Choosing the right pickle

I love pickles of all kinds. But I have noticed that Indian pickles tend to be very oily. I don’t overeat, but take about a tbsp each with my lunch and dinner. Will that cause me an issue in the long run. Also, what kind of pickles can be a healthier option.
—Rizwan Khan

The concept of pickling is primarily to create an environment where microbes cannot survive, since microbes tend to break down food molecules and cause them to spoil. This can be done using preservatives like oil, salt, sugar and other spices that kill microbes and preserve the foods, while also adding flavour. Unfortunately, most pickles have way too much of one or more of these preservatives in them. Too much oil, sugar or salt can lead to incidence of diseases like cardiovascular problems, diabetes and/or hypertension. Using fermentation as a method of pickling works better if the salt plus vinegar quotient is kept to minimal. Some studies have highlighted the probiotic benefits of pickling raw vegetables and fruits therefore I would suggest the small use of these over the highly spiced and oily pickles.

Pooja Makhija
Consulting nutritionist and clinical dietitian

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Mail your queries at: dnahealthpage@gmail.com; you can contact Pooja at: pooja@nourishgenie.com