Food & Diet Health & Fitness Healthy Life

The Top 9 Health Benefits Of Cucumber

HealthEvokeNovember 18, 2023

4 5 minutes read

Cucumbers and salads are synonymous with each other. It is often considered a fruit as well as a vegetable by experts as it belongs to the same plant family as that of the pumpkin, squash, and watermelon, i.e. the Cucurbitaceae family.

Amazingly refreshing cucumbers are long and lean and available in many colors. They have a distinct mild melon-like taste and smell due to the presence of aldehydes. The slight bitterness of cucumber skin is because of the cucurbitacins in it.

Cucumber Nutritional Facts

Cucumbers are low in calories but high in many important vitamins and minerals.

One 11-ounce (300-gram) unpeeled, raw cucumber contains the following :

Calories: 45
Total fat: 0 grams
Carbs: 11 grams
Protein: 2 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Vitamin C: 14% of the RDI
Vitamin K: 62% of the RDI
Magnesium: 10% of the RDI
Potassium: 13% of the RDI
Manganese: 12% of the RDI

Although, the typical serving size is about one-third of a cucumber, so eating a standard portion would provide about one-third of the nutrients above.

Additionally, they have a high water content. In fact, cucumbers are made up of about 96% water.

To maximize their nutrient content, cucumbers should be eaten unpeeled. Peeling them reduces the amount of fiber, as well as certain vitamins and minerals.

The Top 6 Health Benefits Of Cucumber are:

Cucumbers are super hydrating

If you’ve been privy to any of the health impacts of cucumbers, you may know that they’re filled with water. They are high in water content, helping to keep you hydrated. In fact, they’re made up of at least 95 percent water, making them one of the most hydrating foods you can eat. Given that our bodies are also made of mostly water, hydration is key to keeping all of our organ systems functioning well, particularly our kidneys. It also helps us to maintain healthy blood pressure and keeps our detoxifying systems firing on all cylinders.

Cucumbers are high in vitamin K

With every serving of cucumbers, you’ll get closer to your daily vitamin K needs. Vitamin K most notably supports healthy blood clotting throughout the body. It’s also important for healthy bone development as a vital precursor to the protein osteocalcin, needed to create bone tissue.

Good for Digestion

Cucumbers act as a coolant for our stomach. The soluble fiber helps in slowing our digestion.

Also, the high content of water makes our stools soft, prevents constipation, and keeps our bowel movements regular.

They are anti-inflammatory

Cucumbers are chock full of antioxidants, like lignans, and minerals, such as potassium and magnesium, that Dr. Boling says can have anti-inflammatory effects on your body when you eat enough of them. Think beta carotene and flavonoids, both of which are powerful phytonutrients, i.e., good-for-you plant compounds.

In fact, cucumber’s anti-inflammatory processes may be so strong, that some experts are exploring the role of cucurbitacins (chemical compounds found in the cucumber family) in reducing your risk of cancer cells.

Assists in Balancing Hormones

Calcium is an integral element in the blood that affects hormonal balance. If any hormonal gland in the body, like the pituitary or thyroid, is out of balance, regular consumption can help regulate the hormonal levels back to normal, owing to its calcium levels.

It May Lower Blood Sugar

Several animal and test-tube studies have found that cucumbers may help reduce blood sugar levels and prevent some complications of diabetes.

One animal study examined the effects of various plants on blood sugar. Cucumbers were shown to effectively reduce and control blood sugar levels.

Another animal study induced diabetes in mice and then supplemented them with cucumber peel extract. Cucumber peel reversed most of the diabetes-associated changes and caused a decrease in blood sugar.

In addition, one test-tube study found that they may be effective at reducing oxidative stress and preventing diabetes-related complications.

However, the current evidence is limited to test-tube and animal studies. Further research is needed to determine how cucumbers may affect blood sugar in humans.

Improves Skin

Cucumber water is known to detoxify the body. The water flushes out all the unwanted toxins from the body and improves the health and the texture of the skin. Apart from the health benefits, cucumber has an irreplaceable spot in the beauty industry with its cooling, soothing, depuffing, and hydrating properties for the skin.

Helps in Managing Weight Loss

Cucumber juice is known to make you feel full and hence curb hunger pangs. When you take this juice as a part of your diet plan, you’ll feel fuller for the times in between your planned meals, which in turn will help burn the unwanted fat faster.

Cucumber Benefits for Hair

Cucumber isn’t a very glamorous vegetable but an exclusive ingredient in hair packs made in every other household. The benefits for hair are many, like:

It strengthens the tresses
It nourishes the scalp with its vitamins A and C, silicon, sodium, calcium, sulfur, and other contents
Sulfur and potassium in it reduce hair fall
Makes your hair silky

How to maximize the benefits of cucumbers

There are a number of easy ways to add more cucumber to your diet, but some of them are more beneficial than others.

Leave the peel on

The peel of a cucumber is actually where many of its nutrients are found, so if you’re eating cucumber to boost your vitamin and mineral intake, you should leave the peel on rather than remove it.

Blend, don’t juice

While cucumber juice sounds like a delicious way to cool down on a hot day, stick to tossing cucumbers in the blender rather than juicing them.

“I’d suggest blending cucumber into a smoothie so that you get the benefits of the whole vegetable—including the fiber,” says Gorin. “When you juice, oftentimes the fiber is discarded.”

Eat raw, not pickled

There are two types of people in this world: pickle lovers and pickle haters. While enjoying pickle slices on a burger is totally fine (and delicious), try not to rely on pickles for your cucumber intake. Gorin says pickled cucumbers have way more sodium than raw cucumbers, so if you’re watching your sodium intake or have high blood pressure, she suggests choosing fresh cucumbers over those soaked in brine.

Conclusion:

Embrace the goodness of cucumbers as you explore their numerous health benefits. From hydration to weight management, cucumbers prove to be a versatile and nutritious addition to your daily diet.