Is there such a thing as too many pickles?

The answer may surprise you (and me)

How could anyone not want to eat this cutie pickle pie?

I really wanted to write a post about how the limit does not exist when it comes to pickles.

Why?

Because I love them.

When I was younger, the very first thing I would do after the clock struck midnight on New Year’s was to eat a pickle, proudly proclaiming that I had had the First Pickle of the New Year.

Clearly having too much fun with Substack’s generate button…

Once in college, my midnight urge for pickles was so strong my roommate thought I was pregnant. I was not - just succumbing to the urge of the pickle.

And why shouldn’t I succumb? Pickles do actually have health benefits such as:

• Source of fiber

• Source of antioxidants

• If fermented, a good source of probiotics

  • More on this below

• Pickle juice has electrolytes

  • A shot of pickle juice can help relieve cramping

• Vitamin K, a bit of potassium, calcium and vitamin C

• Vinegar can reduce appetite and keep energy levels stable by reducing insulin spikes/drops

However, it seems like, perhaps, I may be incorrect in thinking that all pickles are healthy, and that I can eat as many as my heart desires (read: all of them).

According to this Reddit post (where I get my most trusted information, obvi), about 4 full size pickles (or 16 spears) is around the maximum one should eat at once, in order to avoid serious GI issues like bloating, acid reflux, or even nausea.

It also depends on the kind of pickle, as all pickles are unfortunately not created equal (if this doesn’t tell you about the state of the world, IDK what will)

So sorry, sad pickles :(

• Spicy pickles are sneaky and will aggravate sensitive GI systems

• Dill pickles are high in salt

• Sweet pickles usually have added sugar (and are relatively blasphemous, IMO)

And the real real is that FERMENTED pickles are the best for gut health - unfermented pickles might be a bit crunchier or more vinegary, but they are not doing any of us any favors

• Unfermented pickles don’t have the cool probiotics that fermented pickles do

  • Unfermented pickles are vinegar pickled, and vinegar kills bacteria, including probiotics

  • This also makes these pickles shelf stable, but at the cost of the good bacteria

    • Brands like Vlasic, Mt. Olive, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Heinz

    • If the brand (like Vlasic) contains tartrazine, you may want to keep it away from kiddos

• Fermented pickles

  • Fermented pickles are pickles are preserved with salt, not vinegar

  • Brands like Bubbies are fermented and available at most grocery stores

    • Olive My Pickles offers fermented pickles in a subscription which is exciting news to me

So, what have we learned? Enjoying fermented pickles in moderation can be beneficial to gut and overall health. Be careful with the neon yellow pickles (I’m talking to myself here - I love a good Vlasic crunch) and always remember:

fermented > unfermented

I’m curious - what do y’all think about these lil sour bubbies?

Maybe someday I will make my own pickles, like I want to make my own applesauce. But for today, I am going to try to find some Bubbies (those who know me will know that I call my dogs bubbies, so that is a lil punny).

XOXO,

Pickle Girl