22 Recipes Using Pickle juice (2024)

FAQs

Can pickle juice help arthritis? ›

Keeping these good bacteria thriving can reduce your risk for allergies, arthritis, and a host of other conditions. One way to keep your gut microbes happy and healthy is by consuming probiotics, or good bacteria, like those found in fermented pickle juice.

It is hydrating and may help with muscle cramps, blood sugar, and gut health, among other benefits. Athletes have been sipping this briny beverage for years. Experts didn't know why pickle juice was good to drink after exercising. They just knew that it seemed to help relieve cramps.

Once you've finished up a jar of your favorite pickles, simply chop up the cucumbers and fully submerge them in the remaining pickle juice. Refrigerate for one week before enjoying. I've tried less resting time than that and they're still good.

Marinate meats, infuse baked goods, and even create tangy soups with the help of pickle juice.

While pickle juice offers some health benefits, it may also pose some risks. Most of these risks are tied to the extremely high levels of sodium that pickle juice contains. Those who have or are at risk for hypertension (high blood pressure) should avoid drinking pickle juice.

It might sound like a strange drink, but some have taken a fancy to the yellow-green beverage because they enjoy the taste or consider it healthy. While there are a lot of claims of how pickle juice can boost your health, the fad's most well-established benefit is to your gut.

The science behind why it works

While it hasn't been proven yet, researchers posit that pickle juice may help cramps by triggering muscular reflexes when the liquid contacts the back of the throat. This reflex shuts down the misfiring of neurons in muscle all over the body, and “turns off” the cramping feeling.

It's safe to enjoy a small cup of pickle juice, but make sure that you do not exceed your daily value of sodium. People with high blood pressure, gout, and heart, liver, or kidney disease might need to avoid pickle juice.

You don't even have to swallow the pickle juice to trigger the reflex, which can relieve cramps in less than 3-4 minutes (Miller, 2010b). It is possible that other noxious tasting substances may also provide relief from exercise-associated muscle cramps.

Combined with the rest of the foods in your diet that contain added sodium chloride, however, a steady habit of pickle consumption can lead to high blood pressure and other serious chronic diseases.

How many ounces of pickle juice should you drink a day? ›

It's a next-level source of hydration.

And that's where pickle juice's all-in-one status comes in clutch. Lavy says approximately one and a half to three ounces of pickle juice per day should suffice—whether you're drinking the stuff straight or diluting it with water to tone down the flavor.

Pickling doesn't have to be a long process involving canning and special supplies. If you have vegetables that would be good pickled, like onions, garlic, carrots or green beans, toss them in the jar of leftover pickle juice, and see what happens. They'll make a nice addition to a charcuterie platter or Blood Mary.

You can reuse it but the results won't be as flavorful as the original pickles. Try adding some extra spices. Also it should work better if you heat the juice to boiling before adding your vegetables.

Bring the pickling liquor to a boil, then pour over the new vegetables in the jar and seal. Leave to cool completely, then store in the fridge and use up within a week.

For all its possible benefits, pickle juice also has a significant drawback: It contains a lot of sodium. I generally wouldn't recommend drinking pickle juice, especially if you have health concerns such as hypertension or renal, liver or heart disease.

Pickle juice is usually very acidic, which creates an environment less conducive to bacterial growth. However, if left for too long, it can still go bad. The most visible sign would be mold growth. If the juice turns cloudy, or if it develops an off smell or taste, it's time to discard it.

If you're needing some extra hydration after a workout, shoot some pickle juice. It also helps with muscle cramps. Be sure to like and follow for more!

Most people who drink pickle juice take it in one go as a small shot…but to kick off my experiment, I poured two ounces of pickle juice into a Mason jar, added water and ice, and sat back down at my desk. Halfway through the jar, I realized I no longer felt hunger pangs.