Pickling is a general term for the different ways foods are preserved in a type of salt brine (salt + water), whether a quick or long-term pickle.
Fermenting does not rely on salt such as vinegars or wine. The key to health benefits of pickles is salt. Salt breaks down vegetables to be more easily digested. Also allows for probiotics and good bacteria to grow and build. In the quick pickled cucumbers recipe below, we use umeboshi vinegar, a pickling brine, made of umeboshi plums, sea salt and red shiso. This delicious vinegar gives pickles the acidic and sour taste, as well as, produce probiotics and good bacteria. (Here is a tea recipe with umeboshi plums)
Keep in mind, pasteurizing or heating the pickles for a period of time will destroy much of the bacteria and reduce the health benefits of pickles. That is why it is important to naturally pickle and ferment foods.
Do store bought pickles have probiotics?
Most do not. Many large branded pickles on the shelves have been pasteurized and processed to preserve the pickles for longer storage time. Additionally, often they are only stored in vinegar with no salt brine. This creates the sour pickle flavor but without the same probiotic benefit.
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