Another reason you crave pickles is that you’re dehydrated. Aside from vomiting, the most likely reason you crave pickles is due to dehydration. Dehydration means your body is lacking water. When you are dehydrated, your body begins to experience cravings for two things in particular: Now we already know that pickles give you lots of salt!
Maybe. If you’re anything like us and find yourself craving pickles on the reg, it might be because you’re dehydrated. Allow us to explain. Pickles are high in sodium (salt is added to the brine in order to preserve them—and make them extra tasty, of course).
And pickles also give you water and other electrolytes too! This makes pickles a perfect food source if you are dehydrated, or craving salt for other reasons like vomiting. No wonder why the market for pickles is worth $12 billion!
As one of the symptoms of depression, cravings for pickle juice are common. Hormonal fluctuations are thought to cause these cravings. To summarize, I recommend that you drink a small amount of pickle juice and a large amount of water in conjunction with it.
Why do pickles have salt in them?
Pickles are high in sodium (salt is added to the brine in order to preserve them—and make them extra tasty, of course). And sodium is an important electrolyte. These minerals help to keep your body hydrated. So when you’re craving something salty, it could be because your body is in need of a hydration boost.
A study of over 200 expecting women in Tanzania found that the most common cravings among them were meat, mangoes and yogurt. Meanwhile, in the United States, the most common pregnancy cravings include chocolate, fast food, pickles and ice cream.
Well, if you’ve always heard that pregnant women crave pickles then you’re likely predisposed to having the same craving yourself when expecting. Lucky for us, there’s nothing wrong with indulging in your hankering for a pickle. In fact, per Shapiro, “pickles are full of vitamins and minerals.
How many people eat pickles in 2019?
Who doesn’t love a crispy, crunchy, salty pickle? According to Statista, in 2019, 4.67 million Americans consumed six (or more) jars of pickles. That’s a lot of pickled cucumbers — many people clearly find they’re delicious. Pickles and the vinegar-based brine they are packed in are loaded with goodness. Low in calories, according to Healthline, there are only around 8 calories in two small spears, along with around 600 mg sodium (which isn’t insignificant — it’s more than a quarter of most people’s RDA).
Lee Cotton, a registered dietician nutritionist told PureWow, “Research indicates that craving salt could be a symptom of a health condition such as adrenal insufficiency or Bartter’s syndrome. It also could be a sign of dehydration or PMS.”.
Pickles and the vinegar-based brine they are packed in are loaded with goodness. Low in calories, according to Healthline, there are only around 8 calories in two small spears, along with around 600 mg sodium (which isn’t insignificant — it’s more than a quarter of most people’s RDA).
While admitting to friends that you have a hankering for pickles gets many people thinking you might be pregnant — well, at least if you are female — that’s generally not the case.
ADVERTISEMENT
Why are pickles high in sodium?
Allow us to explain. Pickles are high in sodium (salt is added to the brine in order to preserve them—and make them extra tasty, of course). And sodium is an important electrolyte. These minerals help to keep your body hydrated.
What we do know is that there’s a cultural link to pregnancy cravings. A study of over 200 expecting women in Tanzania found that the most common cravings among them were meat, mangoes and yogurt. Meanwhile, in the United States, the most common pregnancy cravings include chocolate, fast food, pickles and ice cream.
But that might not be the only thing going on. “Research shows that salt, just like sugar, can be addictive and hit the areas of the brain that put out signals for cravings,” registered dietician Amy Shapiro of Real Nutrition tells us.
Do pickles make sense?
There’s a chance it’s all of these things — but here’s the real root of the phenomenon. When you break it down and assess what a pickle does for your body, it makes complete biological sense. Pickles are the ultimate cure to some of the most common woes.
Pickles are also way high in sodium — which might not be such a bad thing. Sodium means electrolytes. So if you’re dehydrated, sipping your tall glass of water with a side of pickle brine could help you absorb more water.
The brine of pickle juice is highly acidic. Like the fabled elixir of apple cider vinegar, it imposes a balancing effect on your digestive system, easing your indigestion and preventing painful side effects such as heartburn, constipation, or even bloating.
