Drinking pickle juice is said to provide numerous benefits, most of which stem from the fact that brine is primarily water, salt, and vinegar.
Pickle juice’s primary advantage? It eases the pain of muscle spasms. Electrocution-induced muscle cramps are reduced by pickle juice, according to research published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sport & Exercise.
One of the many benefits of pickle juice is that it can help you stay hydrated during your workouts since it contains salt and potassium, which are electrolytes that are lost when you sweat. It’s also crucial to mention that it’s fat-free because of its workout benefits! For those who want to reduce weight, pickle juice is a far better choice than sports drinks, which are heavy in calories.
Drinking pickle juice for weight loss is possible, according to a study published in Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry. Vinegar, which is present in large amounts in pickle juice, has been shown to improve weight loss when ingested daily.
Rice University adds that pickle juice has a lot of antioxidants, which help combat cancer-causing free radicals. The antioxidants in cucumbers, which are used to make pickles, include vitamin A and vitamin E.
As a fermented food, pickle juice has health benefits for the digestive system and can improve gut health. Pickle juice has long been used to freshen breath due to vinegar’s ability to reduce unpleasant taste in the mouth.
Pickle juice also helps lower blood sugar levels. According to a study published in the Journal of Diabetes Research, patients with type 2 diabetes who took vinegar before eating were able to control their blood sugar levels afterward.
How To Consume Pickle Juice
Pickle juice may be consumed in a variety of ways, and people all around the country have come up with creative ways to do it. Pickle fans have come up with everything, from pickle juice slushies to pickle-infused vodka.
To see if pickle juice had any health benefits, I settled on a more straightforward experiment: drinking a shot of pickle juice every day for a week.
Drinking Pickle Juice: Day 1
Despite my fondness for pickles, I’ll admit that the concept of consuming pickle juice initially seemed a bit unappealing to me.
To be honest, it took a lot of willpower on my part to down the pickle juice shot. Just looking at the pickle juice for a few minutes before I drank it was enough to make me feel a little guilty.
My surprise was that the pickle juice didn’t taste unpleasant at all—it was powerful, but it mainly tasted salty. Pickle juice was not very acidic despite the high concentration of vinegar in it.
Drinking Pickle Juice: Day 2
During the second day of my pickle juice trial, I experienced some cramps, so I hoped that the pickle juice might assist, as it is known to ease muscle cramps.
Even though I’m not sure if it was the pickle juice that did it, my cramps had vanished by the time I got home that night. But nonetheless, they had already vanished.
Drinking Pickle Juice: Day 3
After the third day, drinking my shot of pickle juice had become second nature.
Following my day at work, I went to a barre class, and let me tell you, I was fully prepared for the usual post-barre muscular cramps. I knew I’d be sore the next day if the lesson was even remotely as challenging as usual.
Drinking Pickle Juice: Day 4
But on Day 4, I had a near certainty that my muscles would ache from the barre class.
I was ecstatic to discover that I didn’t have any pain, but I got caught up in my joy that I didn’t need to drink pickle juice like I usually would. There wasn’t much of an impact on my day once I drank my pickle shot at the conclusion.
Drinking Pickle Juice: Day 5
I’m usually the sorest the next day after a workout, but I didn’t have any cramps after barre class. I’m not sure if that was due to the pickle juice, but either way, it worked for me.
I was able to drink pickle juice on Day 5 without a problem. In the LittleThings kitchen, I still felt a little awkward about drinking pickle juice.
Drinking Pickle Juice: Day 6
First time drinking pickle juice at home and my partner couldn’t get the expression of horror off his face on Day 6. I felt comfortable with it.
Even yet, the fact that he didn’t run away when I tried to kiss him suggests that pickle juice’s breath-freshening benefits were effective.
Drinking Pickle Juice: Day 7
Even though I had enjoyed my pickle juice experiment up to that point, I was relieved to be nearing its conclusion on Day 7 since I was eager to resume my typical pickle consumption. It was a huge success, and I’m relieved I won’t miss my measuring shot glass at work any longer.
The Results
Not only did pickle juice alleviate my muscle aches and bad breath but it also helped control my blood sugar and fight off free radicals.
I’ll definitely keep pickle juice in mind when I’m looking for a sports drink in the future, as the most successful effects were tied to exercise.
Final Thoughts
Is pickle juice something I’d recommend to a friend? Sure! There are so many possible health benefits to drinking pickle juice, I don’t see why I wouldn’t recommend it to a friend. There are no drawbacks to drinking pickle juice, so if you’re thinking about it, go for it.
Is it something I’d do again? I think so, but only as a pre-or post-workout beverage. ‘ Regardless of the other benefits, I’ll absolutely drink pickle juice again to avoid and cure muscle cramps and soreness.