According to V. Kurpienė, pickled vegetables are filled with good bacteria – probiotics. This is why eating them improves digestion, which greatly influences the body’s intake of important substances, strengthens the immune system and improves how people feel in general. Furthermore, pickled products contain numerous immunity enhancing anti-oxidants and dietary fibres, which help reduce blood cholesterol content and are also very important for good digestion.
“During the season of viruses and colds, pickled vegetables are a truly excellent means to enhance your body’s immune system. Among other valuable traits of pickled products, one can also note that such vegetables contain a large concentration of vitamin C. This vitamin is important for our body’s ability to defend from bacteria and viruses. Furthermore, due to the lactic acid present in pickled products, it becomes easier for the body to assimilate such important microelements found in vegetables as potassium, calcium and phosphorous,” V. Kurpienė says.
The nutrition specialist notes that even when eating such beneficial produce as pickled vegetables, it is important to do so in moderation. To note, pickled produce contains significant amounts of salt, thus excessive consumption can lead to increased blood pressure and the retention of liquids in the body, which can lead to tissue swelling. According to V. Kurpienė, in order to reduce the amount of salt intake from pickled vegetables, prior to consumption, you can wash them. That said, with this you will also wash away a part of the beneficial substances.
“It is advised to consume pickled vegetables often, but in small portions. They can be used to improve the flavour of the day’s main meals or eat them alongside. Pickled produce is best used not in the evening, but during the day,” V. Kurpienė says.
The head of commerce at the Lithuanian retail network Maxima Vilma Drulienė says that Lithuanians are traditionally massive fans of pickled garden produce and the pickled produce sold in stores always receive significant attention.
“Particularly during the cold period of the year, pickled cabbage and cucumbers become one of the most popular choices in the entire vegetable category. Customers are particularly interested in such produce being Lithuanian, thus all our stores sell pickled vegetables grown and pickled by our country’s farmers,” V. Drulienė says.
According to her, last year pickled vegetable sales remained similar to 2018, while pickled cucumbers were actually bought in slightly higher amounts. Thus, one can assume that Lithuanians are not forgetting the traditional of the Lithuanian kitchen pickled vegetables and continue to consume them in significant amounts.
About Maxima
The strengths of the traditional Lithuanian retail network Maxima are its small prices and wide, particularly Lithuanian goods, selection. The network managing company Maxima LT is the largest Lithuanian capital company, one of the largest tax payers and the largest employer in the country. Currently, there are almost 250 Maxima stores operating across Lithuania, employing around 15 thousand employees and visited every day by more than 550 thousand customers.
