Indian cuisine has always used pickles as a staple ingredient. Indian Thali is incomplete without a tiny pickle on the side. The practice of pickling dates back hundreds of years throughout India. It presumably started out as a technique to preserve food that would not be available out of season, but given the advantages it provides—aside from improving food flavour—its use quickly spread. Every state has its own variety of pickles. An Indian Thali is a complete package of a balanced diet and without pickles, the thali is definitely incomplete. Pickles can make any meal better. You can have them with bland sabzi to add a taste to it or you can have them with a spicy dish to enhance its flavour. Different pickles have their own tastes and flavours. Pickles are not only delicious but beneficial in their own way.
Pickle As A Medicine
In Bihar, lemon is harvested along with salt to make achaar, a perfect fermented dish that is advised to be consumed while experiencing digestive distress and is thought to provide significant relief. This "Nimki," as it is known, is prepared simply by putting lemons in a glass jar full of salt. It is high in probiotics. The lemon is then "cooked" in salt over a period of days while it is left in the sun.
Balances The Electrolytes
A tiny amount of pickle juice may help balance salt levels in the body because it is high in salt and electrolytes. But it should be avoided by those with high blood pressure. Due to their high sodium content, pickles are also rich in electrolytes. Pickle juice is a go-to remedy for certain athletes who need to replenish their electrolytes after a workout. Feeling dehydrated? Try having some pickle juice and you'll feel energised and rehydrated soon.
Aids Digestion
Pickles that have been fermented are a wonderful source of probiotics, making them digestively and gut-friendly. In most of India, it is frequently advised to consume a tiny lemon pickle with meals if you have poor digestion. By encouraging the growth of beneficial bacteria in our systems, the mixture improves digestion. Our unhealthy lifestyles and poor eating habits have a significant negative impact on the beneficial bacteria and probiotics that our bodies naturally produce to aid digestion. Pickles aid in overcoming these bacteria's inadequacies and enhancing digestion.
Rich In Antioxidants
Indian pickles are rich in antioxidant properties and they supply our bodies with a variety of nutrients and minerals in addition to protecting them from the attack of free radicals. Whether they are ripe fruits, different veggies, or raw fruits, all of the ingredients used to make the pickle mix are excellent for our health and wellbeing.
Powerhouse Of Vitamins
Indian pickles are one of the abundant sources of several nutrients, including carbohydrates, calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Numerous vitamins, including Vitamins C, A, and K, are also present in them that are beneficial for us. Freshly produced pickles not only taste excellent, but they may also be a good source of minerals like iron, calcium, and potassium. Vitamins and minerals are essential micronutrients that can help us build immunity, strengthen bones, improve vision, and treat a variety of other conditions.
Indian Thalis contain various sabzis that provide different nutrition to the body. Adding some pickle to it makes it a perfectly balanced meal that is a package of taste and benefits. So what are you waiting for? Add a slice of pickle to your thali and enjoy the balanced package of goodness and deliciousness.