Pickles, with their tangy and juicy crunch, are a popular addition to sandwiches, burgers, and even enjoyed straight from the jar. They offer a nice acidic punch and can be a healthy, low-calorie, high-flavor snack. But if you're following a ketogenic diet, you might be wondering, "Are pickles keto-friendly?" The answer, like many things in the world of keto, isn't a simple yes or no.
What are Pickles?
Pickles are essentially cucumbers preserved in a seasoned liquid, typically a brine solution containing water, vinegar, salt, and spices. This preservation process gives pickles their distinct tangy flavor and crunchy texture. Pickles add a tangy, juicy crunch to your meal and are common on sandwiches and burgers. They’re made by submerging cucumbers in a saltwater brine, and some are fermented by Lactobacillus bacteria. The brine makes pickles high in sodium, but they offer some vitamins, minerals, and fiber. What’s more, fermented pickles may support gut health by boosting the number of beneficial bacteria in your digestive system.
Types of Pickles and Their Carb Content
Pickles come in various types, and their carb content can vary significantly depending on how they're made. Here's a breakdown of some common types:
Dill Pickles: These are the most popular pickles, known for their green color and aromatic dill flavor. They are typically brined with dill weed, garlic, and other herbs and spices, providing a savory and slightly tangy taste. Luckily, pickles are keto friendly, especially those that are of the dill pickle variety, as sugar is low. Many brands of pickles, especially "dill" varieties, are low carb. In 100 grams of either dill, sour or kosher pickles, you get less than 2 g net carbs. There are nearly zero carbs in dill pickles and for this reason they are ideal for keto diets.
Sweet Pickles: Unlike dill pickles, sweet pickles are made in a brine solution that contains sugar or sweeteners, giving them a sweeter taste profile. Sweet pickles often have flavors like cinnamon, cloves, and allspice, giving them a distinctive sweet and spicy taste. “Simply put, sweet pickles are made with sugar which will automatically push the carb count up,”. These include bread and butter pickles and candied pickles. They can be quite high in carbs due to added sugars, so they’re best avoided on keto.
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Bread and Butter Pickles: Bread and Butter pickles are a type of sweet pickle characterized by their slightly tangy and sweet flavor profile. These pickles are usually cut thin and brined with a mixture of vinegar, sugar (or corn syrup), onions, and mustard seeds, creating a balance of sweetness and tang.
Kosher Pickles: Also known as half-sour pickles, kosher pickles are a traditional Jewish delicacy known for their crisp texture and bright taste. They are made in a saltwater brine with garlic and dill, producing a mild, salty, and refreshing taste. Kosher and sour are also low-carb pickles as they don’t contain any added ingredients.
Sour Pickles: Unlike others, sour pickles undergo a fermentation process where naturally occurring bacteria convert sugars to lactic acid, preserving the cucumbers and giving them a tangy taste. Fermented pickles are famous for their complex flavor profile and probiotic advantages. These have a tangy taste and typically lower carb content, making them more keto-friendly.
Refrigerator Pickles: Typically, these are homemade pickles created with various herbs and spices and then stored in the refrigerator without being heat-treated. Their only downside is that they have a shorter life span. On the bright side, you can easily make them at home.
Gherkins: Similar to sweet pickles, gherkins often contain added sugars, leading to higher carb content.
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Spicy Pickles: Depending on the recipe, these can vary. Spicy varieties may be fine as long as you read the label and check out the carb count listed-any sort of flavoring for the pickle jar should definitely be glanced at before purchasing to make sure the net carb count fits in for your keto carb bank.
Nutritional Information of Pickles
To determine if pickles fit into a keto diet, it's essential to analyze their nutritional information. According to Food Data Central, every 100 g of dill pickles, kosher pickles, or sour pickles contains 1.99 g of total carbohydrates. This means that in one serving (about one medium-sized pickle weighing 28 g), you get 0.7 g of carbs.
A "serving" of pickles is commonly listed as a cup, which has 2.2 grams of net carbs, so you actually get a lot for a low amount of carbs (applicable to dill and salt pickles). “You'll typically find 1g net carb in an ounce, though products do vary in their carb amount and serving amount,” she says.
Here's a comparison of net carbs in different types of sliced pickles per 2/3 cup (100-gram) serving:
- Candied: 39 grams
- Bread and butter: 20 grams
- Sweet: 20 grams
- Dill: 1.5 grams
- Sour: 1 gram
Understanding Net Carbs and Daily Carb Limits
Understanding net carbs is crucial for anyone following a low-carb diet. Net carbs represent the total carbohydrates in a food minus the fiber and certain sugar alcohols, which are not fully absorbed by the body and, therefore, do not significantly impact blood sugar levels.
Read also: Aspartame and Ketosis
Let’s break down the components of net carbs:
- Total carbohydrates: This includes all forms of carbohydrates present in a food, including sugars, starches, and fiber. On nutrition labels, total carbohydrates are listed in grams.
- Fiber: Fiber is a type of carbohydrate found in plant-based foods that the body cannot digest or absorb. Instead, it passes through the digestive system relatively intact, providing various health benefits such as promoting regularity, aiding in weight management, and supporting gut health. Since fiber does not raise blood sugar levels, it is subtracted from the total carbohydrates to calculate net carbs.
- Sugar Alcohols: Sugar alcohols are a type of carbohydrate commonly used as sweeteners in sugar-free or low-carb products. Examples include erythritol, xylitol, and sorbitol. While sugar alcohols do contain calories and have a sweet taste, they are incompletely absorbed by the body, resulting in minimal impact on blood sugar and insulin levels. Therefore, like fiber, sugar alcohols are often subtracted from total carbohydrates to determine grams of net carbs.
To really know if pickles can fit into your diet, you'll also have to evaluate how many net carbs your particular keto diet includes. “Some people need to stick to as low as 20 net carbs per day while others can tolerate up to about 50 while still staying in ketosis,” says Hultin. So, whether or not a given food can fit is somewhat dependent on what else you're eating in a day.
How to Choose Keto-Friendly Pickles
Choosing keto-friendly pickles is easy if you know what to look for:
- Check the nutrition label: Look for pickles with zero or very low carbs per serving. Avoid any that list sugar or high fructose corn syrup as ingredients.
- Opt for dill or sour pickles: These varieties are usually lower in carbs compared to sweet pickles.
- Watch for added sugars: Avoid pickles that contain added sugars. Even small amounts can add up and impact your carb intake.
- Consider homemade pickles: Making your own pickles allows you to control the ingredients and avoid hidden carbs.
- Read the ingredients list: Simple ingredients like cucumbers, water, vinegar, and spices are best.
Health Benefits of Pickles
Pickles aren’t just a flavorful addition to meals; they also offer several potential health benefits, making them a nutritious choice for individuals seeking to improve their overall well-being. Here are some of the health benefits associated with pickles:
Probiotic support: Fermented pickles undergo a natural fermentation process in which healthy bacteria, or probiotics, are produced. These probiotics contribute to a healthy gut microbiome. A balanced gut microbiome is associated with improved digestion, strengthened immune function, and reduced inflammation.
Hydration and electrolyte balance: Pickles are typically brined in water, vinegar, and salt. This brine not only imparts flavor but also helps preserves the pickles. The brine is often referred to as pickle juice when the pickles remain submerged in it for long and it is drunk for hydration and electrolyte balance. In sum, pickles will replenish the electrolytes you lose through sweating, particularly during exercise or in hot weather. Pickles are salty which can be helpful if you need the added electrolytes when transitioning to a keto diet. The keto diet tends to increase fluid loss, so some people assume that increasing their sodium intake from foods like pickles may help retain fluid.
Low in calories and fat: Pickles are naturally low in calories and fat, making them a guilt-free, low-carb snack option for those watching their calorie intake or trying to maintain a healthy weight.
Antioxidant properties: Some pickles contain essential antioxidants such as vitamin C and beta-carotene. Antioxidants help neutralize harmful free radicals in the body, reducing oxidative stress and lowering the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Blood sugar regulation: Certain pickles, such as those made with vinegar, may have a minimal impact on blood sugar levels. Dill, sour and kosher pickles are naturally low in carbs and thus are safe for a low-carb diet. The idea of a low-carb diet is to limit carbs known to spike blood sugar levels, like starch and sugar and instead rely on nutrient-dense low-carb food options.
Potential Downsides
While pickles offer several benefits, there are a couple of things to keep in mind:
- Sodium Content: Pickles are typically brined in water, vinegar, salt, and spices, contributing to their salty taste. High sodium intake is linked to negative health effects. Furthermore, eating too many salty foods on the keto diet may displace various healthy foods, such as nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
- Lectin Content: Some people also argue that pickles aren’t keto-friendly due to their lectin content. Lectins are plant proteins that many people avoid on keto due to claims that they hamper weight loss. However, these claims aren’t backed by scientific evidence.
Keto-Friendly Pickle Recipe: Refrigerator Dill Pickles
If you’re concerned about the carb content of commercial pickles, you can easily make your own at home. These refrigerator dill pickles come together in just 5 minutes with no cooking required and no canning needed! Just a crisp, clean flavor that beats store bought every time.
Ingredients:
- 1 large English cucumber
- 1 cup (240 mL) of cold water
- 1 cup (240 mL) of white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (17 grams) of kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon (4 grams) of dill seeds
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
Instructions:
- Cut the ends off the cucumber. For rounds, cut ¼" thick. For spears, cut in half, then half again, then those halves into quarters.
- Add the water, vinegar, salt, dill seeds, and garlic to a jar.
- Slide the cucumbers into the jar until full but not too tight.
- Refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Once pickled, they’ll last at least 1 month in the fridge.
Pickle Substitutes
While pickles are a flavorful and low-carb option for those following a ketogenic diet, some people might want to switch or incorporate different flavors into your meals. Here are some keto-friendly alternatives to pickles:
- Olives: Rich in healthy fats and low in carbohydrates, olives are an excellent keto-friendly snack option.
- Pickled vegetables: Beyond cucumbers, various vegetables can be pickled using keto-friendly brine solutions. Consider pickling vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, radishes, or green beans to add variety to your keto diet.
- Crispy cheese chips: Cheese chips are a crispy and satisfying alternative to pickles, providing a savory crunch without the added carbohydrates.
- Seaweed snacks: Seaweed snacks are a nutritious and keto-friendly alternative to pickles, offering a salty and umami-rich flavor profile. Look for roasted seaweed sheets or nori strips seasoned with sea salt or other keto-friendly spices.
- Zucchini chips: Zucchini chips are a homemade alternative to traditional potato chips, offering a crispy texture and mild flavor that pairs well with various seasonings.