Health Benefits of Eating Cucumbers
A cucumber -- used often as a culinary vegetable -- is actually a fruit with
excellent source of fiber and nutrients. It is low in calories,
without any fat or cholesterol, and has high water content. What is cucumber
good for?
- Cucumber is a good source of antioxidants such as alpha-carotene,
beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, lutein and zeaxanthin. All
these antioxidants are useful scavengers to reactive oxygen species
and free radicals that are responsible for aging and illnesses like
cancer.
- The culinary fruit is rich in potassium, a vital intracellular
electrolyte which helps lower blood pressure and regulates
heartbeats. Scientific research done by Dietary Approaches to Stop
Hypertension indicated that eating of cucumber -- along with
low-starch and low-lean protein diet -- helps reduce blood pressure
by as many as 5.5 points in some hypertension patients.
- Like watermelon, cucumber consists of 95% water. Eating the fruit
keeps your body hydrated and at the same time keeps the body
temperature intact. It is also able to flush out harmful toxins.
- Besides, this delicious fruit also contains nutrients like vitamin
K; around 17 mcg per 100 g. Vitamin K promotes osteotropic activity
and helps build stronger bones. It also reduces the damage of brain
neuron and therefore has natural therapeutic effects on Alzheimer's
disease.
- Cucumber peel contains a great amount of dietary fiber that is
useful to treat constipation.
- This wonderful culinary fruit is low in calories, no saturated fats
and no cholesterol. It is an excellent food that you should include
in your weight loss diet.
- Drinking cucumber juice is said to help promote hair growth as it is
rich in sulfur and silicon. The effect is even better when it is
mixed with spinach, lettuce and carrot juice.
- Cucumber juice, when mixed with carrot juice, makes a natural remedy
to heal rheumatic conditions caused by high uric acid. It also helps
to prevent bladder or kidney stones.
Facts about Cucumber
 A cucumber, which has a scientific name Cucumis sativus, is a fruit
-- not a vegetable -- that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. Other
members include squashes and watermelons.
With a long and cylindrical shape and rounded edges, cucumber has a
green skin and white flesh, which contains many edible seeds. The
culinary fruit has a watery, refreshing and mild bitter flavor and
is usually eaten fresh or made into pickles.
Cucumbers, like tomatoes, are known as vegetables as they are
usually used as vegetables in various cooking. Moreover, they are
not as sweet as other fruits.
There are two popular varieties of cucumber:
- English cucumbers -- generally thinner, longer and with smoother
skin, they are sold in wrapped plastic and can be eaten as it is.
- Common garden cucumbers -- have thicker skin and often peeled off
before eating, they are waxed to prevent moisture loss.
Cucumber Nutrition Facts and Calories
|
Nutrition Value of
1/2 cup (52 g) Raw Cucumber (Sliced) |
| Calories |
8 kcal |
| Total Fat |
0 g |
| Cholesterol |
0 mg
|
| Sodium |
1 mg |
| Total
Carbohydrates |
2 g |
| Dietary Fiber |
0 g |
| Sugars |
1 g |
| Protein |
0
g |
Cucumber Recipe
Spinach-Celery-Cucumber Juice Recipe
Serve: 1
Ingredients:
- 2 cups packed spinach, chopped
- 1 cucumber, seeded and cut into smaller pieces
- 1 celery stalk, cut into chunks
Preparation:
- Put all the ingredients into a blender. Blend and serve.
Cucumber Side Effects
Eating excessive cucumbers may lead to adverse effects such as
electrolyte imbalances and fluid loss due to diuretic effects of the
fruit.
Related Health Articles of Fruits and
Vegetables:
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