Is there Poison in your Pickles?

Who doesn’t love cucumbers? I am a hug fan of cucumbers. They taste yummy and are so beneficial for your health. ( 10 Health Benefits to Cucumbers). Not only are they healthy for you, but you can turn them into delicious pickles. Pickles are one of my favorite snacks. I love the crunchy, salty vinegar taste.   Pickles are cucumbers that have been preserved.  Pickling is a way of preserving foods for an extended period of time with or without refrigeration.  It’s a great way to store food from the Spring/Summer growing season for the winter.  You can pickle just about anything: fruits, veggies, even meats and fish.

I grew up eating Clausen’s pickles.  I loved every bite of them.  As my awareness towards what I was consuming developed, I began looking into the foods that I include in my life. One of the foods I decided to investigate were pickles.  I was really surprised to find out that the major brands of pickles contain dangerous ingredients, so I asked myself is there poison in your pickles? There is poison in your pickles. This is when I began to make my own pickles.

Ingredients in Pickles

Naturally preserved pickles are an asset to any stomach.  Cucumbers only really need vinegar to preserve them to turn them into pickles. They do not need any of the toxic ingredients that many store bought pickles contain.  Using either a fermentation process or just simply using vinegar provides the pickles with their own health benefits, such as boosting the immune system and creating healthy bacteria for your gut.

Many store bought pickles are not only pasteurized which destroys nutrients but they also contain ingredients that are harmful to the body.

SO what is in your store bought pickles?

Here is a list of ingredients that I have found in some of the pickles that make up the pickle section at the grocery store.

• Alum
• Calcium Chloride
• High Fructose Corn Syrup 
• Potassium/Sodium Benzoate 
• Natural Flavors
• Polysorbate 80
• Turmeric Oleoresin 
• Yellow #5

Alum
This ingredient is a chemical compound added to maintain the firmness of the pickles.  Long term exposure to  Alum can cause problems with the nervous system and increase risk of cancer and brain diseases like Alzheimer’s. Alum cause irritation to mucous membranes and upset the balance in the bloodstream.

High Fructose Corn Syrup
High Fructose Corn Syrup is so toxic.  Studies and research has shown that it can cause behavioral problems and reactions similar to those produced by drugs like cocaine.  It also can cause increased weight gain, diabetes and hypertension. Also, most High Fructose Corn Syrup is made from GMO Corn.

Natural Flavors
These are said to improve the taste of the food. There are 1000’s of ingredients that fall under the “Natural Flavor” title. The FDA’s guidelines are, “the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or any other edible portions of a plant, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose primary function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”  Natural Flavor might be hidden under ingredients like, natural flavoring, autolyzed yeast extract, textured protein, MSG, etc. There are many convinced that they play a role in neurological disorders.

Polysorbate 80
I found this ingredient listed on many pickle jars.  This is used an emulsifier, helping to prevent the separation of ingredients as it site on the store shelves. Polysorbate 80 has been found to negatively affect the immune system.  It can also cause infertility and other changes to the reproductive system.  This toxic ingredient is often times found in vaccines and ice cream.

Potassium and+ Sodium Benzoate
This ingredients is an artificial color used to make food more visually appetizing.  It is often added to sodas, pickles, olives, jams, dressings and syrups. Testing has shown that sodium benzoate causes sever damage to DNA.  Always check your labels for this ingredient and never consume it

Turmeric Oleoresin 
You might see this on the ingredient list and confuse it for one of the best spices in the world! However Turmeric Oleoresin is made by using volatile solvents for extraction and then concentration to remove the solvent.  Studies have shown that when rats were administered turmeric oleoresin, they developed tumors.  If the label says just Turmeric check in a little further to make sure that it is not Turmeric Oleoresin.

Yellow #5 or Tartrazine
Tartrazine can also be seen on ingredient labels as FD&C yellow 5, E102 or 19140.  This ingredient is added to foods to change the color.  As most dyes have now been proven harmful, Yellow #5 is included.  It has been linked to be connected to ADD/ADHD, anxiety, migranes, vision issues, hives, depression, sleep issues, fatigue, skin rashes and thyroid cancer.  These side effects and allergic reactions are as unnecessary as an ingredient in your food and even being phased out in European countries.

Pickles To AVOID and any others with these ingredients:

CLAUSSEN
INGREDIENTS: Fresh Cucumbers, Water, Distilled Vinegar, Salt, Contains Less than 2% of Dried Garlic, Calcium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate  (to preserve flavor) Dried Red Peppers, Natural Flavors, Polysorbate 80, Oleoresin Turmeric.

VLASIC, PICKLES
INGREDIENTS: Cucumbers, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Distilled Vinegar, Water, Salt, Calcium Chloride, Alum, Natural Flavors, Polysorbate 80. Yellow 5.

MT. OLIVE, KOSHER DILLS
INGREDIENTS: Cucumbers, Water, Vinegar, Salt, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Calcium Chloride, 0.1% Sodium Benzoate  (Preservative), Natural Flavor and Artificial Flavor, Polysorbate 80, and FD&C Yellow 5.

SAFEWAY, SWEET PICKLES
INGREDIENTS: Cucumbers, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Vinegar, Water, Salt, Calcium Chloride, Alum, Natural Flavors, Polysorbate 80, Yellow 5.

If you choose to buy store bought pickles look at the ingredients and make sure they don’t contain any of the ingredients above.  Look for pickles made with Organic Cucumbers and basic ingredients that you recognize.

Yet! Making your own pickles takes 4 basic ingredients!!!!

Cucumbers, Water, Vinegar and Salt

Make Your Own Pickles

There are different ways to make pickles. This recipe is the most basic recipe. It takes 4 basic ingredients. There are other recipes that require more effort and will allow the pickles to store for a longer length of time. There are other methods that require fermentation which turns the pickles into probiotic filled treats.  Whichever way you choose, pickles and their brine are excellent for your health. Keep scrolling down and you will see my original Master Tonic Pickle Recipe.

Simple Pickling Recipe:

You will need for 1 Pint Jar of Pickles:

• Organic Pickling Cucumbers (about 3 or 4 pickling cucumbers fills a pint jar)
• 1 cup Vinegar (Apple Cider Vinegar or White Vinegar)
• 1 cup Water ( Please use clean water!)
• 1 Tablespoon Himalayan Rock Salt or Sea Salt
• Glass Jar
• Optional: Garlic, Onions, Peppercorns, Dill, Basil, Red Pepper flakes, mustard seeds, etc.

Directions:

• Cut cucumbers into desired size
• Pack cucumber slices into glass jar
• Add the spices , garlic, onions, and herbs if you want
• Mix the Vinegar and Salt in with the Water (Brine)
• Pour Brine mixture over cucumbers until they are submerged.
• Put lids on jar and let cool (the brine will still be warm)
• Refrigerate
• Can be eaten after 24 hours and can stay in the refrigerator up to a month
• The pickle juice can be consumed too and is incredible for you!

Master Tonic Pickles

You will need for 1 pint of pickles:

• Organic Pickling Cucumbers (about 3 or 4 pickling cucumbers fills a pint jar)
• 1 cup Master Tonic
• 1 cup Water ( Please use clean water!)
• 1 Tablespoon Himalayan Rock Salt or Sea Salt
• Glass Jar

Directions:

• Cut cucumbers into desired size
• Pack cucumber slices into glass jar
• Mix Master Tonic and Salt in with the Water (Brine)
• Pour Brine mixture over cucumbers until they are submerged.
• Put lids on jar and let cool (the brine will still be warm)
• Refrigerate
• Can be eaten after 24 hours and can stay in the refrigerator up to a month
• The pickle juice can be consumed too and is incredible for you!

---

Making pickles could not be any easier.  It is really inexpensive too.  I find that when I am making my own foods, it tastes better and feels better going in.  The best part is that I know exactly what is going in the pickles and therefore in my body.   The Master Tonic pickles are a great way to get those amazing ingredients with so many benefits that are in the Master Tonic soaked up in nutritious cucumbers that ferment into gut healthy pickles. After learning about the harmful ingredients in some of the most popular pickles, I hope that you will think twice before buying and consuming these pickles again and remember to always check the labels!

Thank you for joining me on my journey to the truth.

In service,
~ Alex

10 Benefits of Cucumbers

Homemade Ginger Ale (recipe included)

How to Make Kombucha