3yo obsessed with pickles

[Anonymous]

My 3 year old loves pickles and would eat them at every meal if we would let him (kosher dill specifically). Right now we are limiting him to one pickle a day, although the pickles are kind of large.

I am concerned about him eating too much sodium. Is this horrible or okay?

[Anonymous]

Most people aren't salt sensitive-- they just pee out the extra sodium without a significant effect on blood pressure. I think you're overly concerned. If he doesn't have elevated blood pressure during his peds visits, and isn't otherwise at high-risk, let the kid have his pickles!

[Anonymous]

You're limiting him to one pickle a day - that is wrong OP. All you're doing is feeding the obsession. Let him have as many as he wants, until he's sick of them and no longer wants them.
They're fermented cucumbers for god's sake.

[Anonymous]

I think fermented pickles often have less sodium than the more common brined ones, so you may want to look into that or into making either or both kinds from scratch.

[Anonymous]

fermented foods have good bacteria in them and are super-healthy. Gut bacteria "signal" the brain which can create cravings for certain foods, and changes in mood. In this case, it's good signaling.

BTW fermented foods can help with anxiety (there is an NIH study)

I suggest you eat pickes together, and introduce him to sauerkraut and kimchi!

[Anonymous]

They are really easy to make. If he still likes them in the spring, he can plant a cucumber bush and you can help him make his own.

[Anonymous]

They are bad for teeth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are bad for teeth.

He’s not keeping these teeth anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are bad for teeth.

He’s not keeping these teeth anyway.

But he could be developing life long tastes/habits.

I would just talk about balance being healthy, in all things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are bad for teeth.

He’s not keeping these teeth anyway.

But he could be developing life long tastes/habits.

I would just talk about balance being healthy, in all things.

If pickles are a bad habit to you, then I hate to imagine what life was like for your kids growing up…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are bad for teeth.

He’s not keeping these teeth anyway.

But he could be developing life long tastes/habits.

I would just talk about balance being healthy, in all things.

Pickles are not unhealthy. Developing a lifelong taste for pickles is perfectly fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:fermented foods have good bacteria in them and are super-healthy. Gut bacteria "signal" the brain which can create cravings for certain foods, and changes in mood. In this case, it's good signaling.

BTW fermented foods can help with anxiety (there is an NIH study)

I suggest you eat pickes together, and introduce him to sauerkraut and kimchi!

But note that most commercially available pickles are made with vinegar and not fermented, so they contain no probiotics. If you want pickles that are beneficial to gut health, you must look for ones that are fermented. One fermented brand that is pretty widely available is Bubbies Pickles (although their bread and butter pickles are not fermented).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:fermented foods have good bacteria in them and are super-healthy. Gut bacteria "signal" the brain which can create cravings for certain foods, and changes in mood. In this case, it's good signaling.

BTW fermented foods can help with anxiety (there is an NIH study)

I suggest you eat pickes together, and introduce him to sauerkraut and kimchi!

But note that most commercially available pickles are made with vinegar and not fermented, so they contain no probiotics. If you want pickles that are beneficial to gut health, you must look for ones that are fermented. One fermented brand that is pretty widely available is Bubbies Pickles (although their bread and butter pickles are not fermented).

Bubbies are good. Locally, No. 1 Sons makes excellent lacto fermented pickles and they sell at a number of local farmer’s markets.

[Anonymous]

Just buy low sodium ones - without yellow dye as ingredient. Some have yellow dye, can be bad for brain.

[Anonymous]

Japanese and Korean pickles are healthy enough to eat at every meal.

One of my kids loved olives and ate them every day as a toddler. I was worried about sodium as well. She still prefers salty treats to sweet ones.