Gherkin is one kind of cucumber with almost all the nutrients present in a cucumber. It is served cold, as the cooking strips its intense flavor. Most of us are aware about gherkin taste but don’t know about the health benefits, so check this article to find the amazing health benefits offered by gherkin.
Health benefits of gherkin
Calories and fat
If the food you intake is consisting of average amounts of calories and fats, it helps to maintain your weight, though which it reduces the risk of serious problems like heart diseases and cancer.
It help to fuel the intake of major nutrients like folate, iron, calcium and vitamin A. Add gherkin to your salads, soups and other dishes to increase the intake.
Potassium
Get rich amount of potassium from gherkin, which aids for the balance of healthy blood pressure levels. Potassium also plays a key role in the digestion, contraction of muscles and bones. One big gherkin consists of 35 milligrams of potassium, whereasan individual requires about 2,000 milligrams of potassium in a day.
So, get the good potassium amounts from gherkin and solve out the problems entering with the deficiency of potassium such as muscle problems, stomach issues, irregular heartbeat and fatigue.
Vitamin A and beta-carotene
Beta-carotene is a crucial component helps for the conversion of vitamin-A in the body. Vitamin A is necessary for the production of white blood cells, bone growth, reproduction and vision. It also protects our body from the viruses and bacteria which cause illness. So, include your diet with sweet gherkin to get all the vitamin A benefits.
Approximately one big sweet gherkin consists of 276 IU. Men should obtain 3,000 IU of vitamin A in each day, whereas women need 2,310 IU in a day. One big sweet gherkin consists of 114 micrograms of beta-carotene.
Vitamin K
The role played vitamin K in our body is crucial, it helps for the blood clotting, when it is consumed in adequate amounts, it easily treats the bleeding problems like liver disease and malabsorption.
From one large sweet gherkin pickle you can get 16.5 micrograms of vitamin K, Indeed adult females need 90 micrograms of vitamin K in each day and adult males need 120 micrograms of vitamin K per day. So, add your palate with gherkin to improve the intake of vitamin K.
The adequate intake of vitamin K helps for the stimulation of bone growth, it improves the overall bone health and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.
Minerals
The important minerals like calcium, silica, potassium and magnesium helps to improve the overall health. The potassium and magnesium amounts present in the gherkin lowers the blood pressure, hence it is recommended for the blood pressure patients.
Silica reduces the problems of muscles, it also improves the functioning of connective tissues, including muscles, tendons and ligaments. Calcium is major mineral for the bone and teeth health.
Fiber
Gherkin is a best source of fiber, which is useful to clean the digestive tract and it also plays a major part to ease the functioning of the digestive system. Many of us don’t consume fiber rich food in good quantity, so the intake of gherkin provides you the necessary fiber amount.
Facts about gherkins
Origin
Originated from West Africa, gherkins are known as the gherkin vegetable which was introduced by the Portuguese in West Indies before it reached Europe. In ancient history gherkins were popularly known as crumpling, gherkins and horned cucumbers.
Gherkins are basically vegetables
Gherkins are basically vegetables similar to cucumbers in all aspects. The shape, size and nutritional contents of gherkins are same as that of cucumber. Gherkins are also known as Wallys and this is because of the similar shape as that of cucumber. Wally’s is slang in London. The people of London call gherkins as Wally’s. Gherkins are basically sold as pickles which are healthy as well as tasty.
Growing gherkins
If you cannot get gherkins in the market, no need to worry as you can grow your own Gherkins at home. These gherkins grow in a sunny place as sunny spots are the best place to grow gherkins.
The gherkin seeds are widely and easily available in the local market and you can plant them in your garden. Prick them out and in shallow pots where they have developed 4 leaves. Do not over water the gherkins.
Gherkins as pickles
Gherkins which is a particular species of cucumber, known as the West Indian Burr Cucumber. It is not a pickle of smaller size which produces smaller fruits, somewhat the garden cucumber.
A small cucumber pickled whole is a gherkin. It is believed that gherkins are the very first pickle to be found and were enjoyed by the Mesopotamian people 4500 years ago. It is also believed that Cleopatra was a fan of gherkins.
Overall nutritional value
Gherkins are rich in nutrients. It is low in fat and helps control your weight. It also lowers the risk of heart diseases and cancer. It is rich in iron, folate, calcium, vitamin A and potassium. One large gherkin contains plenty of potassium which if calculated sums up to 8% of total potassium required by human body in a day.
It helps in controlling the blood pressure level with the help of the potassium content in it. Potassium helps in digestion as well as contraction of your muscles and bones. A deficiency of potassium in your body may result in stomach issues, fatigue and irregular heartbeat.
Gherkins are also a great source of vitamin K which provides relief from blood clot and liver problems. You can say that a tasty pickle is a nutritious pickle too.
Adding them to diet
Add gherkin to your diet as it will control your blood pressure, act as a cure for liver problems. It is a tasty pickle which is full of nutrients and beneficial elements. Consuming gherkins on a daily basis will keep you healthy and your internal system cleansed and protected from various health issues.
Gherkins are also rich in sodium. Gherkins lose their nutritious values when cooked, so it is recommended to consume them cold. Gherkin pickles are made when they are 4 to 8 cm in length. They are stored in a jar with vinegar in it and flavored with herbs. One large gherkin contains less than a gram of fat and 32 calories only.
Good gherkins have lobed leaves with toothed edges, small flower and prickly fruit of 5 cm in size, found on crooked stalks. So what are you waiting for? Get a jar of gherkin pickle as soon as possible.
