Fermented Pickles | Our Easiest Fermented Dill Pickle Recipe - Cultures For Health (2024)

FAQs

Are fermented dill pickles healthy? ›

Fermented pickles are a good source of probiotics. Probiotics protect your gut microbiome, or the bacteria in your gut, Peart says. “Having healthy gut bacteria can minimize symptoms of an irritable bowel. And it can help us digest food and absorb nutrients.”

Crunchy, lightly fermented pickles! If you want a stronger brine for a longer ferment, feel free to go up to 4.5%. So for example, 3.5% Ratio= 9 grams of salt per 1 cup of water, 4.5% brine =10.8 grams of salt per 1 cup of water. For a 4.5% brine, half-sour pickles take 5-7 days, full sour pickles 14-21 days.

An easy way to remember the difference between the two despite their overlap is that pickling involves putting food into an acidic brine to produce a sour flavor, whereas fermenting gives food a sour flavor without any added acid. Pickling is often the least healthy choice in terms of these two foods.

The differences in their preservation does result in several differences in their available health benefits. The main difference in the health benefits between pickled and fermented foods lies in their probiotic properties. Fermentation generates more beneficial bacteria in foods, making them probiotic.

If the pickles are soft, they are spoiled from the yeast fermentation. Don't use them.

Use the right amount of salt. Too little salt is not enough to kill unwanted bacteria while too much salt can stop fermentation. Vegetables need 2.5 percent by volume which works out to 12.5 grams (½ ounce) of salt per 500 grams (1 pound) of vegetables. Weigh vegetables and salt for accuracy.

A stronger brine of 4 tablespoons of salt for 1 litre of water is effective for this method. The brining method: Mix a brine of salt and water, then submerge the vegetables within that brine. This method is commonly used for making pickles and 1.5% – 5% brine is recommended.

Environment. Choose a suitable environment for the optimal fermentation: temperature between 70°-75°F is ideal. At that temperature, it will take 3-4 weeks for a full fermentation. If the temperature is higher, spoilage is more likely.

To cater to the gut microbiome, seek out pickles like traditional dill, naturally fermented with garlic and spices, or briny delights like sauerkraut and kimchi, which offer a bevy of live bacteria.

Are fermented pickles OK to eat? ›

People preserve some pickles in a fermented brine that contains beneficial bacteria, which means they can be a good addition to a healthful diet. Fermented pickles offer more health benefits than other pickles. Even unfermented pickles, however, are rich in vitamins such as vitamin K and vitamin A.

Lacto-Fermented Pickles: Each pickle contains 1.3 billion CFU = about 0.05 of a capsule. Probiotic Kefir: 2.5 billion CFU -= about 1/10th of a capsule. Kimchi: (the winner) 1/2 cup containing 11.5 billion CFUs = about one half of a capsule of our Lacto-Bifido blend probiotic.

The white milky substance that commonly appears on the surface of fermented vegetables is kahm yeast. It's a type of wild yeast and it's not harmful. It's not very attractive and it can cause a bad odor if left alone.

Fermented pickles are full of good bacteria called probiotics, which are important for gut health. Fight diseases. Cucumbers are high in an antioxidant called beta-carotene, which your body turns into vitamin A.

Nutritional Benefits

The pickling process may also enhance the bioavailability of these antioxidants. Additionally, pickles contain a high concentration of vitamins and minerals, specifically vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, and potassium.

Fermented foods like pickles are basically probiotic superfoods, packed full of good bacteria that can support the health of your gastrointestinal microbiome and are good for your gut bacteria. Be sure to go for fermented pickles rather than vinegar-pickled.