Indians and their affection for pickles are irreplaceable. Pickles are the integral part of every Indian household. India has a large variety of pickles (known as achar (अचार) Assamese, Bengali, Hindi (अचार), Punjabi, Gujurati, Urdu (اچار) uppinakaayi in Kannada, lonacha (लोणचं) in Marathi, uppilittathu or achar in Malayalam, oorukai in Tamil, ooragaya in Telugu, which are mainly made from varieties of mango, lemon, lime, gongura (a sour leafy shrub), tamarind, Indian gooseberry (amla), and chilli. Vegetables such as eggplant, carrots, cauliflower, tomato, bitter gourd, green tamarind, ginger, garlic, onion, and citron are also occasionally used. These fruits and vegetables are generally mixed with ingredients like salt, spices, and vegetable oils and are set to mature in a moistureless medium.
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 and flavor. The resulting food is called a pickle, or, to prevent ambiguity, prefaced with pickled.
Most of them have their own unique and secret recipes for the pickle that are handed down through the generations. This remarkable treasure not only owns the mouthwatering flavour and taste but they are the repository of nutrients and health treasure.
Let's have a look at the health benefits of Indian pickles :
Antioxidants are micronutrients that protect a living body against the attack of free radicals. These free radicals are highly dangerous as they mix with the DNA and alter its configuration. As our Indian pickles contain raw and unripe ingredients, they are a rich source of antioxidants.
Indian pickles contain several essential vitamins like Vitamin C, Vitamin A and Vitamin K, and minerals like iron, calcium, and potassium which are not provided in our routine diet, adequately. Hence, eating Indian pickles can suffice the requirement of these vitamins and minerals in your body.
Our digestive system generates several probiotic bacteria in our body which usually help us to digest our food. Our naturally fermented Indian pickles can encourage the growth of these bacteria’s which will help you to restore your digestive health.
The all-rounder ingredient that no dish can go without- turmeric is an important item in the making of the pickle. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties that boost your immunity, therefore makes you invulnerable to most diseases. So every time you chew on that pickle, remember this winning health benefit of pickles.