Are Pickles Healthy? Here s What a Nutritionist Says
Note: Most pickles sold at supermarkets are not fermented, so if you’re interested in probiotic perks, look for pickles specifically labeled as fermented or probiotic.
Are Dill Pickles Good for You
Savory, salty with just the right amount of crunch, dill pickles make for a satisfying snack that seems – on the surface, at least – to be a diet-friendly food. Because they’re made from cucumbers, dill pickles do have some health benefits, and they are a healthier option than sugar-sweetened pickles. However, most varieties of dill pickles also pack tons of sodium, so you should eat them in moderation.
The Health Benefits: Vitamin A and Vitamin K
While pickles aren’t exactly a nutritional powerhouse, they do have some modest health benefits thanks to their vitamin A and vitamin K content. Vitamin K is required for your blood to clot properly, so it plays a central role in wound healing. Vitamin A helps your cells grow properly, so it’s important for processes ranging from blood cell growth to keeping your skin strong and healthy. A cup of sliced dill pickles has about 200 international units of vitamin A – just shy of 10 percent of the daily needs for women and 7 percent of the vitamin A needs for men – and 27 micrograms of vitamin K, which is about one-third the daily recommended intake for women and one-fifth the recommended intake for men.
The Downside: Sodium
The biggest nutritional drawback of dill pickles is their sodium content. Just a cup of dill pickle slices has about 1,250 milligrams of sodium. Since the recommended daily limit for sodium is just 1,500 milligrams daily, it means you’ll take up most of your daily sodium allowance with a single serving, before you account for the sodium in any of your other food.
All that sodium has a negative effect on your health. If you are salt-sensitive, sodium may increase your blood pressure, which is why salt-rich diets may increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Salt also negatively affects your body in other ways: it may harm your bones by forcing your body to “lose”calcium, or it could damage your kidneys if you develop chronic high blood pressure.
Benefits Relative to Sweet Pickles
If you currently eat sweetened pickles, switching from sweet to dill pickles may offer one benefit. Sweet pickles are high in sodium, too, but they’re also packed with another nutritional enemy: sugar. That means sweet pickle slices have 139 calories and 32 grams of carbohydrates per 1-cup serving, compared to just 19 calories and 4 grams of carbohydrates for dill pickles. Making the switch to dill pickles may help you eat fewer calories and lose weight, and you’ll also avoid the risks of added sugar, which include a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
Including Dill Pickles in Your Diet
If you’re going to eat dill pickles, portion control is key. Consider using the pickles as a garnish. For example, instead of snacking on the pickles alone, add a single slice to a lean chicken burger, or chop one small dill pickle into a tuna salad. You can also lower the pickles’ health risk by opting for lower-sodium varieties. Reduced-salt dill pickles have just 28 milligrams of sodium per cup of slices, which means they’re much easier to include in a healthy diet.
- Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin A
- Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin K
- Linus Pauling Institute: Sodium
- Harvard School of Public Health: Added Sugar in the Diet
Sylvie Tremblay holds a Master of Science in molecular and cellular biology and has years of experience as a cancer researcher and neuroscientist. Based in Ontario, Canada, Tremblay is an experienced journalist and blogger specializing in nutrition, fitness, lifestyle, and health.
Are Pickles Healthy? Here’s What a Nutritionist Says
Pickles contain a few essential vitamins and minerals, and can even provide probiotics. They can also be high in sodium.
Cynthia Sass is a nutritionist and registered dietitian with master’s degrees in both nutrition science and public health. Frequently seen on national TV, she’s Health’s contributing nutrition editor and counsels clients one-on-one through her virtual private practice. Cynthia is board certified as a specialist in sports dietetics and has consulted for five professional sports teams, including five seasons with the New York Yankees. She is currently the nutrition consultant for UCLA’s Executive Health program. Sass is also a three-time New York Times best-selling author and Certified Plant Based Professional Cook. Connect with her on Instagram and Facebook, or visit www.CynthiaSass.com.
Updated on November 29, 2022
Medically reviewed by
Roxana Ehsani, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN, is a registered dietitian and media spokesperson.
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If you’re a pickle lover and find the sourness, salt, and crunch to be uniquely satisfying—either solo or in a variety of dishes, you may be wondering: Are pickles healthy? They can be, but there are a few things to keep in mind when looking for pickles with potential health benefits. Here’s the lowdown on this classic condiment.
Pickle Nutrition Facts
Pickles start as cucumbers, so much of their nutritional value is tied to this non-starchy veggie. One dill pickle spear has a negligible amount of vitamins and minerals—the exception being vitamin K. A single spear provides about 7% of the daily need for this nutrient. Vitamin K helps with bone health and proper blood clotting.
One whole dill pickle—about the equivalent of four spears—provides a bit more nutrition, including immune-supporting vitamin A, and a small percent of the daily target for calcium, potassium, and vitamin C.
Pickles and Sodium
Keep in mind that pickles are generally high in sodium, or salt. In fact, just one spear has over 300 milligrams (mg), or about 13% of the daily recommended limit for healthy adults. If you have high blood pressure or are sensitive to sodium, be sure to check the sodium content on your pickle’s nutrition facts label so that you can moderate your sodium intake.
That means you’ll want to double check the suggested serving size to assess the sodium content in the overall portion you eat. For example, if the label says that a 1-ounce serving—or half of a whole pickle—provides 270 mg of sodium and you eat the whole pickle, your sodium intake jumps to 540 mg, about a quarter of the daily advised cap.
Potential Probiotic Benefits
There are two ways to transform cucumbers into pickles. Standard pickling involves preserving cucumbers in salt, with or without tangy acid, like vinegar, and other possible ingredients, such as sugar and seasonings.
Pickles can also be made by fermentation. In the latter process, naturally occurring bacteria grow over a few weeks’ time to produce lactic acid, per a review published in 2020 in the Journal of Functional Foods, which gives pickles their characteristic sourness.
These bacteria include Lactobacillus, a probiotic (beneficial microorganisms that support good bacteria) that research suggests may have the potential to improve immune function and aid in better digestion and nutrient absorption, according to a review published in 2022 in the journal Frontiers in Immunology.
Note: Most pickles sold at supermarkets are not fermented, so if you’re interested in probiotic perks, look for pickles specifically labeled as fermented or probiotic.
Even if you aren’t looking for probiotic benefits from your pickles, take a moment to scan the ingredient list before adding a jar to your cart. Some brands are made with all-natural ingredients, such as a simple combination of cucumbers, water, vinegar, and spices. But others include additives you personally might not want, such as artificial colors and preservatives.
Pickle Juice and Muscle Cramps
As a board-certified sports dietitian, I’m often asked about pickles and pickle juice as a source of electrolytes or as a tool to prevent muscle cramps. Electrolytes are substances that help your body maintain a balance of fluids and affect muscle function and many body processes.
A few small studies have explored the use of pickle juice for athletes, yielding mixed results. One study involved just nine men concluded that small quantities of pickle juice did not substantially increase blood electrolyte concentrations.
The researchers reported that it’s doubtful that pickle juice would relieve exercise-associated muscle cramps because the juice would be unlikely to replace the amount of sodium lost in sweat and because acetic acid, a component of vinegar, delays stomach emptying, which would slow nutrient absorption.
How To Add More Pickles to Your Diet
Pickles are much more versatile than you might think. Apart from serving them as a condiment on burgers and sandwiches, minced pickles can be added to chilled protein salads made from egg, tuna, chicken, or chickpea.
Pickles can also be enjoyed in hummus, potato salad, atop pizza, or even in grilled cheese and peanut butter sandwiches. If you’re an adventurous eater, check out pickle dessert options. Out-of-the-box treats include pickles drizzled with whipped maple cream, chocolate-covered pickles, pickle ice cream, and even pickle cupcakes.
If you’re interested in learning how to make your own pickles, seek out info from a university agricultural extension or look for a class at a local culinary school.
A Quick Review
Bottom line: If the high sodium content isn’t an issue for your personal health, fermented pickles that provide probiotics may offer benefits tied to these friendly microbes. Conventional pickles without “good” bacteria aren’t nutrient powerhouses, but they do provide a decent amount of vitamin K. Enjoy them in moderation to satisfy a salt and crunch craving.