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Low Sodium and Pickles?
Pickles are not a term that usually go hand in hand with low sodium. Anyone who has been following a low sodium diet, even for a short time, knows that pickles are always on the bad list!
I have been trying to track down a lower sodium version of pickles for almost two years now. I have finally found a product that potentially works! Woodstock Organic Bread & Butter Pickle Chips have 100 mg of sodium for about 1 oz of pickle chips. This translates to about 3 1/2 pickle chips. They can be purchased from Vitacost, or Walmart.
What is "potentially works"? I say "potentially works" because it's not like you can eat the whole jar of these pickles. However, they are low enough in sodium that you can eat a few and not feel terrible. Both physically and mentally. This product is a win. But it is not in the 0 mg sodium category win.
I generally use these pickles to add an extra kick of flavor to something that is already low sodium. For example, I frequently cut them up and use them in a salad with my Trader Joe's No Salt Added Tuna Fish. They are also a great addition to potato salad. For a real treat, I use them on hamburgers. This helps me feel like a real person having a real burger at a barbecue. (This of course is a burger which is on a low sodium bun, with no salt added ketchup!) The point is, these are great to use sparingly, and for an extra zest of flavor -- not to down the jar in one sitting.
Also, as a note of caution, make sure you check the nutrition label on these. On the actual jar I bought, it has 100 mg of sodium for 1 oz (28 grams). However, when I looked on the Woodstock web site, for some reason, they have the sodium listed as 180 mg for the same serving size. Although they do have a note beneath the product information that says the following:
Always use the consumer package for nutritional information as formula and ingredient changes may occur at any time and may not match the website.
When researching pickles in general, you will find that the sodium levels are all over the place. Every single jar that I picked up (even those that said they were "low sodium"), had a different sodium level. I cannot stress enough how many times you need to check the labels. Do not assume that all other Woodstock pickle products are just as low in sodium. They aren't! The ones I am highlighting are the sweet pickle chips. The dills are much higher in sodium (even though they are made by Woodstock and sold on Vitacost also!)
In A Pickle
For comparison sake, here are some other pickles I found that I would stay away from, even though they claim to be reduced sodium:
| Product | Serving Size | Sodium (mg) | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Mount Olive Hint of Salt Kosher Dill Spears | 1 oz | 200 |
 | Mt. Olive Pickles, Hint of Salt, Old-Fashioned Sweet Bread & Butter Chips | 1 oz | 160 |
 | Wickles Wicked Pickles Chips | 1 oz | 180 |
 | Vlasic Kosher Dill Spears Lightly Salted | 1 oz | 150 |
 | Vlasic Sweet Gherkins | 1 oz | 190 |
As you can see above, there is a lot of variation in sodium levels in pickles.
Make Your Own
One other option is to make your own. I'll be honest. I tried this once, and waited days for them to brine. And was then sorely disappointed with how they came out. I ended up throwing out the contents of the entire mason jar. It was a very defeating experience for me. Which is why I went on my KosherLoSo pickle hunt. That's not to say that I won't try it again using a different recipe. You never know when I may find success, and it will show up as a featured recipe on this site.
But for now, I will stick with my Woodstock Bread & Butter Pickle Chips. And I will savor each and every bite of my 3 1/2 pickle chips.