BENEFITS OF INDIAN PICKLES OR ACHAR

There are multiple benefits to Indian pickles also known as achar which we will share here. Pickling is the process of preserving or extending the shelf life of food by either anaerobic fermentation in brine or immersion in vinegar. The pickling procedure typically affects the food's texture, taste, and flavor. The resulting food is called a pickle, or, to prevent ambiguity, prefaced with pickled. Foods that are pickled include vegetables, fruits, meats, fish, dairy, and eggs.

​

Although people primarily used pickling to preserve foods, improve flavor, and enhance shelf-life, increasing attention is increasingly made to the beneficial health effects of these fermented pickles. During the last decades, pickles became an important part of the diet as food supplements (additives), in many cultures, and over time, pickles have been associated with many nutritional and health benefits.

​

7 MAIN BENEFITS OF INDIAN PICKLES OR ACHAR ARE
 

1. It lowers serum cholesterol

2. Immunity booster and prevents cellular damage

3. Protector from diabetes

4. Antimutagenic activity

5. Improves digestion and enhances gut microbiomes

6. Enhances sensory qualities and shelf life

7. Warehouse of valuable nutrients and antioxidants

​

Fermented pickle assists several substantial functions, including enhancement or creation of unique flavors, change in textural properties, and digestibility of foods. Several researchers have reported that fermented pickles (from fruits, vegetables, fish, or meat) contain subsided amounts of fat and cholesterol, which are rather beneficial to human health.

In addition, LABs (e.g., Lc. lactis and Streptococcus thermophilus) associated with pickled foodstuffs have been reported to produce vitamins, such as riboflavin, folate, cobalamin, menaquinone, and thiamine in the course of fermentation. However, fermented pickle (mainly, from tropical roots and tubers) is a fiber-rich product and has validated in improve the palatability and digestive quality of the consumers.

Moreover, abundant quantities of nutritious and bioactive components (proteins and amino acids) and antioxidants (flavonoids, phenols, and sterols) have been analyzed and reported from the fermented pickles.

When foods are pickled in vinegar, there may be some benefit for diabetics, as several studies have indicated vinegar as being helpful in controlling blood glucose levels and increasing insulin sensitivity in diabetics, but how?… Chronically elevated blood sugar can lead to type 2 diabetes and a wide array of other chronic diseases. Vinegar has been shown to improve the body’s response to insulin and significantly reduce blood sugar after meals

​

​