Gherkin Nutrition Benefits and Facts

Nutritional summary

Gherkins, as a non-starchy vegetable, contribute to the high daily intake of fruits and vegetables (at least 400g or five portions) recommended by the WHO and other major health organizations to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality .
Because they are primarily composed of water and are very low in calories, gherkins can be integrated into low-energy diets (<1,200 kcal/day), which have been shown to support weight loss and improve glycemic control (blood sugar management) in individuals with type 2 diabetes.
Gherkins provide dietary fiber, including soluble fiber which can help lower blood cholesterol by binding to bile acids in the gut and encouraging the liver to remove cholesterol from the blood .
Unlike many other vegetable preparations, gherkins are often pickled in brine, which significantly increases their chloride and sodium content compared to fresh cucumbers.

Interesting fact

The word gherkin comes from the early modern Dutch word 'gurken', which traces back to the medieval Greek 'angourion', meaning 'unripe cucumber'.

Standout nutrients

GREAT

SOURCE

Total Lignans

EPIC

SOURCE

Water

kcal per 100g

Protein0.85g

Fat0.07g

Carbs0.58g

Fiber0.83g

Sugar1.65g

Fat breakdown

Polyunsat0.01g

Monounsat0.00g

Saturated0.01g

Seasonality

Not available

Diet

VeganVegetarianPescatarianGluten FreeDairy FreeKetoLow FodmapPaleo

Sustainability

Lighter footprint

Cucumbers have a relatively low carbon footprint, though glass jar production and transport add to the total impact.

Confidencemedium

Storage

Refrigerate After Opening

1–3 months

Keep submerged in brine to maintain texture and prevent spoilage.

Flavour

Data & Sources

Harmonized from 5 validated sources

French Food Database

2 contributing source foods

Phenol-Explorer

1 contributing source food

Swiss Food Database

1 contributing source food

McCance & Widdowson

1 contributing source food

USDA

USDA FoodData Central

1 contributing source food

Claim citations

Clinician Guidance on the Benefits of Healthy Nutrition and Increased Physical Activity for People With Type 2 Diabetes Following Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonist Initiation - PMC

[4]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of increasing fruit and vegetable intake by dietary intervention on nutritional biomarkers and attitudes to dietary change: a randomised trial - PMC

[7]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A global analysis of portion size recommendations in food-based dietary guidelines - PMC

[8]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Fiber • The Nutrition Source

[10]nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu

Coverage

Nutrients

FoodCompass

100.0

Version

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