Pickle nutrition facts
Pickles are a very low-calorie and low-carb food. One dill cucumber pickle has just 4 calories and 1 gram of carbohydrate. Pickles are high in sodium, though. One cup (about 23 slices) of dill pickles has 1,250 mg of sodium, over 50% of the recommended maximum of 2,300 mg sodium per day. While you likely won’t find any low-sodium pickles, sodium does vary from brand to brand, so compare labels when you’re at the store. Bread-and-butter pickles are also significantly higher in sugar and calories because they’re sweet.
Dill Cucumber Pickles- 1 spear
Serving size:1 dill cucumber pickle spear
Calories: 4
Total fat:0 g
Carbohydrate:1 g
Sugars:0 g
Fiber:0 g
Protein:0 g
Sodium:283 mg
Dill Cucumber Pickles- 1 cup
Serving size:1 cup (about 23 slices) dill cucumber pickles
Calories:19
Total fat:0.5 g
Carbohydrate:4 g
Sugars:2 g
Fiber:2 g
Protein:1 g
Sodium:1,250 mg
Some pickles, such as bread-and-butter pickles, have added sugars. The American Heart Association recommends that women consume no more than 24 grams of added sugars per day, and men no more than 36 grams of added sugars per day.
Bread-and-butter pickles- 1 cup
Serving size:1 cup sliced or chips
Calories:140
Carbohydrate:32 g
Sugars:28 g
Sodium:699 mg
Health benefits
Aside from sodium and added sugar (in some varieties), pickles can be a tasty part of a healthy diet. Pickle juice has been touted for helping relieve muscle cramps in athletes, butresearchhasn’t proven that this works (see ourbest foods to eat if you get muscle cramps). Fermented pickles offer probiotics, so check the ingredients list for bacteria such asL. curvatusorL. acidophilus, for example.
How to enjoy pickles
Pictured recipe:Oven-Fried Pickles
Enjoy pickles on sandwiches, as a snack, or to curb that salt craving for a fraction of the calories you would get eating something else salty, like chips. You can also bread and oven-fry pickles for an easy party appetizer or use them asmini-sandwich “buns"for a crowd-pleasing snack.
Don’t overdo it with pickles if you have high blood pressure, especially if you already consume a lot of other salty foods like bread, cheese, processed meats, or if you eat out a lot.
Bottom line
Pickles are cucumbers that have been soaked in vinegar and brine. Any vegetable can be pickled, and pickles can be part of a healthy diet. Eat bread-and-butter pickles in moderation to limit added sugars, and keep an eye out for sodium too—if you already eat out or eat foods high in sodium, a pickle spear or two per day could push you over the limit. Buy fermented pickles for added gut health benefits.
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