Is Pickle Juice Good for You?

Drinking pickle juice might have some possible benefits, such as stopping muscle cramps, relieving an upset stomach, and providing electrolytes. Pickle juice might also help manage a hangover and promote weight loss. Although nutritional information for pickle juice varies by brand, most brands contain zero calories for an 8-ounce serving.

Pickle juice might not be for everyone, especially people who need to watch their sodium intake. One 8-ounce serving contains up to 821 milligrams (mg) of sodium. Too much sodium can bring up blood pressure and put you at risk for a number of other health conditions.

This article will cover the possible benefits and disadvantages of pickle juice. 

What’s In Pickle Juice?

Pickle brands use different recipes for their pickle juice, which makes it harder to break down what is precisely in pickle juice and its nutritional content. For the most part, pickle juice does not contain many ingredients, minerals, or vitamins. However, it does contain potassium and sodium. 

Potassium is a mineral vital for the basic functions of cells and for nerve and muscle function. Sodium is also involved in nerve and muscle function and it is needed to maintain water and mineral balance. However, too much sodium can be harmful and can lead to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. 

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the nutritional content of 8 ounces of pickle juice sold as a sport drink is:

• Calories: 0
• Fat: 0 grams (g)
• Sodium: 821 mg
• Carbohydrates: 0 g
• Potassium 69.6 mg 
• Sodium 821 mg 
• Zinc 6 mg 
• Vitamin C 18 mg

Ingredients in pickle juice include water, salt, vinegar, natural dill flavoring, potassium, zinc, vitamin C, vitamin E, yellow 5, and polysorbate 80. Some of these ingredients might help your health, while others are not beneficial and may even be harmful.

Some varieties of pickle juice include Lactobacillus, a probiotic bacterium beneficial to overall health. This is the case for varieties that are naturally fermented and unpasteurized but not for commercially prepared pickles that use vinegar as a primary ingredient.

Where to Find Pickle Juice

Pickle juice can be found in the condiment aisle of your local grocery store, near the vinegar and oils. If you cannot find it in the store, it is also available online.

You can also get pickle juice from a jar of pickles, which is also available in the condiment aisle of a grocery store. Look for fermented, unpasteurized pickles in the refrigerated sections.

Eight Possible Benefits and Uses of Pickle Juice

There are many claims about health benefits related to pickle juice. Below are eight purported benefits and the research behind them.

Soothes Muscle Cramps

Most people experience muscle cramps because of fluid and electrolyte loss or imbalances. This is often the case following an intense workout when fluids have been depleted through increased sweating. The research on drinking pickle juice for managing muscle cramps is mixed. 

An older study from 2010 found that drinking small amounts of pickle juice before a workout could reduce dehydration and the possibility of muscle cramps. In this study, researchers did not think the rapid restoration of fluids and electrolytes explained the effect. They suspected that the pickle juice inhibited cramps by affecting nerve processes that led to cramping. 

A newer study, reported in 2022, of people with cirrhosis (extensive liver scarring) found that pickle juice could improve cirrhotic cramps (muscle cramps related to liver disease). The researchers had 82 people with a history of cirrhotic cramps sip either pickle juice or tap water at the onset of the cramping.

Up to 70% of the study participants who sipped on the pickle juice said their cramping stopped compared to the 40% who drank the water. The study authors concluded that sips of pickle brine at the onset of cramping could improve cramp severity without any side effects or adverse events. 

However, a 2014 study found conflicting results. Researchers found that consuming small amounts of pickle juice was unlikely to replenish fluid or electrolyte loss or reduce cramping.

The bottom line is that you might be able to prevent or relieve cramps by drinking enough water throughout the day. However, barring any health issues, getting relief or preventing cramping is possible by drinking pickle juice or another sodium-based drink because the salt causes you to retain water.

Assists With Hydration

Drinking potassium and sodium-containing beverages can help you stay hydrated or get hydrated quickly. Sodium and potassium are both electrolytes lost in sweat. 

Pickle juice contains lots of sodium and some potassium. Sipping it after a workout or after being out in the heat may help your body maintain some fluids and allow the body to recover its electrolyte levels more quickly.

Contains Antioxidants 

Research shows that homemade fermented pickle juice contains antioxidants that help combat free radical damage. These include significant amounts of vitamins C and E. 

You get some antioxidants from pickle juice, but you can get even more from eating a fermented pickle. Raw vegetables are used to make pickles, and the antioxidant content of the vegetables will be left intact.

Supports Weight Loss

Pickle juice may aid in weight loss, but this benefit is more about the vinegar content than the pickles themselves. The research on vinegar’s effects on metabolism is limited, but it has been suggested that vinegar may delay gastric emptying (how long it takes food to move through your stomach and empty into your intestine).

A 2014 study found that vinegar might reduce appetite, leading to weight loss. However, the appetite loss in this study was mainly attributable to feelings of nausea.

It should be noted that much of the research on vinegar and weight loss involves apple cider vinegar. This is not the most common type of vinegar found in pickle juice, although it may be found in apple cider vinegar pickles. Apple cider vinegar might support weight loss by effects on blood sugar regulation.

Controls Blood Sugar

Consuming pickle juice might help manage blood sugar. A study reported in the Journal of Diabetes Research finds that consuming a small serving of vinegar before a meal can regulate blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.

Keeping your blood sugar regulated is important for health. Unregulated blood sugar can lead to diabetic complications, including kidney and heart damage and even blindness.

Boosts Gut Health

Naturally fermented pickles and their juice contain helpful probiotics. Probiotics are live microscopic yeasts and bacteria. They can help keep your gut health in balance.  

Probiotics in fermented pickle juice may support the growth and balance of good bacteria that keep the gut healthy. People who consume probiotic foods can reap the benefits of probiotics, including better digestion and stronger immunity.

One 2017 study found that large amounts of Lactobacillus bacteria that form with pickle fermentation are vital for digestion and may provide vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates. That study also found that fermented pickles contain antioxidants and other vital elements that can ward off cancer, diabetes, high cholesterol, and more.

If you are looking for pickles with probiotic qualities, you will want to locate refrigerated, unpasteurized, non-vinegar-based ones. You can find similar probiotics in yogurt, sauerkraut, miso, and kimchi.

Treats Upset Stomach

While not recommended as a remedy by health authorities, some people use vinegar to treat an upset stomach. Since vinegar is a common ingredient in pickles, it might be an easier option than drinking a small amount of vinegar.

Some people may have a stomachache due to achlorhydria (low stomach acid production). The acidity of pickle juice may have an effect on stomach acidity. However, there is no scientific evidence that pickle juice can help relieve stomachaches. Achlorhydria occurs due to other conditions, which should be diagnosed and treated.

Helps Relieve a Hangover

Alcohol is a diuretic, so it will increase urine output and accelerate fluid and electrolyte loss, contributing to hangover symptoms. Common symptoms of a hangover include headache, sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain.

Because pickle juice contains potassium and sodium, it may help to reduce fluid and electrolyte loss after excessive alcohol consumption, which may reduce hangover symptoms.

Unfortunately, any evidence of the effectiveness of pickle juice on hangovers is limited, and most is anecdotal. 

Disadvantages and Risks of Pickle Juice

While pickle juice might offer some health benefits, it may not be for everyone. For example, it is high in sodium, which can cause water retention, bloating, and swelling in some people. Its sodium content may also increase blood pressure in people with preexisting hypertension (high blood pressure).

Because of its vinegar content, pickle juice might exacerbate acid reflux and indigestion symptoms. 

Commercial pickles are prepared with various chemicals, including yellow 5 and polysorbate 80, which can be harmful to health. These chemicals are linked to skin rashes, allergic reactions, and more.

Summary 

Some research suggests that pickle juice may help soothe cramps, manage blood sugar levels, promote weight loss, and balance gut bacteria. However, much of the research is not exclusive to pickle juice and is mainly related to the vinegar content of food or fermented pickled vegetables. Other proposed health benefits are anecdotal.

While pickle juice may be safe in small quantities for most people, it may not be for everyone. It contains high amounts of sodium, which can lead to fluid retention, bloating, and swelling. The high salt content can also increase blood pressure. 

If you want to try pickle juice, you can drink a few ounces from a jar of pickles or buy a bottle of the juice online or in a grocery store.