pickle juice contains the following nutrients:

Many sources claim that pickle juice could have health benefits. Below are a few of the most common claims and what the research has to say:

Claim: Pickle juice benefits sports performance

Some people think that the high sodium content of pickle juice can increase hydration before workouts and improve performance.

However, studies have arrived at mixed results.

In a 2014 study , for example, participants consumed 3 oz of pickle juice per 100 pounds of body weight before exercising. The juice had no effect on running performance, sweat rate, or body temperature. Meanwhile, some people think that drinking pickle juice after exercise has health benefits.

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While some studies have shown that drinking the juice helps increase water intake and blood levels of sodium after exercise, others have found no effects. Bottom line: Small amounts of pickle juice are unlikely to have significant effects on exercise performance.

Claim: Pickle juice cures muscle cramps

A study from 2010 found that muscle cramps could be resolved in 1.5 minutes by drinking 1.5 oz of pickle juice for every 100 lb of body weight. Also, the recovery was 45% faster after drinking the juice than after drinking no liquid at all. The researchers suggested that something in the pickle juice might trigger a reflex in the mouth, sending a signal to the nerves to stop cramping.

However, confirming this effect will require more research.

Bottom line: Evidence suggests that pickle juice might help relieve muscle cramps, but more research is needed.

Claim: Pickle juice lessens stomach pain

Vinegar is a popular home remedy for an upset stomach. It also happens to be a prime ingredient in many commercially produced pickles. According to anecdotal evidence, a glass of pickle juice may help relieve stomach pain. If this is true, the juice may have this effect when the pain results from low stomach acid production, a condition called hypochlorhydria. In these cases, the acidity of pickle juice may help restore stomach acidity to a healthy level. However, anyone with an ulcer should not try this remedy — and there is no scientific evidence of its effectiveness. Bottom line: There is no scientific evidence that pickle juice can relieve stomach pain.

Claim: Pickle juice cures hangovers

Hangovers are partially caused by dehydration, and the salt in pickle juice may encourage people to drink more water. There is no scientific evidence that pickle juice would be more effective than any other salty drink. That said, trying this remedy is likely not harmful. Bottom line: Pickle juice may encourage people to drink more water, which can help relieve a hangover, but no studies support this home remedy.

Claim: Pickle juice soothes sunburns

Pickle juice is also a popular remedy for sunburns.

Some people apply the juice directly to the skin or soak paper in the juice and lay the paper on the area of sunburn. Yet, as with many other folk remedies, no scientific research has investigated the effectiveness of this remedy. Bottom line: Despite a lack of scientific research, pickle juice remains a popular home remedy for sunburns.

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Claim: Pickle juice relieves period cramps

No research has investigated whether pickle juice reduces menstrual cramps, specifically. However, it may ease period cramps in the same way that it soothes other types of cramps. The very high level of sodium in pickle juice may also help reduce any cravings for salty foods, which some people experience before or during their periods. Bottom line: Pickle juice may help relieve menstrual cramps in the same way that it eases cramps from exercise, but no research has confirmed this.

Claim: Pickle juice fights disease

Some sources claim that pickle juice may boost digestion and immune function, while reducing the risk of cancer and heart disease. Such health claims are dubious. That said, the benefits, if any, might be due to antioxidants and probiotics in pickle juice. Still, while it is possible that the juice could have an antioxidant effect, no research into the antioxidant content of pickle juice exists. When it comes to probiotics, pickled vegetables that are cured in vinegar may taste good, but they are likely sterile — containing no healthful bacteria. Only fermented, unpasteurized pickles contain beneficial bacteria. Fermented pickles are stocked in the refrigerated food section of the grocery store, while the unrefrigerated shelf is more likely to have vinegar-preserved pickles. However, even fermented pickles do not pack the probiotic punch that yogurt and other probiotic foods do. Plus, a person would have to drink many glasses of pickle juice per day to reach a therapeutic dose. Bottom line: Pickle juice could contain antioxidants and probiotics, but there is little evidence of it. There is no scientific evidence that pickle juice protects against disease.

Claim: Pickle juice helps control blood sugar

Chronically elevated blood sugar can lead to type 2 diabetes and a wide array of other chronic diseases. Interestingly, the vinegar in commercially prepared pickle juice may help lower blood sugar levels. Research shows that vinegar can improve the body’s response to insulin and significantly reduce blood sugar after meals. However, if a person is taking medication that lowers their blood sugar, they should check with their doctor before drinking pickle juice. Bottom line: Pickle juice that contains vinegar may help limit a rise in blood sugar after eating.

medicalnewstoday.com - Drinking pickle juice: Nutrition, benefits, and side effects

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