Why Pickles Are Bad For Some People?

Dr MS Krishnamurthy MD(Ayu), PhD
Food is not tasty today. Let’s have some pickles on the plate!!
Pickles do help in anorexia and low digestion strength. There are varieties of pickles from various fruits and vegetables (and even the fish and flesh even) in the market.

Mango, carrot, lemon, beetroot, cucumber, caricus carandus,  gooseberry (amla),  jackfruit, tomato, garlic, Soya sauce vinegar, Onion, mixed vegetable pickles, etc! You name it, they have it.

Few use it as a side-dish some even use it as adjuvant along with alcohol or vinegar as well. Some enjoy mere eating the pickle too!

Today the people who love non vegetarian diet are also blessed as varieties of non- veg pickles are also available like   Pickle prawn, Pickle chicken, Pickle mutton, Pickle Fish, Meat pickle, Pork pickle etc.

All these pickles irrespective of veg or non veg, they are spicy (vidahi) and penetrative (teekshna).
Pickles increase
dryness (rukshata),
lightness (laghu),
hot (ushna),
sara (motile) quality in the body.

Thus it increases the Pitta and Vata dosha. Where as Kapha is also vitiated due to its abhishyandi nature  (blockage of the channels) and incompatible factors with respect to digestive fire (agni viruddha).
Read related: Health Benefits Of Vegetarian Diet – Ayurvedic Opinion

Thus the pickles are in general Tridosha increasing (in some cases).
In turn, they damage the body tissues and they are Arasayana (non rejuvinators). Even though mild to moderate digestive and carminative properties are there with respect to the pickles the remaining factors make it unsuitable in most of the conditions.
Read related: Classification Of Foods And Drinks – Charaka Sahmita Sutrasthana 27

Who should avoid pickles?

Especially Pitta Vata prakruti individuals,
young children, elderly people,
pregnant mothers,
post natal period (after delivery),
after Panchakarma therapy etc administration of pickle is not recommendable.

Likewise the individuals  who are suffering from gastric ulcers, gastritis, reflux esophagitis, esophageal reflux disease, headache (especially migraine head ache, stress head ache, cluster head ache, menstrual head ache etc), peripheral neuritis, lethargy, emaciating disorders, irritable bowel syndrome haemorrhoids, ulcers, fracture, post operative conditions, azoospermia, bleeding disorders etc should avoid the pickle intake.

In Bilious conditions, liver disorders, kidney related problems, hypertension etc also should take much caution.

Mere intake of pickle is no way justifiable and it may lead to gastritis and various other GIT problems and even the vital organs may also face severe damage due to this.

But the individuals who have good body strength and who can tolerate the potency of the pickle, who are accustomed to take pickles routinely can have the pleasure of pickles according to ones desire, albeit in limited quantities.

But excess and untimely or repeated intake may surely cause damage to the individual. As this is a Rajasika kind (few pickles are Tamasic also) better to avoid pickles in total or at least in large amount.
Click to consult Dr MS Krishnamurthy MD(Ayu), PhD