Russian biologist Irina Lyalina has named pickled cucumbers and tomatoes as the most dangerous snacks to pair with alcohol, warning that the combination can put extra strain on the heart and blood vessels.
Lyalina made the comments in an interview with NEWS.ru, a Russian-language news outlet that covers science, health and lifestyle topics, in which she ranked the alcohol accompaniments that carry the greatest health risks.
According to Lyalina, pickled vegetables contain high amounts of salt as well as acetic acid, the compound that gives vinegar its sour taste and that can irritate the stomach lining when eaten in large quantities. She said this effect is especially harmful when combined with drinking, since it can worsen a person's overall wellbeing and add pressure to the cardiovascular system, which already works harder to process alcohol.
Lyalina said pickled food, especially pickled cucumbers, tomatoes and mushrooms, is considered the most dangerous snack to pair with alcohol.
A Russian drinking tradition
Pairing vodka and other spirits with salty, pickled "zakuski", or snacks, is a long-standing custom at the Russian table, which is part of why Lyalina's warning has drawn attention. Cucumbers, tomatoes and mushrooms preserved in brine are a fixture of many Russian pantries, especially after the late-summer harvest season.
Fatty and fried foods also flagged
The biologist said fatty and fried foods are not a good alternative either. She named cured pork fat, known in Russia as salo, along with smoked meats and shashlik, a skewered grilled meat dish popular across Russia and the former Soviet Union, as foods that slow digestion and increase the workload on the stomach, liver and gallbladder. The liver and gallbladder both play a central role in breaking down fat, and the liver is also responsible for metabolizing alcohol, meaning a fatty meal and a drink can compete for the same organ's attention.
Spicy dishes, she added, can further irritate the lining of the stomach and esophagus.
Earlier warnings on pickled cucumbers
Lyalina's comments follow earlier remarks from Nina Vishnevskaya, a doctor of medical sciences and professor at Perm Polytechnic, one of the largest technical universities in the Russian city of Perm. Vishnevskaya said pickled cucumbers are best avoided by people with hypertension, gastritis, peptic ulcer disease and acute inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Hypertension refers to persistently high blood pressure, gastritis is inflammation of the stomach lining, and peptic ulcer disease involves painful sores in the stomach or upper intestine. Vishnevskaya also said pickled cucumbers should be eaten with caution during pregnancy.
