Pickles come in many different shapes, sizes and flavors, but most people either love 'em or hate 'em. Their tangy, salty and often sour taste is often an acquired one. Those who enjoy them love to eat them in a variety of ways, adding pickles to their wraps, sandwiches, burgers and even eating them straight out of the jar. But there is something about a jar of pickles that might surprise you.
Pickle juice is versatile! Once your pickles are gone, the juice can be used for treating ailments, cleaning your pots and pans, and even brightening up your garden! It sounds a little crazy, but thanks to the salt and vinegar in pickle juice, it packs a pretty powerful punch!
Check out these six reasons you should never throw your pickle juice away again!
1. Pickle Juice Eases Heartburn
Many spicy and acidic foods can cause heartburn. While it seems like pickle juice would make the problem worse, it's actually a reliable quick fix. Vinegar is highly acidic, but in this case, it works magic to ease heartburn. Researchers believe it encourages the stomach to produce more natural antacids to balance the acidity level in the body.
2. Pickle Juice Soothes Sunburned Skin
Aloe Vera is a common go-to when it comes to sunburns, but it turns out that pickle juice can help too. While Aloe works great to cool the burn, pickle juice can stop the burning and itching sensations that often accompany damaged skin.
3. Pickle Juice Relaxes Tense Muscles
Those who get muscle cramps on a regular basis know how painful and uncomfortable they can be. Pickle juice is packed with electrolytes — micronutrients that keep synapses firing. Low electrolytes can be a cause of muscle cramps, and a deficiency can mean that the muscles stop responding well. Pickle juice contains sodium and potassium, so diluting a few spoonfuls into some water can help recharge your body and stop painful cramping!
4. Pickle Juice Can Soothe a Sore Throat
A sore throat can be a symptom of a more serious illness, but every once in a while, a sore throat pops up all on its own. Rinsing with warm saltwater is often recommended to kill germs and balance pH levels, but pickle juice also does the trick. Gargle some warm, diluted pickle juice to get your body back on track.
5. Pickle Juice Cleans Copper Pans
Copper-bottomed pans often lose their shiny, new-penny look after months of cooking, but they can look new again in no time, using pickle juice. The acetic acid in vinegar cuts through the gunk, while the salt and acid react with the oxidation to brighten up dull cookware.
6. Pickle Juice Fertilizes Plants
Green thumbs have all kinds of gardening hacks to keep their veggie patches and flower beds looking great, and pickle juice is one of them. Pickle juice can provide a boost to plants that like acidic soil, such as hydrangeas and rhododendrons. Just be sure to test the soil and research each plant before trying pickle juice!
Sources:
http://www.refluxmd.com/apple-cider-vinegar-for-acid-reflux/?utm_source=LTcom
http://www.thekitchn.com/quick-tip-use-pickle-juice-to-122864?&utm_source=LTcom
http://www.thekitchn.com/quick-tip-use-pickle-juice-to-122864?&utm_source=LTcom
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/pickle-juice-acidloving-plants-45995.html?&utm_source=LTcom
http://www.newhealthadvisor.com/Drinking-Pickle-Juice.html
