What are the benefits of eating pickles?
Remember the days when food tasted so bland that you almost skipped a meal? But your day got saved by the one and only- ACHAR! Not only do pickles pair up great with every meal they also come with great benefits. You don’t believe this, do you?
Every time you added a spoonful of pickle to your plate, did you ask yourself, “How much pickle is too much pickle?” If yes, then here’s a blog to help you eat pickle guilt-free.
Pickle always seems to be adding drama and dynamism to our dishes. One thought that does raise an alarm is the ingredients that go into making a pickle. We have some recipes that have been handed down over the generations or we just pick a jar from the shelf. Pickling is the process of preserving food and mostly done with chopped vegetables or fruits with spices. You will be surprised to know that pickles come with a lot of nutritional value that is beneficial to health. So let’s begin to know more about the health benefits of achar!
A pickle a day brings antioxidants your way!
While age is just a number we don’t mind slowing down the process, do we? Here’s a thing about pickles, they are loaded with antioxidants. And if you aren’t aware of the miracles antioxidants bring to your body, do you even care about your skin? Pickles have raw and unripe ingredients which are a rich source of antioxidants. Antioxidants are the molecules that slow down the process of aging by maintaining the level of oxidants with or without free radical action.
It makes you a better fighter!
We are not talking about taking a punch to the gut. We are talking about your immune system. The all-rounder ingredient that no dish can go without- turmeric is an important item in the making of the pickle. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties that boost your immunity, therefore makes you invulnerable to most diseases. So every time you chew on that pickle, remember this winning health benefit of pickles.
Soak in vitamins and vital minerals
Pickles supply your body with vital minerals and vitamins. Especially the pickles made with leafy vegetables like curry leaves, fenugreek, coriander, mint, spinach. And we are talking about star nutrients like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin K, iron, calcium, and potassium. These nutrients might be missed out on our daily diet but now thanks to achar you don’t have to worry.
Guess what’s going down? *Sugar*
Pickle made with vinegar helps in reducing blood sugar level which in turn improves blood haemoglobin. The presence of acetic acid helps you to maintain your sugar levels. Although if you have diabetes try to stay away from salted pickles as they increase blood pressure. In all, a certain amount of pickle might just be helpful for a lot of diabetic patients.
Brings out the burps!
Since our Indian thali has so much variety we need something that curbs the aftermath of a heavy meal. That is one of the reasons why pickle has become a part of every meal. Our stomach produces certain probiotic bacteria that help digest our flood. Our Indian pickles stimulate the growth of such bacteria which helps to evade certain digestive problems. If you are a big fan of gooseberry aka amla pickle then you are in for a treat! Gooseberry is alkaline in nature that helps in strengthening and clearing the digestive system.
Long live the liver!
Liver health can be improved with amla pickle as it contains hepatoprotective properties that protect and makes the liver stronger. You can avoid a lot of liver damages if you have a pickle and keep this organ healthy.
Get over a hangover
All those fun nights sometimes result in a rough morning the next day. We have all been there where we had a little too much fun the last night. Well, now we have a cure for those sickening hangovers. Pickles help in replenishing the depleted level of sodium. It also helps in rehydration so that your body can absorb water more efficiently.
So here are some of the benefits of a pickle a day. Now you can eat achar to your heart’s delight but make sure your pickle portion is an adequate amount. So keep your health close and pickles closer.