7 Ways Eating Fermented Pickles Supports Your Gut and Overall Health
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Fermented pickles aren’t just a tangy snack—they’re a natural powerhouse for your gut. Packed with probiotics and beneficial enzymes, these crunchy bites can help balance your digestive system and improve your overall well-being.
Fermented pickles contain prebiotics. Prebiotics feed your gut’s probiotics, which are live microorganisms that support the overall health of your gut.
Eating fermented pickles can promote the growth of probiotics, and probiotics help prevent harmful bacteria from growing in the gut. Probiotics also make compounds that fight foreign bacteria that enter the gut. This can help prevent infections in your digestive system.
When your intestinal barrier is weak, harmful compounds can pass from your digestive tract into your bloodstream. Probiotics strengthen the intestinal barrier, preventing these compounds from passing through.
Fermented foods help prevent infections and reduce inflammation.
Eating fermented foods like fermented pickles can help prevent diabetes. A 2023 study found that eating pickled vegetables reduced the risk of diabetes.
The gut and brain are connected by the gut-brain axis, a communication system made up of nerves, hormones and more. Probiotics produce compounds that support healthy brain function.
Eating fermented foods can support heart health. A 2023 study found that probiotics may help lower blood cholesterol, which may reduce your risk of heart disease. They also reduced inflammation.
You can make pickles with vinegar or by fermentation:
- Pickled pickles (unfermented pickles): These are also known as quick pickles. Cucumbers (or other vegetables) are soaked in a mixture of vinegar, salt and spices. Vinegar prevents vegetables from spoiling. However, it also kills beneficial bacteria called probiotics.
- Fermented pickles: With this type, vegetables are soaked in salt water and sometimes vinegar for one to two weeks. During this time, probiotics in food produce lactic acid. Lactic acid prevents the growth of harmful bacteria.
Here are some key differences between fermented and pickled pickles:
| Fermented pickles | Pickled Pickles | |
|---|---|---|
| Nutrition | Fermentation increases B vitamins and vitamin K, but decreases vitamin C | Decreases water-soluble B vitamins |
| Sodium content | Rich in sodium | Rich in sodium |
| Probiotics | Contains probiotics | Does not contain probiotics |
| Flavor | Pungent and slightly sour taste | Tangy and spicy taste |
| Preparation time | 1-2 weeks | A few hours or days |
| Storage | Refrigerate | Store-bought pickles with vinegar can be left in the pantry. Refrigerate homemade vinegar pickles. |
| Shelf life | Several weeks to months | Store-bought pickles: 12 to 18 months in the pantry. After opening: 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator. |
Eating fermented foods daily can improve your health. If you’re new to fermented foods, start slowly and increase the amount over time. Eating too much at once can cause gas and bloating.
Here are some ways to add fermented foods to your diet:
- Vegetable pickles: Serve with dishes like stews, rice or beans, or add to salads and sandwiches.
- Leaven: Opt for sourdough bread rather than regular white bread. You can also use sourdough for baked goods like pancakes or muffins.
- Kefir: Add kefir to smoothies and salad dressings, or drink it plain.
- Yogurt: Add it to oatmeal, smoothies or salad dressings, eat it with fruit or make frozen yogurt bites.
- Tempeh: Sauté, grill, bake and add to sandwiches, wraps, soups or tacos.
- Miso: Add it to sauces and marinades, but be aware that it is high in salt.
- Kimchi: Serve as an accompaniment to rice, vegetable stir-fries and meats.
- Sauerkraut: Use in salads or add to sandwiches and wraps for added texture and flavor.
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