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Pickled vegetables are vegetables preserved in acid, and the National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP), whose guidance is adapted from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, sorts them by ingredients and method: some are fermented in a salt brine, while fresh-pack or quick-process pickles are covered with vinegar. This guide ranks 11 types of pickled vegetables from USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy data by sodium per 100 grams, with the FDA percent Daily Value, compares each with the fresh vegetable, and sets out the NCHFP rules for home pickling. For the brine side, see our sibling guide to fermented vegetables and the wider fermented foods list.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- In USDA data, pickled eggplant lists about 1,674 milligrams of sodium per 100 grams, 73% of the FDA Daily Value, the most of the 11 entries in this guide.
- The USDA entry for dill pickled cucumbers lists 809 milligrams of sodium per 100 grams, against 2 milligrams for raw cucumber with peel.
- USDA lists the reduced sodium dill entry at 18 milligrams of sodium per 100 grams, with the same 12 calories as the regular dill entry.
- NCHFP says fresh-pack or quick-process pickles are not fermented, and that the salt in sauerkraut and brined pickles is vital to safety and texture.
Vinegar pickling and brine fermentation
NCHFP says the many varieties of pickled foods, fermented or not, “are classified by ingredients and method of preparation.” It says regular dill pickles and sauerkraut are fermented, and that during curing colors and flavors change and acidity increases. By contrast, NCHFP says, “Fresh-pack or quick-process pickles are not fermented; some are brined several hours or overnight, then drained and covered with vinegar and seasonings.”
- Brined pickles, fermented: NCHFP says salt in these products favors the growth of desirable bacteria while inhibiting the growth of others.
- Fresh-pack or quick-process pickles: NCHFP says the cucumbers are acidified quickly with vinegar, and that only tested recipes formulated to produce the proper acidity should be used.
- Relishes: NCHFP says relishes are made from chopped fruits and vegetables cooked with seasonings and vinegar.
A 2021 consensus statement on fermentation by Marco and colleagues, in Nature Reviews Gastroenterology and Hepatology, draws the same line. The panel notes that vegetables are often preserved by pickling processes that do not require live microorganisms, and its consensus statement lists vegetables pickled in brine or vinegar under foods that are not fermented.
Types of pickled vegetables ranked by sodium
The table lists USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entries for pickled vegetables per 100 grams, ranked by sodium. The percent Daily Value (%DV) uses the FDA Daily Values of 2,300 milligrams for sodium and 28 grams for fiber; total sugars have no FDA Daily Value, so no percent is shown for them. The labels are short forms of the USDA entry names.
| Pickled vegetable (USDA FDC ID) | Amount | Calories | Carbohydrate | Total sugars | Fiber (% DV) | Sodium (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggplant, pickled (169892) | 100 g | 49 | 9.8 g | 4.8 g | 2.5 g (9%) | 1,674 mg (73%) |
| Hot peppers, pickled, canned (169766) | 100 g | 22 | 4.6 g | 1.6 g | 2.6 g (9%) | 1,430 mg (62%) |
| Sour pickles, cucumber (169379) | 100 g | 11 | 2.3 g | 1.1 g | 1.2 g (4%) | 1,208 mg (53%) |
| Ginger root, pickled, canned (169765) | 100 g | 20 | 4.8 g | 0.0 g | 2.6 g (9%) | 906 mg (39%) |
| Sweet pickle relish (168561) | 100 g | 130 | 35.1 g | 29.1 g | 1.1 g (4%) | 811 mg (35%) |
| Dill pickles, cucumber (168558) | 100 g | 12 | 2.4 g | 1.1 g | 1.0 g (4%) | 809 mg (35%) |
| Radishes, pickled (Hawaiian style) (169889) | 100 g | 28 | 5.2 g | 2.0 g | 2.2 g (8%) | 789 mg (34%) |
| Chowchow, sweet (169397) | 100 g | 121 | 26.6 g | 23.9 g | 1.5 g (5%) | 527 mg (23%) |
| Sweet pickles, cucumber (169378) | 100 g | 91 | 21.1 g | 18.3 g | 1.0 g (4%) | 457 mg (20%) |
| Cabbage, pickled (Japanese style) (169890) | 100 g | 30 | 5.7 g | 1.3 g | 3.1 g (11%) | 277 mg (12%) |
| Beets, pickled, canned (170480) | 100 g | 65 | 16.3 g | 11.1 g | 0.8 g (3%) | 149 mg (6%) |
In USDA data, pickled eggplant and canned pickled hot peppers top the sodium ranking at about 1,674 and 1,430 milligrams per 100 grams, and the sour cucumber entry follows at 1,208 milligrams. The USDA description of the pickled ginger entry says it was canned with artificial sweetener. The sweet types run the other way: USDA lists sweet relish, chowchow and sweet cucumber pickles at 29.1, 23.9 and 18.3 grams of total sugars per 100 grams, with less sodium than the sour and dill entries. Canned pickled beets list the least sodium in the table in USDA data, about 149 milligrams.
USDA covers only some of the vegetables people pickle at home. The tested vegetable pickle recipes listed by NCHFP also include asparagus, baby carrots, cauliflower, dilled okra, dilled beans, pearl onions, bell peppers, jalapeno rings, green tomatoes, zucchini and jicama.
Fresh and pickled vegetables in USDA data
Pickling changes sodium most of all. The table pairs each raw vegetable with its pickled USDA SR Legacy entry, per 100 grams, with sodium and fiber shown against the FDA Daily Values.
| Vegetable form (USDA FDC ID) | Amount | Calories | Carbohydrate | Fiber (% DV) | Sodium (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cucumber, with peel, raw (168409) | 100 g | 15 | 3.6 g | 0.5 g (2%) | 2 mg (0%) |
| Dill pickles, cucumber (168558) | 100 g | 12 | 2.4 g | 1.0 g (4%) | 809 mg (35%) |
| Beets, raw (169145) | 100 g | 43 | 9.6 g | 2.8 g (10%) | 78 mg (3%) |
| Beets, pickled, canned (170480) | 100 g | 65 | 16.3 g | 0.8 g (3%) | 149 mg (6%) |
| Eggplant, raw (169228) | 100 g | 25 | 5.9 g | 3.0 g (11%) | 2 mg (0%) |
| Eggplant, pickled (169892) | 100 g | 49 | 9.8 g | 2.5 g (9%) | 1,674 mg (73%) |
| Radishes, raw (169276) | 100 g | 16 | 3.4 g | 1.6 g (6%) | 39 mg (2%) |
| Radishes, pickled (Hawaiian style) (169889) | 100 g | 28 | 5.2 g | 2.2 g (8%) | 789 mg (34%) |
| Cabbage, raw (169975) | 100 g | 25 | 5.8 g | 2.5 g (9%) | 18 mg (1%) |
| Cabbage, pickled (Japanese style) (169890) | 100 g | 30 | 5.7 g | 3.1 g (11%) | 277 mg (12%) |
Per 100 grams in USDA data, raw cucumber lists 2 milligrams of sodium and the dill pickled cucumber 809 milligrams; raw eggplant lists 2 milligrams and the pickled entry 1,674. USDA lists raw radishes at 39 milligrams against 789 for the Hawaiian style pickled entry, and raw cabbage at 18 milligrams against 277 for the Japanese style entry. The canned pickled beet entry lists 65 calories and 16.3 grams of carbohydrate in USDA data, against 43 calories and 9.6 grams for raw beets; see our beetroot guide. For other salty foods, see low sodium foods.
Reduced and low sodium pickled cucumbers
FDA rules in 21 CFR 101.61 set the label words. A food with a reference amount over 30 grams may say “low sodium” when it “contains 140 mg or less sodium per reference amount customarily consumed”, and “reduced sodium” means at least 25 percent less sodium per reference amount than an appropriate reference food, under the same FDA rule. USDA SR Legacy also has reduced and low sodium pickle entries, compared here per 100 grams. Because the FDA terms are set per reference amount, not per 100 grams, the Nutrition Facts label on a jar is the place to check a claim.
| Pickle (USDA FDC ID) | Amount | Calories | Carbohydrate | Sodium (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dill pickles (168558) | 100 g | 12 | 2.4 g | 809 mg (35%) |
| Dill pickles, reduced sodium (168563) | 100 g | 12 | 2.4 g | 18 mg (1%) |
| Sour pickles (169379) | 100 g | 11 | 2.3 g | 1,208 mg (53%) |
| Sour pickles, low sodium (168562) | 100 g | 11 | 2.3 g | 18 mg (1%) |
| Sweet pickles (169378) | 100 g | 91 | 21.1 g | 457 mg (20%) |
| Sweet pickles, low sodium (169380) | 100 g | 122 | 33.7 g | 18 mg (1%) |
In USDA data, all three lower sodium entries list 18 milligrams of sodium per 100 grams, against 809, 1,208 and 457 milligrams for the regular dill, sour and sweet entries. The low sodium sweet entry lists more calories and carbohydrate than the regular sweet entry in USDA data, 122 calories and 33.7 grams against 91 calories and 21.1 grams. NCHFP publishes reduced-sodium sliced dill and sweet pickle recipes, says reduced-sodium salts may be used in quick pickle recipes as its guide indicates, and cautions that “use of reduced-sodium salt in fermented pickle recipes is not recommended.” Our salt substitutes guide covers those salts.
Home pickling rules from NCHFP
- Acidity: NCHFP says “The level of acidity in a pickled product is as important to its safety as it is to taste and texture.” It warns against changing the vinegar, food or water proportions, or working with a vinegar of unknown acidity, and says “Use only recipes with tested proportions of ingredients.”
- Botulinum bacteria: NCHFP says “There must be a minimum, uniform level of acid throughout the mixed product” to stop the growth of botulinum bacteria.
- Vinegar: NCHFP says white distilled and cider vinegars of 5 percent acidity (50 grain) are recommended.
- Salt: NCHFP recommends canning or pickling salt and says flake salt is not recommended. It says fresh-pack pickles may be made with reduced or no salt from tested recipes, with noticeably lower quality, but warns against lowering the salt required for sauerkraut or brined pickles.
- Lime: NCHFP says excess food-grade lime absorbed by cucumbers must be removed.
- Processing: NCHFP says pickle products are subject to spoilage from yeasts, molds and enzymes, that processing in a boiling-water canner deals with both problems, and that processing times vary with food acidity and the size of food pieces.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are pickled vegetables?
NCHFP describes pickled foods by ingredients and method: brined vegetables fermented in salt, and fresh-pack or quick-process pickles covered with vinegar and seasonings.
What are the types of pickled vegetables?
USDA SR Legacy has entries for dill, sour and sweet pickled cucumbers, sweet relish, chowchow, hot peppers, radishes, cabbage, eggplant, beets and ginger; NCHFP recipes add asparagus, carrots, cauliflower, okra, onions and green tomatoes.
Are all pickled vegetables fermented?
No. NCHFP says fresh-pack or quick-process pickles are not fermented; they are acidified with vinegar.
Which pickled vegetable lists the most sodium in USDA data?
Of the 11 USDA SR Legacy entries in this guide, pickled eggplant lists the most, about 1,674 milligrams per 100 grams, 73% of the FDA Daily Value.
Why does salt matter in brined pickling?
NCHFP says that in fermented products salt favors the growth of desirable bacteria while inhibiting the growth of others, and that it is vital to safety and texture.
Does vinegar strength matter for home pickling?
Yes. NCHFP recommends white distilled or cider vinegar of 5 percent acidity and warns against a vinegar of unknown acidity.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a health condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Fermented Vegetables: How They Sour and What USDA Lists, Fermented Foods: List, Benefits and Live vs Pasteurized, Low Sodium Foods: USDA List, Foods High in Sodium and Label Terms, Sauerkraut Benefits: Nutrition, Probiotics and Who Should Be Careful.