Cucumbers vs. Pickles – What’s The Difference?

Cucumber and pickles, what an interesting topic to know about. You must know about the fact that one of the best tasting pickle is of cucumber. Let’s dig deep into the properties and differences between cucumber and pickles.

Green foods such as cucumber, leafy veggies etc., are delicious with many health benefits. Cucumber is famous in the whole world for its refreshing taste and antioxidant properties. These are cultivated throughout the year and consumed the whole year.

Cucumber and pickles both are crunchy, nutritious, flavorful and tasty. Cucumber consumed in raw form is fresh and sweet, while the cucumber used for pickling is sour in taste and is fermented.  Pickle is fermented to increase the shelf life and can be used for a longer time span.

The article will help you explore more related to pickles and cucumbers. So, to know further about cucumber and pickles, read the below-mentioned facts, information, nutritional value, uses and health benefits of both.

Cucumbers

Cucumber is a vine plant that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and is a widely cultivated vegetable. The length of cucumber is about two feet and is known to be a fruit that is utilized as a vegetable. Cucumber has many types, such as used for slicing is different from the ones used for pickling.

There is a phenomenon of cucurbitacin, a chemical present inside cucumber and promotes bitter flavor. Some cucumbers don’t have this bitter taste formation and are known as burpless, and one can easily find this type of cucumber as well.

Nutritional Facts

Cucumber is very nutritious; some of its nutritional properties are mentioned below. Remember below-mentioned information is of cucumber with peel, and it contains:

• 6 Kcal Total Calories
• 2 g Fats
• 8 g Carbohydrate
• 8 g Sugar
• 6 g Fiber
• 6 g Protein

Health Benefits

Cucumber has many health benefits, out of which some are listed below.

1. Cucumber is a great food item to lose weight, as they contain high water content. It is like eating something fulfilling with fewer calories.
2. Cucumber contains plenty of antioxidants that help fight free radicals in the body and maintain the skin’s freshness.
3. Cucumber can also be added in smoothies and juices to enhance taste and drink the thick consistent liquid.
4. As cucumber has high water content, it helps promote performance and metabolism and helps you keep hydrated all the time.
5. Cucumber helps to reduce blood sugar levels and act as a preventive source for more diseases like diabetes.
6. Cucumber helps to maintain healthy bowel movement, which prevents constipation. The fiber content in cucumber plays a vital role in maintaining normal bowel functioning.

Uses

Cucumber tastes so good and watery that people in every age group like to consume it. Below we have mentioned some of the doable suggestions of the forms or ways in which you can consume cucumbers.

1. Adding cucumbers into refreshing drinks and smoothies is an excellent form of consuming it.
2. Some people like to consume cucumber in the form of pickles.
3. Some of the frozen treats contain cucumbers, such as mixed fruit salad.
4. One can add cucumber into burgers and rolls.
5. Fresh salsa also contains cucumber.
6. One of the most famous forms of consuming cucumber is making cucumber soup; it is very famous, especially in winters.

As we have discussed about cucumbers in detail, now lets discuss some of the interesting facts about pickles.

Pickles

Pickling is a famous way of increasing the shelf life of food and preserving them for a longer time period. There are two ways in which pickle formation occurs: one is with vinegar, and the other is with salt. Pickling with vinegar is an easy, simple and quick method.

A liquid is used to be added to the vegetable to kill micro-organisms and is called quick pickling. Pickling with salt fermentation includes a natural phenomenon to preserve food. The naturally occurring bacteria consume sugar from the cucumber, and it starts to ferment naturally, turning into a tangy pickle.

Nutritional Facts

Just like cucumbers, pickle also is nutritious and healthy. Below we have mentioned pickled cucumber nutritional properties, which will act as excessive information for you to learn.

• 8 Kcal Total Calories
• 2 g Fats
• 7 g Carbohydrate
• 9 g Sugar
• 6 g Fiber
• 9 g proteins

Health Benefits

Some of the health benefits cucumbers in the form of pickles provide you are:

1. As pickles are fermented, they act as a host for healthy bacteria and improve your gut health
2. Also, pickles tend to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of cancer.
3. Pickles made from vinegar are healthy and contain vitamins and minerals.
4. Fermented pickles help in fast digestion.
5. As pickles contain antioxidants such as carotene, which reduces the risk of heart diseases, cancer and stroke.
6. According to research, pickles reduce muscle cramps.

Uses

Pickles can be consumed in many ways and many forms. Some of the uses of pickles include as:

1. It can be added to salads like egg salad or tuna salad.
2. Pickles can be added to the top of the burger as a topping.
3. In bloody Mary, pickle juice is added.
4. Pickles can be deep-fried and consumed in raw form.
5. Pickles can be consumed along with roti or bread.

So What’s the Difference Between Cucumber and Pickle?

Let us summarize the whole topic into key points, which includes:

1. Cucumber ae fresh, whereas pickles are fermented and preserved.
2. Cucumbers consumed in raw form are large in size, but the cucumber used for pickling are known as baby cucumbers and are smaller in size.
3. Cucumber taste is refreshing, watery and sweet, while pickles taste is altered and tangy.
4. The shelf life of cucumber is less. You can’t keep it in the refrigerator for a long time, but pickles can be consumed through the year or at least for some months as canned.

Sources:

Foodsguy

Thekitchencommunity

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