Are Pickles Paleo? What You Need to Know About Pickles?

For questions like “are pickles Paleo,” find out the shocking answer in this article. You will learn more about pickles as well.

For many years, the idea of dieting has been considered as an undying trend. In fact, you might have tried different ways or plans, right? But, are you familiar with the diet plans named as Paleo diet? However, the same with other plans, certain foods should be and shouldn’t be eaten once in Paleo diet. One of the most questioned foods is the pickles.  So, are pickles Paleo?

Pickling is considered as a process of preservation. It is being done by immersing food in the brine of salt, vinegar or water. There could be two ways of pickling. The first one is by preserving the food in vinegar while the second is by soaking the food in salt brine encouraging fermentation to happen.

Through pickling, it will allow the growth of good bacteria that actually decrease the vulnerability of the food to harmful bacteria which cause spoilage. Kimchi and pickled cucumbers are the most common examples.

Also, the process of pickling also affects the flavor and the texture of the food. Vegetables, eggs, fruits, and meat could all be pickled as for expanding the lifespan.

Are Pickles Paleo?

Again, as said earlier, Paleo is a diet based on the people during the Paleolithic era. So, pickling hasn’t been done yet back then. Consumption of food would include plant-based, nature-based and unprocessed meat. By that, are pickles Paleo?

Taking that into consideration, pickled food or pickles aren’t considered as Paleo. Yes, you’ve heard it right. Pickles are not Paleo. But it doesn’t mean that we are to disregard them. In fact, pickled food or pickles could offer health benefits great for one’s health and diet.

Health Benefits of Pickles

Though not included or not approved to belong to Paleo diet, there are numbers of benefits out of consuming pickled food. So what are these benefits? Here are as follow:

Pickles offer a dose of probiotics.

Indeed, the pickling process would break down the sugar in the food to lactic acid. Probiotics or also known as the good bacteria will aid in some gastrointestinal issues. And it also helps in the process of digesting the food properly.

It is a great source of nutrients and antioxidants.

Cooking food might break down some of the nutrients. So, pickling food will not just preserve the food but also the antioxidants and nutrients. Antioxidants are those that protect the body against free radicals.

The unstable chemicals are being accumulated inside the body via food consumption. And these are the free radicals that could cause cellular damage leading to certain diseases.

It has a glucose-lowering effect.

Diabetes might be the result of a constant increase or uncontrolled blood sugar levels. So, consuming food that is high in carbs which are transformed to glucose or sugar could increase blood sugar level.

With that, pickled food which has vinegar as the ingredient is referred to have this anti-glycemic or the glucose-lowering effect. It could slow down the digestion process that helps the stomach to release glucose slowly. And so, this prevents the blood sugar to spike after a meal.

Pickles protects the liver.

Pickles doesn’t only helps in digestion however it also helps in terms of protecting the liver. Hepatoprotective qualities are found in gooseberry pickle so it could help in reducing liver damage or the so called hepatotoxicity.

It helps in digestion and reduce ulcers.

Knowing that pickles contain probiotics, it greatly aids in digestion. Along with that, it also helps in reducing ulcers. The weakening of the mucous membrane might lead to internal wounds that are referred as ulcers.

These are the benefits of pickles that you shouldn’t ignore though pickles aren’t included as Paleo. Don’t bother to ask the question “are pickles Paleo” rather take into consideration the benefits it could offer.

How to Use Pickles?

Pickles are known to be conserved in vinegar or brine and could be eaten raw as a condiment that accompanies other dishes. In fact, it is being appreciated due to its refreshing side, crunchiness, and light acidity.

In addition, it is mainly served along with sausages and cold meat like roasted pork or beef. They could also be perfect once cut in thin slices then put in a sandwich. Or could be cut into slices and be added to almost all kinds of salads.

And there are numbers of other uses of pickles that you might consider.

Best Ways to Eat Pickles

Here are some of the best ways on how to eat and enjoy pickles:

As for obtaining high-quality pickles, it is crucial that you know how to choose and prepare them. It is advised to consider the crisp and firm fruit without any bruising.

You have to prepare these ingredients first before you proceed to pickling process. During the process, bear in mind some of these tips:

Some Precautions to Consider

Though consumed in small quantities, you must be aware that pickles don’t necessarily fit to almost everyone. It is not advised in case of cardiac diseases, renal insufficiency and hypertension. Why? That is because the brine contains a lot of salt.

Pickles are prepared with vinegar, so it is not recommended to those who suffer from gingivitis, canker, sores and some other mouth infections.

And take note that fresh pickles might be a bit hard to digest. So, take a lot of extra care once into consuming pickles!

Final Thoughts

Again, are pickles Paleo? This question might be common especially to those who aren’t too much familiar with the foods included in Paleo diet. So again, pickles are not considered as part of the said kind of diet, but the offered health benefits shouldn’t be neglected as well.

You might be choosing a diet plan in order to improve your health, and Paleo diet is an excellent choice. But, exploring other means to gain better results might be considered. And in this way, pickles play a crucial role as well. With all the health benefits it offers, no doubt that this aids a lot in achieving successful diet plans and results as well.

I hope you are helped by this article! If you have any questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to drop them in the comments section below! Thank you!