We’ve all had it happen before. As you pick out the last pickle from the jar and enjoy its crunchy tang, you realize that you now have a jar full of pickle juice. Most people would probably throw the juice out and reuse the jar for something else or put it in the recycling.
But is the juice really so useless that it should be tossed? No way! Today, we'll tell you all about the top eight uses you can find for pickle juice from the kitchen to the bathroom and beyond!
Pickle juice is a gift that keeps on giving. The unique mix of vinegar, salt, sugar, and spices is what gives the ordinary cucumbers their incredibly delicious flavor. The brew is designed to help preserve vegetables long after the summer season is over, giving your garden an afterlife.
So why not get some cucumbers, radishes, turnips, beets, or any other hard, crispy vegetable from your garden or the farmers’ market and reuse the juice? Before you know it, you'll have pickled vegetables ready to enjoy.
2. Relieve an upset stomach
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Bad germs from improperly prepared or refrigerated food can wreak havoc on your bowels. But pickle juice naturally contains high quantities of vinegar, which has powerful anti-bacterial properties.
So if you’re having trouble with your digestion, having a shot of pickle juice for a few days could help rebalance your gut flora!
Besides adding great flavor to your favorite vegetables, pickle juice can be a great cocktail or “mocktail” mixer. Pickle juice’s unique mixture of sour, sweet, and salty taste makes it a wonderful all-around mixer. It’s a natural choice for Bloody Mary bars.
You can even use the leftover juice to pickle some watermelon rind and then add it to drinks such as margaritas.
4. Treat a hangover
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Have you had a wild night on the town with friends? Or maybe a birthday that was a bit too much fun? Then pickle juice is there for you.
When you are hungover, your body is reacting to dehydration, low blood sugar, and the loss of electrolytes. Pickle juice has salt, sugar, and electrolytes, all the things you need when you have had one too many! Try it and watch your headache disappear.
5. Reduce heartburn
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While many women suffer from heartburn caused by acid reflux during pregnancy, moms-to-be are rightfully worried about taking pharmaceuticals that could have side effects on them and their babies.
You might think that consuming something as acidic as pickle juice would aggravate the problem, but many people swear by the idea that it actually aids digestion, soothing your stomach!
6. Treat a sunburn
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Spent the day at the beach and forgot to reapply sunscreen after taking a dip? If you’ve got a burnt patch on your body, your leftover pickle juice could be the cure you need.
By placing a paper towel in pickle juice, wringing it out, then applying it to the hot spot, you'll get instant relief. How does it work? It seems that the vinegar, a key ingredient, has the capacity to draw out the heat and create a cooling effect.
7. Make copper pipes and pans shine
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You probably know Chip and Jojo Gaines and their hit show Fixer Upper. But did you know their secret weapon for cleaning up old metal in their renovation projects? It’s pickle juice!
The acid helps get rid of gunk and grime and leave a beautiful shine! This applies for all kinds of metal surfaces. In fact, the legendary Earnestine & Hazel’s in Memphis, which has been called “America’s Greatest Burger Bar,“ uses pickle juice to clean the grill where they make their famous ”soul burgers"!
8. Get rid of bad breath
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Having some problems with bad breath? Pickle juice is the answer. “But won’t my breath smell like vinegar?” you’re probably thinking. Actually, not only does the vinegar have anti-bacterial properties, but dill is an incredible herbal remedy for the germs that cause halitosis.
If you can stand it, take some pickle juice in your mouth, swish it around to make sure you get all the bad germs lurking in your gums and teeth, then spit it out like mouthwash. You can have a glass of water to cleanse your palate after. Enjoy your fresh breath!
So next time you finish your jar, don’t throw the brine out! Recycle it.
Epoch Inspired staff cover stories of hope that celebrate kindness, traditions, and triumph of the human spirit, offering valuable insights into life, culture, family and community, and nature.
