Personally, I love pickles!
If you ask me, there's something special about the complex, briny tang of a half-sour or a gherkin.
There's simply nothing in the world that tastes better on a corned-beef sandwich or stacked on top of a juicy cheeseburger.
But once the pickles are all used up and the hamburgers have been eaten, what the heck are you supposed to do with all that leftover juice?
Most of us just dump it down the drain. Sometime we maybe save the jar for crafts, such as these adorable mason jar lunchables.
However, did you know it's actually a huge waste to throw out all your pickle juice? That stuff is darn useful.
Keep it on hand, and you'll quickly discover all the genius ways you can use it, from the kitchen to the house… and even your own body!
Scroll through below to check out a few of our favorite ways to put pickle juice to work.
#1: Helps Upset Stomach
Okay, bear with us here. Did you know that pickle juice actually soothes an upset tummy?
It might sound crazy because pickle juice is full of acidic vinegar, but ingesting the vinegar actually helps to balance the pH in your stomach, soothing the rumbles away.
The salty brine also helps the body bounce back from the dehydration of puking. No wonder pregnant women often crave pickles!
#2: Preserves Food Longer
Pickle juice is really just a flavorful brine designed to preserve fresh veggies like cucumbers for months at a time.
There's no reason you can't go on using the brine just cause the cukes ran out!
Instead, use leftover pickle juice to quickly pickle leftover veggies like cabbage and carrots, which helps them keep just a couple days longer.
#3: Soothes Sore Skin
If you have an itchy bug bite or an annoying friction rash, try putting a little bit of pickle juice on it to ease the tickle.
Scratching — everyone's favorite solution — just damages the skin. Pickle juice comes to the rescue by off-setting the itch with a slight acidic sting.
Just make sure to layer some moisturizer on top, since the salty juice can cause a little skin dryness.
#4: Relaxes Muscle Cramps
Muscle cramps come out of nowhere and they are the worst — you have no way of controlling your muscle or stopping the spasm.
Fortunately, pickle juice might be the superfood we've all been waiting for. Just swallow a couple spoonfuls!
The juice is loaded with potassium, which relaxes muscles, and electrolytes, which help control dehydration. Combined, these make it a cramp-fighting powerhouse.
#5: Boosts Potted Plants
If your indoor plants are looking a little down in the dumps, a healthy serving of pickle juice might perk them up.
Plants require a lot of potassium to keep growing happy and healthy. They sometimes even struggle to produce enough on their own, especially if they have a small supply of soil to work with.
Adding potassium in the form of pickle juice (plus acid to balance the pH of the soil) boosts them up big time!
#6: Keeps You Hydrated
During a workout, it's common knowledge that you need plenty of ordinary water, but you may also want to consider spiking it with pickle juice.
Salt is one of the most important factors in staying hydrated, because it encourages your body to hold on to its water deep down on a cellular level.
So next time you go for a run or hit the gym, be sure to sip some pickle juice too.
#7: Cleans Copper Pans
Copper pots and pans are beautiful hanging in your kitchen, but they become considerably less pretty when they start turning green.
This process, called oxidation, happens when copper is exposed to the air, but it's easy to reverse with a little sodium-acid solution.
Sodium and acid, also known as salt and vinegar, are already mixed together in the form of pickle juice, so cleaning your kitchen is the perfect way to use up the dregs.
#8: It Helps Weight Loss And Exercise Recovery
We've already talked about how pickle juice can help your stay hydrated during a workout, but it does more than that!
The potassium in the brine also helps your muscles recover after getting tuckered out.
Even better, if part of your exercise goal is weight loss, vinegar has been shown to boost the metabolism and curb appetite.
Would you ever consider keeping your pickle brine once the pickles are all gone, or is that super gross?
Let us know your thoughts below, and don't forget to SHARE these creative tricks!
