Did you know that according to the Department of Agriculture the average American eats 8 1/2 pounds of pickles a year? Why last year alone Calef’s Country Store sold almost 12,000 pickles. In fact pickles are so popular that November 14 has been named National Pickle Day.
It’s no wonder, in addition to being a delicious snack pickles are purported to have many other health benefits. With just around 5 calories apiece, pickled cucumbers are loaded with vitamins K, and A, potassium, fiber and no fat. They even count towards your five a day!
The Journal of Diabetes Research says that consuming a small serving of vinegar before a meal helps to regulate blood sugar levels in people with type two diabetes. Current research suggests that it is the main chemical in vinegar called acetic acid that helps control blood pressure and blood sugar. The same research suggests that vinegar may help a person lose weight and fight obesity.
Pickle juice has been shown to soothe muscle cramps and help the body stay hydrated during and after a workout. Just ask the 2000 Philadelphia Eagles who attribute their win over the Dallas Cowboys on an 105° day to the fact that they drank cold pickle juice before they took the field.
But pickles and pickle flavored foods are more than just healthy, they’re also delicious! They are so popular at Calef’s Country Store that we sell Coastal Maine Popcorn Co. Spicy Dill Pickle Popcorn, Sillie Puffs Pickle Cotton Candy, Lester’s Fixins Pickle Flavored Soda, Calef’s Dill Pickle Salsa, Blackwater Dill Pickle Mustard, two kinds of pickle flavored dip, both Wind Willow Dill Pickle Dip Mix and Halladay’s Harvest Barn Spicy Garlic Dill Dip, plus two different pickle flavored potato chips. We also carry an extensive line of White Mountain Pickle Company pickling kits for those of you who enjoy pickling your own.
Come on down to Calef’s country store and find out why we think pickles are such a big dill.
