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By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

Ask anyone in my family and they’ll tell you that one of my absolute favorite foods is pickles. In fact, we keep a gallon-sized jar of those giant whole pickles in the fridge at all times. They’re the perfect snack when you’re looking for something salty, crunchy, and sour.

Even though pickles are made from cucumbers, which are comprised of mostly water, they still do have some nutritional benefits along with hardly any calories. According to registered dietician Devon Peart, pickles are a good source of:

• Fiber – that helps your digestive tract and keeps you feeling fuller.
• Vitamin A – Promotes eye health and overall cell health in general.
• Vitamin K – Important for heart health as well as bone and blood health.
• Antioxidants – These help to combat free radicals in the body which are known to cause cancer, heart disease, and other issues.
• Probiotics – Pickles that are made through fermentation rather than brining are full of gut-healthy probiotics that benefit your gut microbiome.

Peart cautions however that pickles are typically very high in sodium, so they’re not the best snack option for those with heart or blood pressure issues. Another thing to watch out for is sweet pickles, which are high in added sugar, which takes away from their healthfulness.

While pickles are great to just be eaten straight from the jar, there are so many fun recipe ideas that feature pickles!

• Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
• Pickle Roll-Ups
• Fried Pickles
• Cheesy Pickle Chips
• Fried Pickle Ranch Dip
• Pickle Chicken Salad

So, next time that you’re feeling like having something salty and sour, crunch on a pickle or two, or try out a recipe with pickles in it for a little added nutrition without all the calories!

For more food and health-related articles, check out the Fill Your Plate blog!