The cucumber is a fruit that is harvested from a vine-type plant that belongs to the gourd family. Though the cucumber is native to India, it is extremely popular in almost all parts of the world now, being cultivated all over the world as well. The average cucumber is a fairly large vegetable that can be about 12 inches in length and about 2 inches in diameter. Water content is very high in cucumbers, with 90% of a cucumber being just water. However, the remaining 10% in cucumbers is comprised of elements that provide great nutritional value, offering several health benefits, as explained below.
Nutritional profile – A cucumber can be an excellent snack as it can make a person feel quite full, despite having a very low calorie count. A cup of cucumber, about 100 grams worth, provides less than 20 calories. Where cucumber excels is the amount of micronutrients that it has. Cucumbers have a high amount of calcium, fiber, iron, manganese, magnesium, pantothenic acid, potassium, phosphorus, thiamin, vitamin A, vitamin B6 and riboflavin.
Food for hydration – As mentioned earlier, cucumbers - like watermelons - have very high water content that can keep a body hydrated. Apart from regulating hydration levels, cucumbers can also normalize body temperature, something that a lot of foods don’t do.
Great for the skin – Almost all beauty magazines will advise women and men to use cucumber slices to cover their eyes or their facial skin as it is rich in several vitamins and minerals that can help the skin from the outside. Cucumbers can also help nourish the skin from inside, by providing those vitamins and minerals through the digestive system that will then absorb the micronutrients and use them up to repair skin cell damage. Strawberries are another fruit that are good for the skin.
Anti-cancer properties – Cucumbers contain a very impressive lignan profile that can dramatically reduce the risk of certain types of common cancers like breast cancer, cancer of the ovaries, prostate cancer and uterine cancer. In particular, cucumbers contain an impressive amount of three specific anti-cancer lignans called secoisolariciresinol, lariciresinol and pinoresinol.
Blood pressure management – Cucumbers contain healthy levels of three elements that can minimize the risk of heart conditions. These three elements are fiber, potassium and magnesium. Potassium and magnesium have the ability to reduce inflammation in the arteries whereas fiber has the ability to potentially reduce cholesterol levels, thereby helping the heart with a lighter workload. Cucumber can be a great food for patients with low blood pressure as well as patients with high blood pressure.
Digestive aid – Many people who suffer from a chronic case of constipation have benefitted from consuming cucumber juice that can aid with digestion. Apart from constipation, cucumber can also help with other digestive problems like heartburn, stomach acidity and even stomach ulcers in some cases.
Stronger joints – Cucumbers are an excellent source of a trace mineral called silica. This mineral helps the body repair connective tissue that connects joints. One can therefore maintain healthy joints and also prevent a deterioration of their joints by simply consuming cucumbers or cucumber juice.
Anti-arthritis foods – Cucumber can be a great food for someone who has crossed the age of 50 or for someone who has begun to experience arthritis related pain. Cucumbers contain healthy levels of folate, magnesium, calcium, vitamins B1 and B6 and potassium that can reduce uric acid levels in the body. Reduce uric acid levels in the body can lead to a reduction of arthritis level pain. A reduction of uric acid levels can also provide tremendous relief from gout as well.
Diabetic friendly food – Diabetic patients who have trouble producing enough insulin will benefit from the intake of cucumbers, that contains a hormone which can help the pancreas produce more insulin.
Reduced cholesterol levels – Cucumbers contain a healthy level of sterols that can have a slight effect in optimizing cholesterol levels, by increasing good cholesterol levels and reducing bad cholesterol levels.
Bad breath cure – A slice of cucumber can do a great job in eliminating bad breath. One will simply have to take a slice of cucumber and press it against the roof of their mouth, for about a minute. The abundant levels of phytochemicals in cucumbers will kill bacteria that cause bad odor and bad breath.
Cucumber is a food that is best consumed raw, after proper washing. If one is taking cucumber in the juice form, they must try to take it without sweetening it as sugar can ruin the otherwise impressive nutritional profile that a low calorie cucumber has.
The Benefits of Eating Cucumbers
Nutritional profile – A cucumber can be an excellent snack as it can make a person feel quite full, despite having a very low calorie count. A cup of cucumber, about 100 grams worth, provides less than 20 calories. Where cucumber excels is the amount of micronutrients that it has. Cucumbers have a high amount of calcium, fiber, iron, manganese, magnesium, pantothenic acid, potassium, phosphorus, thiamin, vitamin A, vitamin B6 and riboflavin.
Food for hydration – As mentioned earlier, cucumbers - like watermelons - have very high water content that can keep a body hydrated. Apart from regulating hydration levels, cucumbers can also normalize body temperature, something that a lot of foods don’t do.
Great for the skin – Almost all beauty magazines will advise women and men to use cucumber slices to cover their eyes or their facial skin as it is rich in several vitamins and minerals that can help the skin from the outside. Cucumbers can also help nourish the skin from inside, by providing those vitamins and minerals through the digestive system that will then absorb the micronutrients and use them up to repair skin cell damage. Strawberries are another fruit that are good for the skin.
Anti-cancer properties – Cucumbers contain a very impressive lignan profile that can dramatically reduce the risk of certain types of common cancers like breast cancer, cancer of the ovaries, prostate cancer and uterine cancer. In particular, cucumbers contain an impressive amount of three specific anti-cancer lignans called secoisolariciresinol, lariciresinol and pinoresinol.
Blood pressure management – Cucumbers contain healthy levels of three elements that can minimize the risk of heart conditions. These three elements are fiber, potassium and magnesium. Potassium and magnesium have the ability to reduce inflammation in the arteries whereas fiber has the ability to potentially reduce cholesterol levels, thereby helping the heart with a lighter workload. Cucumber can be a great food for patients with low blood pressure as well as patients with high blood pressure.
Digestive aid – Many people who suffer from a chronic case of constipation have benefitted from consuming cucumber juice that can aid with digestion. Apart from constipation, cucumber can also help with other digestive problems like heartburn, stomach acidity and even stomach ulcers in some cases.
Stronger joints – Cucumbers are an excellent source of a trace mineral called silica. This mineral helps the body repair connective tissue that connects joints. One can therefore maintain healthy joints and also prevent a deterioration of their joints by simply consuming cucumbers or cucumber juice.
Anti-arthritis foods – Cucumber can be a great food for someone who has crossed the age of 50 or for someone who has begun to experience arthritis related pain. Cucumbers contain healthy levels of folate, magnesium, calcium, vitamins B1 and B6 and potassium that can reduce uric acid levels in the body. Reduce uric acid levels in the body can lead to a reduction of arthritis level pain. A reduction of uric acid levels can also provide tremendous relief from gout as well.
Diabetic friendly food – Diabetic patients who have trouble producing enough insulin will benefit from the intake of cucumbers, that contains a hormone which can help the pancreas produce more insulin.
Reduced cholesterol levels – Cucumbers contain a healthy level of sterols that can have a slight effect in optimizing cholesterol levels, by increasing good cholesterol levels and reducing bad cholesterol levels.
Bad breath cure – A slice of cucumber can do a great job in eliminating bad breath. One will simply have to take a slice of cucumber and press it against the roof of their mouth, for about a minute. The abundant levels of phytochemicals in cucumbers will kill bacteria that cause bad odor and bad breath.
Conclusion
Cucumber is a food that is best consumed raw, after proper washing. If one is taking cucumber in the juice form, they must try to take it without sweetening it as sugar can ruin the otherwise impressive nutritional profile that a low calorie cucumber has.
