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Health Benefits Of Cucumber: Cucumbers and salads go together like peanut butter and jelly. As it belongs to the same plant family as pumpkins, squash, and watermelons, the Cucurbitaceae, it is often considered both a fruit and a vegetable.
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These refreshing cucumbers are long and lean and come in a variety of colours. As a result of aldehydes in the smell and taste, they are melon-like in taste and smell. In cucumber skin, there is a slight bitterness caused by cucurbitacins.
Cucumber Nutritional Facts
A cucumber contains 96% water. Their detoxification and hydration properties make them ideal for dehydration prevention. Cucumbers contain phytonutrients and vitamin K.
In addition, they contain pantothenic acid and molybdenum. Copper, potassium, manganese, vitamin C, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin B1 are also present in them. Cucumber nutrition, however, provides a simple and effective way to stay hydrated and nourished.
1. Good for Hydration & Detoxification:
Cucumbers are 96% water. Consuming cucumbers, adds to the daily requirement of water by the body, thus keeping us hydrated. This is helpful, especially during summers when we tend to get dehydrated easily. Cucumber also acts as a coolant, providing us relief from the summer heat.
Water made from cucumbers and mint effectively eliminates toxins from the body, improves hydration, and has innumerable health benefits.
2. Regulates Blood Pressure:
Cucumbers are a good source of potassium, magnesium and dietary fibre. These nutrients are known to lower blood pressure, thus reducing the risk of heart diseases.
3. Good for Digestion:
Cucumbers act as a coolant for our stomach. The soluble fibre in cucumbers helps in slowing our digestion.
As well as keeping our stools soft, cucumbers prevent constipation and maintain regular bowel movements.
4. Reduces Blood Sugar:
It is known that cucumbers lower blood sugar levels, making them helpful in managing and preventing diabetes mellitus.
Research has also proved that regular consumption of cucumber juice was helpful in reducing blood pressure, in elderly people with hypertension.’
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5. Helpful in Weight Loss:
Calories in cucumber are low as it contains 96% of water, with only 15.5 calories in 100g of cucumber. Cucumber benefits in weight loss due to its high water and low-calorie content .
6. Better Skin:
Since cucumbers are great beauty enhancers, cucumber benefits for skin are numerous. The effects they have on the skin are remarkable.
Cucumber juice is beneficial to the skin because it makes it soft and glowing. Our skin naturally lightens and becomes less tanned as a result of cucumber’s anti-inflammatory effects.
It also reduces wrinkles and fine lines.
7. Soothes our Eyes:
Putting cucumber slices on the eyes for about 10 minutes relaxes our eyes and reduces puffiness around them.
8. Reduces the Risk of Cancer:
Consuming cucumbers can protect you from colorectal cancer because of the fiber in them. Additionally, cucumbers contain a substance called cucurbitacin, which has anti-cancer properties.
9. Good for Hair and Nails:
In addition to its many benefits for hair, cucumbers have many other benefits as well. Besides being beneficial for hair, cucumbers also contain silica, which is excellent for nail care. As a result, they prevent nails from becoming brittle and assist in strengthening them.
10. Prevents Bad Breath:
Bad breath is caused by bacteria in the mouth that are destroyed by phytochemicals in cucumbers.
Other Health Benefits of Cucumber :
1. Health Benefits of Cucumber To Men:
Cucumbers offer numerous health advantages for men. Rich in antioxidants, they help combat free radicals, promoting cell health. The high water content contributes to hydration, supporting overall well-being. Additionally, cucumbers are low in calories, making them an excellent choice for weight management. Including cucumbers in a balanced diet can enhance men’s health and vitality.
2. Health Benefits of Cucumber in Pregnancy:
Cucumbers offer valuable benefits during pregnancy. Rich in vitamins and minerals, they aid fetal development and support the health of expectant mothers. The high water content helps prevent dehydration, while the low-calorie count supports weight management. Additionally, cucumbers can alleviate common pregnancy discomforts, such as swelling and constipation, making them a nutritious and refreshing choice for pregnant women.
3. Cucumber Benefits for the Liver
Cucumbers can be advantageous for liver health due to their hydrating properties and rich nutrient content. The high water content aids in flushing out toxins and promoting optimal liver function. Furthermore, cucumbers contain antioxidants, such as beta-carotene and flavonoids, which may contribute to reducing inflammation and supporting the liver’s natural detoxification processes. Incorporating cucumbers into a well-balanced diet can be a refreshing and liver-friendly choice.
4. Cucumber Benefits for Diabetes
Cucumbers can be a beneficial addition to a diabetes-friendly diet. With a low glycemic index, they have minimal impact on blood sugar levels. Their high water content aids in hydration, and the presence of fiber supports better blood sugar control. Additionally, cucumbers offer vitamins and antioxidants, making them a healthy and diabetes-friendly snack or addition to meals.
How to Consume Cucumbers?
- It is best to eat cucumbers unpeeled, to prevent loss of some fibre, vitamins and minerals.
- Raw cucumbers can be tossed in salads, sandwiches and curd for a crunchy taste.
- You can make sabzi and soups out of them.
How to store cucumbers?
Wrap cucumbers in plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator, so that they remain fresh and last longer.
Side-Effects of Consuming Cucumbers:
- Consuming cucumbers may lead to digestive problems like bloating and flatulence in some people.
- People with kidney problems should not consume too much cucumber as it can increase the water content and potassium in their body, which is harmful to them.
- People on blood thinners should not consume too much cucumber, as Vitamin K in them can make blood clotting further difficult.
- People allergic to cucumber may show symptoms like hives, swelling and difficulty in breathing.
Easy Cucumber Recipes
Now that you know the health benefits of eating cucumber, you may be curious about how you can incorporate it into your regular diet. We’ve got you covered with easy methods below to add cucumber to your diet:
- Salads are the best way to start adding cucumber to your diet. You can go extremely simple and just have sliced cucumber with seasoning and a hit of lemon, or add it to a veggie salad with a dressing of your choice.
- Smoothie/Juice – Using a blender or a juicer, mix cucumbers into a pulp along with ingredients like mango, coconut water and honey. This drink is amazingly refreshing, and has all the benefits of cucumber and coconut water!
- Rolled Cucumber – Using a vegetable slicer, you can make yourself some super-thin sheets of cucumber, wrap these around other veggies or a filling of your choice and create neat little healthy appetisers.
- Pickled – Pickled cucumber is all the rage in places like North America (often called dill pickles) with similar preparations being made across the world (in Japan a pickled preparation called Kyuri Zuke calls for cucumber to be added to the mix). You can try to make this yourself at home, for the simplest version you just need salt, water, vinegar, sugar (if preferred) and some fresh cucumbers.
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