Craving Pickles? Here’s What It Really Means (2024)

Co-authored byNimisha Gandhiand Dev Murphy, MA

Last Updated: June 1, 2024Fact Checked

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   You might be dehydrated. If you haven’t drunk a sufficient amount of water, it’s common to crave pickle juice, both because it will hydrate you and because it contains a hefty amount of electrolytes in the form of sodium, magnesium, and potassium.^[1]

   • You might be dehydrated after intense exercise or after a night of heavy drinking. Pickles—and specifically pickle juice—will replenish your electrolytes and help you feel energized again.
   • To keep your pickle intake low, make sure to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
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   Your body may be low on sodium. If you're not getting enough salt in your diet, or if you've depleted your sodium levels, you might experience intense cravings for pickles and other high-sodium foods. But don’t go overboard: on average, 1 dill pickle contains about 15% of your recommended daily sodium intake!^[2]

   • You might experience a sodium deficiency if you’re sick, especially if you vomit—which is one reason you might crave pickles if you’re pregnant and have morning sickness.
   • Pickle cravings have also been identified as a common experience among transfeminine women undergoing hormone replacement therapy using the drug Spironolactone. Spiro, a diuretic commonly used to lower blood pressure by reducing aldosterone, may cause sodium deficiency as well.^[3]

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   Adrenal insufficiency might give you a hankering for pickles. Also known as Addison's disease, your adrenal glands—located just above the kidneys—don’t produce enough cortisol or aldosterone. Aldosterone is a hormone that allows you to absorb sodium, thus regulating your salt and water intake. If you're not getting enough of it, your body won't properly absorb sodium, making you crave more of it—commonly in the form of, you guessed it, pickles.^[4]

   • Other symptoms of adrenal fatigue include muscle aches, extreme tiredness, nausea and stomach pain, weight loss, low blood pressure, and darkening of the skin.
   • While craving salt is often nothing to worry about, adrenal fatigue is potentially serious. If you suspect you have adrenal fatigue, contact your doctor to perform an evaluation.
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   Stress can make you crave certain foods, especially salty foods like pickles. If you're eating pickles day in and day out or sneaking down to the kitchen every night for a vinegary midnight snack-a-thon, ask yourself if you’re more stressed out than usual lately. High stress can cause our bodies to release extra cortisol and other hormones, which cause us to crave certain foods—usually salt. And there are few snacks saltier than a pickle!^[5]

   • Your stress may also affect your sleep, and lack of sleep can also release extra cortisol, as well as decrease serotonin, the hormone that makes you feel good. On low serotonin, it’s common to try to elevate your mood by snacking.
   • Pickles also contain probiotics that can elevate your mood.^[6]
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   Hormonal fluctuations can make you crave pickles before your period. Some people crave chocolate, some people crave pickles, and some people crave both, God help them. Food cravings due to premenstrual syndrome are not 100% understood, but researchers believe that shifts in hormones during PMS cause you to crave certain foods, such as carbs, sweets, and salty snacks—for instance, pickles.^[7]

   • Hormonal imbalance is another reason you might experience strong pickle cravings during pregnancy.
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   You may need to improve your gut health with probiotics. Our bodies tend to crave things they need, even when we're not aware of it! Naturally fermented cucumbers contain tiny microorganisms known as probiotics, and these tiny, living bacteria and yeasts are beneficial for your metabolism and digestion and aid your body in fighting off diseases. Your gut already contains a heaping amount of good bacteria, and probiotics help keep that bacteria in balance.^[8]

   • If you ever get tired of pickles but still want some of that probiotic goodness, you can also find probiotics in kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt, and miso. What a menu!

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   Pickles can bolster your immune system. The humble pickle contains a heaping amount of vitamins A and K, important antioxidants that keep your body nice and strong. Whether you're craving pickles or not, supplement your lunch with a gherkin or 2. A pickle a day keeps the doctor away. (That's the saying, right?)^[9]

   • Free radicals, molecules that are linked to cancer and other diseases, may be kept at bay by regular pickle consumption.
   • Make sure you eat the whole pickle to get the full dose of antioxidants and vitamins, and not just the juice!
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   Pickles are a good snack for weight loss. Coming in at only about 7 calories, pickles make a great crunchy snack for people trying to watch their weight. Not only this, but pickle juice can stabilize your blood sugar, effectively lessening your appetite so that you're less likely to keep snacking after your pickle.^[10]

   • The probiotics in pickles can improve your digestion and metabolism, which can also help you lose weight.
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   Drinking pickle juice is a great way to stay hydrated. Pickle juice is the new Gatorade! If you usually empty your pickle jars before recycling the jars, why not try drinking that sweet, sweet gherkin water instead? Because it boasts both electrolytes and potassium, pickle juice has become popular with athletes in recent years as a great way to hydrate after an intense workout.^[11]

   • You can drink pickle juice straight from the jar, or make popsicles for an icy treat.
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   Pickle juice relieves muscle aches. This is another reason pickle juice has become popular with athletes: after an intense workout, if your muscles are sore, pickle juice could help relax them. Pickle juice is also popular with PMS sufferers experiencing menstrual cramps.^[12]

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   Pickle juice is delicious in alcoholic beverages. There's something about the combo of pickle juice and alcohol that's irresistible. Make a classic pickle back by mixing whiskey and pickle juice, or try something new and add pickle juice ice cubes to your favorite Bloody Mary recipe.^[13]

   • And because pickle juice is loaded with potassium and electrolytes, pickle juice may help stave off a hangover better than water. (But that doesn't mean you can throw back pickle backs with immunity!)

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   It's easy to get too much sodium from eating pickles. They're a great snack, but eating too many in one sitting can cause your sodium levels to skyrocket. Remember, each pickle has about 15% of your daily recommended sodium intake, so you should probably only eat 1 or 2 pickles a day.

   • Too much sodium can raise your blood pressure, which can put you at risk for heart disease or stroke.
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   Too many pickles can give you digestive issues. Ironic, isn't it, when pickles can also help your digestion? But while 1 or 2 pickles can be a boon to your tummy, 3 or 4 can throw your digestive track...well, off track, giving you stomach pain, discomfort, and flatulence.^[14]

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   You might crave salt at night if you haven't eaten enough during the day. If you tend to skip meals, or you don't eat enough at mealtimes, your body may respond with intense nighttime cravings for super sweet or salty food, including pickles. An occasional late night pickle isn't anything to worry about, but if you're sneaking down every night at the devil's hour for some crunchy goodness, try getting more to eat during the day and see if your nightly appetite subsides.^[15]

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   Stress might also cause you to develop late-night snacking habits. Stress and anxiety can keep you awake at night, and when you're tired, it's easy to go straight for strong-flavored foods, like sweets or salty snacks. It's also easy to turn to food for comfort or a distraction when you're feeling overwhelmed.^[16]

   • It can be hard to break such habits, but if you eat nutritious, filling meals during regular mealtimes, you’ll be more likely to fall asleep full and not sneak down later for a snack.

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