Savour the tang, skip the risks: How to eat pickles right this Onam? Dietician explains

Gone are the days when pickles meant mango, lemon or gooseberry flavours in Kerala. Thanks to innovative chefs on Instagram, Malayalis know how to pickle everything from random veggies and fruits to spices now, and they also serve these with pride for Onam sadya and associated meals. Pickling foods is also a healthy and delicious way to preserve them for months when you won’t be able to have them. From times immemorial, we have had many unwritten yet strictly followed rules about pickling, which ensured that the pickled food item only provides us with nutrition and not diseases. However, with the era of mass production and chemical preservation, we ignore these rules in favour of convenience, making something as simple as a pickle detrimental to health. This Onam, let’s learn how to enjoy your pickles healthily, from Kottayam-based dietician Liji Jose.