Friend of Julie: Pickles for the Holidays

When was the last time you ate a pickle? There are healthy reasons why we should eat pickles, although having pickle juice to prevent muscle cramps is a big enough reason alone. Did you know that when you're craving cheese and crackers a pickle will satisfy you just as much? Or that pickles can cure hangovers?

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Many of us learned from Julie that pickle juice is a natural remedy for muscle cramps. I don't know about you, but man oh man I've had some wicked bad muscle cramps. Muscle cramps are often caused by mineral deficiencies: night cramps indicate you probably need more magnesium and day cramps suggest more potassium.

I hadn't thought about this, but pickles are a good item for us to bring to holiday parties, along with some protein, because they provide a good crunch and a good chew. When you're tempted by the cheese and crackers at your next holiday party — reach for a pickle instead.

When I was putting together my menu for a party I had last weekend, a jar of pickles was on my shopping list, but somehow I didn't buy them. This weekend I'm sticking to my instincts and bringing pickles to the party I'm going to. I know there will be plenty of protein, because they're serving three pounds of my meatball recipe.

Myths About The Christmas Pickle

This morning my friend shared a link to a story about the myth behind The Christmas Pickle, and while these stories are funny, there is truth behind these myths: the alkalizing effect of the vinegar in pickles helps to restore balance. So it makes sense that when (in one of these stories) the evil innkeeper put the boys in a pickle barrel they were miraculously bought them back to life. 

After reading this article, I realized I'd moved away from eating pickles on a regular basis, mainly because of the '30-day toss foods in a jar from your refrigerator' rule (refrigerated foods begin to break down after 30 days). I disliked tossing pickles, so I stopped buying them. I love pickles and it's time to bring them back. (After posting this one of my key friends informed me to wash the lid of the jar in the dishwasher for three cycles on hot. She said Julie told her group to do with the tops of tomato sauce jars. Thanks Magie!)

As far as the concept that pickles cure hangover (see Keep a Jar of Pickles Handy), I've never tested this theory and I won't need to. Drinking too much vodka, the only alcohol option on program, can lead to making poor food choices. In my opinion, no amount of pickle juice is going to help you get back on program after drinking too much and eating foods not on program. No amount of pickle juice will resolve the guilt you'll feel the morning after. Plus, if you do this on New Year's Eve, what a horrible way to start the first day of the New Year.

Did you know that pickle juice can be re-purposed? After you eat all the pickles, add the remaining pickle juice to mixed veggies, green beans, etc.  I haven't done this, but it's worth exploring. And for those of us who have experienced leg cramps, anything we can do to prevent those cramps is a bonus!

English Christmas Pickle (source)