By – Niharika Bhargava, Founder & CEO The Little Farm Co.
An Indian can never deny their love for pickles, no matter where they are in the world. Indian Achars are more than simply words to those of us who are from this region; they represent an entire experience of fond childhood memories.
As youngsters, everyone recalls assisting their moms and grandparents in the kitchen so that we could eat those zestful mangoes with a spicy pickle concoction.
Each pickle is made with just the finest ingredients to provide a vivid and refreshing flavour to the achar. Achar is a beloved and essential component of every traditional Indian dinner. Every Indian meal is incomplete without Indian pickles, and Indians enjoy their meals with a spoonful of delicious achar.
Although achars are a staple part of our lives and are consumed in a variety of ways, we all have concerns regarding whether or not it is healthy.
But did you know that pickle is a fermented food that is really beneficial to your health?
And it’s not only us that think so! In fact, researchers and nutritionists have validated the benefits of this modest meal.
That is why we invite you to join us today as we show how your favourite achars are a must-eat. The simple explanation is that the combination is incredibly nutritious since it provides several beneficial health benefits.
Pickles are commonly thought to be harmful because of the excessive use of oils and spices. However, other nutritionists argue that without oil and salt, the friendly bacteria will not develop, and we will not reap the full advantages of a pickle.
We don’t realise that Indian pickles are quite healthy and offer a variety of health benefits. Everyone enjoys the combo and will never turn down a spicy taste of authentic Indian pickles. If you’ve ever wondered if this zesty combination of flavours is unhealthy, here’s a brief overview of numerous surprising and delightful health benefits that achar has to offer.
First lets deep dive into how pickles were made traditionally. The pickles were prepared and put out in the sun. This was done to soften the fruits and vegetables and mature the pickles but another useful and healthy reaction was taking place in the martban called lacto-fermentation.
Traditional ways of making pickles when allowed to ferment under the sun favoured the growth of good bacteria called probiotic’s (Lacto bacillus). Store bought pickles normally lack the natural enzymes. These probiotics help prevent indigestion and boost immunity, lower inflammation levels in the body. That is the same way we make pickles at The Little Farm Co.
Below are some benefits of pickles if made the right way using the right ingredients.
Provide digestive enzymes: The majority of pickles are fermented with vinegar, which boosts the bioavailability and absorption of vitamins and minerals while also providing digestive enzymes. It’s intriguing how the vinegar in pickles accelerates our body’s reaction to it.
Functions as an organic probiotic: The combination not only satisfies our demands for Indian food, but also has the superpower to ward off illnesses. India Achars go through a fermentation process that partially digests the pickle to release more nutrients, letting the intestines to rest and our bodies to absorb more nutrition with less physical exertion.
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High in Vitamins: Indian pickles are high in a range of nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, and many more. Pickles are also high in vitamins like Vitamin K (co-factor in absorbing Vitamin D), Vitamin A (for eyesight and immunity), probiotic bacteria (live organisms that confer health benefits to the host). Each element utilised in the mix, be it the ripe fruits or the assorted vegetables, or raw fruits, all the ingredients of the mix is a rich source of health and well-being.
Boosts immunity: A good jar of Achar is a great way to meet our nutritional requirements and also has anti-inflammatory properties which help our bodies to fight against the attack of various bacteria and viruses. It also increases the count of a growth hormone of your brain known as a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). It is also believed in reducing bloating, anemia and B12 deficiencies.
