| Pickles are a popular snack, side dish, and | | | | improve circulation, and lower high blood pressure. |
| condiment. But did you know that pickles are also | | | | It also helps to support a healthy digestive |
| a healthy part of your diet? There are many | | | | system, reintroduces good bacteria into the |
| different pickle recipes out there, but each version | | | | intestines, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, and is |
| has its own healthy benefits depending on the | | | | beneficial for diabetics. In fact, one study even |
| ingredients that went into the pickle and the | | | | found that eating fermented products regularly |
| method used for pickling, whether fermented or | | | | contributed to lower rates of skin problems, |
| packed with vinegar. Pickles are great for most | | | | asthma, and auto-immune disorders. |
| diets because not only are they low in calories, | | | | Many pickles are made with vinegars. This healthy |
| and low in fat or fat-free, many versions are also | | | | liquid has several positive properties in addition to |
| low in sugar. | | | | its tangy taste. Vinegar is known to boost the |
| Pickles are also a healthy edition to your diet for | | | | immune system, ease digestive disorders, and can |
| other reasons. Pickles, being made from | | | | break down calcium deposits in a person's joints. |
| cucumbers or other vegetables, are high in fiber | | | | In addition, vinegar is known to decrease high |
| which is necessary for digestive health and fighting | | | | blood pressure, and help treat urinary infections. It |
| cancer. The cucumbers and other vegetables also | | | | is even said to re-mineralize your bones, balance |
| contain antioxidants, which fight free-radicals, and | | | | your blood pH, and fight infection. Vinegar is also |
| depending on the veggie, can be a good source of | | | | anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. It inhibits the growth |
| calcium, magnesium, and iron. The | | | | of the E.coli bacteria, and when used in |
| recommendation by most health professionals is | | | | conjunction with salt, which is common in pickling, |
| to eat five servings of vegetables and fruit each | | | | the anti-bacterial properties are amplified. |
| day. Eating pickles is a great way to get a daily | | | | Another common item used for pickling is apple |
| serving or two of your five-a-day! | | | | cider vinegar. It has several additional health |
| The spices with which pickles are made are also | | | | benefits as well. Not only does it contain several |
| healthy. For example, dill and garlic, both of which | | | | minerals, thirty-plus nutrients, and pectin, which is |
| are popular in pickles, both have the ability to | | | | good for your heart, it also contains several |
| regulate bacterial growth. Dill and other spices also | | | | essential amino acids, all of which are a great |
| contain flavonoids, which is a healing addition to | | | | addition to your diet. |
| your diet. Mustard seeds are known to be good | | | | Pickles can be a tasty snack eaten with the |
| for digesting foods and even turmeric powder has | | | | confidence that you're having something healthy |
| medicinal properties and is believed to lower rates | | | | at the same time – what could be better? |
| of Alzheimer's disease. | | | | Hey, even Aristotle, Thomas Jefferson, Napoleon, |
| Fermented pickles also have good bacteria that | | | | and Cleopatra believed in the health benefits of |
| can control harmful intestinal microbes. When | | | | the pickle, and Hippocrates utilized it for one of |
| pickles are fermented, lactic acid is created. This | | | | the first medicines! So if you ever needed a |
| acid helps to lower fat in the bloodstream, | | | | reason to eat more pickles, now you have it. |