Whole Bite 'Hot Pickle Challenge' Trending on TikTok... Concerns Over Health Risks

Repeated consumption may cause gastrointestinal issues

Recently, the "Hot Pickle Challenge," which involves eating spicy whole pickles, has become popular on the online short-form platform TikTok, prompting health experts to warn that it "can cause stomach problems."

The "Hot Pickle Challenge" involves chewing a palm-sized spicy whole pickle and filming the reaction, and it has recently gained significant popularity among TikTok users.

In particular, the challenge rapidly spread as Amanda Holden, known as a judge on "Britain's Got Talent," and Florence Pugh, a famous British actress who appeared in films such as "Midsommar" and "Black Widow," participated.

Amanda Holden takes on the Hot Pickle Challenge [Photo by TikTok]

Nutritionists have expressed concerns about this trend.

Nutritionist Nicola Ludlam-Raine told the British media outlet Daily Mail, "Regularly eating spicy food can cause acid reflux and may worsen symptoms for people with stomach ulcers."

It has been pointed out that repeatedly consuming this snack, which can be purchased for ?1.99 (approximately 3,200 KRW), could lead to serious gastrointestinal issues.

The pickle product mainly used in this challenge is made from cucumber, water, vinegar, salt, calcium chloride, sodium benzoate, and tartrazine.

Although this pickle is "zero calorie," it contains 410 mg of sodium per packet, which poses a problem.

Eating one packet of pickles for the Hot Pickle Challenge means consuming about a quarter of the daily sodium recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), which is 2,000 mg.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, tartrazine, a synthetic dye included in the pickle's ingredients, may cause allergic reactions such as itching and hives.

Nicola reiterated the risks of the Hot Pickle Challenge, saying, "I fully support eating more plant-based foods for fiber, but I would not recommend this challenge to patients."