Cucumber vs pickles: nutrition compared
Full comparison · Calories · Healthier
Per 3.5 oz (100 g), cucumber has 14 calories and 0.62 g of protein; pickles has 12 calories and 0.48 g.
Side by side, per 3.5 oz (100 g)
| Cucumber | Pickles | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 14 calories | 12 calories |
| Protein | 0.62 g (1% DV) | 0.48 g (1% DV) |
| Fat | 0.18 g (0% DV) | 0.43 g (1% DV) |
| Carbohydrate | 3 g (1% DV) | 2 g (1% DV) |
| Fiber | — | 1 g (4% DV) |
| Total sugars | — | 1.3 g |
| Sodium | 1.5 mg (0% DV) | 808 mg (35% DV) |
| Potassium | 170 mg (4% DV) | 112 mg (2% DV) |
| Calcium | 16 mg (1% DV) | 54 mg (4% DV) |
| Iron | 0 mg | 0.2 mg (1% DV) |
| Magnesium | 10 mg (2% DV) | 7.1 mg (2% DV) |
| Vitamin A | — | 4 mcg (0% DV) |
| Vitamin C | — | 2.1 mg (2% DV) |
| Vitamin K | 24 mcg (20% DV) | 17 mcg (14% DV) |
| Folate | — | 8 mcg (2% DV) |
— not reported by USDA for this food.
Per typical serving
Servings differ: 3.5 oz (100 g) of cucumber and 1 spear (1.4 oz, 40.4 g) of pickles, the serving sizes we use for each (USDA household measures; 4 oz for meat and fish).
| Cucumber | Pickles | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 14 calories | 5 calories |
| Protein | 0.62 g (1% DV) | 0.19 g (0% DV) |
| Fat | 0.18 g (0% DV) | 0.17 g (0% DV) |
| Carbohydrate | 3 g (1% DV) | 0.8 g (0% DV) |
| Fiber | — | 0.4 g (1% DV) |
| Total sugars | — | 0.52 g |
| Sodium | 1.5 mg (0% DV) | 326 mg (14% DV) |
| Potassium | 170 mg (4% DV) | 45 mg (1% DV) |
— not reported by USDA for this food.
What the numbers don't tell you
For calories a pickle is still a cucumber: about 12 against 14 per 3.5 oz (100 g). The real change is salt. Brine takes sodium from about 1.5 mg to 808 mg, so one dill spear of 1.4 oz (40 g) carries about 326 mg, some 14% of the 2,300 mg a day the Dietary Guidelines set as the adult limit. Many people with kidney disease need a lower one.
The frightening headlines come mostly from Korea, China and Japan. Pooling 60 studies, people who ate more pickled food had higher odds of stomach cancer (OR 1.52). In studies from other countries the figure was 1.14, and its range included no effect. For esophageal cancer, pooled studies found about double the odds (OR 2.10), but cohort studies alone found no significant link. All of this is observational.
One group should keep intake steady. A 7 oz (200 g) cucumber carries 48 mcg of vitamin K, and the warfarin label asks for steady vitamin K. In one case report a woman on warfarin saw her INR, the clotting test, climb to 9 after she stopped eating dill pickles. One patient proves no cause. If you take warfarin, tell whoever manages your dose before adding or dropping a lot of either.
Treat fresh cucumber as the everyday vegetable and pickles as a salty side.
Evidence behind this note
- Level C Observational data from 60 studies link eating pickled vegetables or foods with about 50% higher odds of gastric cancer (OR 1.52), stronger in Korea (1.89) and China (1.86). Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2012
- Level C Observational data tie high pickled food intake to esophageal cancer (OR 2.10) in pooled studies, yet cohort studies alone showed no significant link (RR 1.43, CI 0.85 to 2.42). Bull Cancer, 2018
- Level E A whole cucumber carries about two fifths of a day's vitamin K, which matters to one group of readers and to nobody else. USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, Cucumber, raw (fdc_id 2709784)
- Level D A case report describes a woman on warfarin whose INR rose to 9 after she stopped eating dill pickles, a vitamin K source. Clin Rheumatol, 2021
- Level B In a 6-week pilot trial of 31 women, 100 g/day of fermented or pickled vegetables did not change inflammatory markers, and the fermented group showed an increase in F. prausnitzii (P = 0.022). PLoS One, 2022
- Level E NIH's kidney institute restates the US Dietary Guidelines limit of no more than 2,300 mg of sodium a day for adults. Many people with chronic kidney disease need to limit sodium even more, and fluid retained from too much sodium can cause high blood pressure. NIDDK (NIH), Eating Right for Chronic Kidney Disease
- Level E The FDA-approved warfarin label says the amount of vitamin K in food may affect therapy and advises patients to eat a normal, balanced diet with a consistent amount of vitamin K. Warfarin sodium, FDA-approved label, drug interactions section, effective 2026-06-25
Written from the studies and agency guidance we hold for both foods, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.
Keep exploring
Read more about these foods
- Cucumber: water, vitamin K, and one trial about a capsule
- Pickles: what the studies actually measured
Rankings and guides
Where the numbers come from
- Cucumber: USDA FoodData Central, Cucumber, with peel, raw, FDC ID 2346406 · all forms of cucumber
- Pickles: USDA FoodData Central, Pickles, cucumber, dill or kosher dill, FDC ID 324653 · all forms of pickles
Each food is one USDA entry, chosen as it is usually eaten. Other cuts, brands and preparations differ; the links show them. % DV uses FDA Daily Values for adults. How we verify.