12 Health Benefits of Eating Cucumber
Summary: Enjoy the hot summer days by keeping your body well-hydrated with the help of fresh cucumbers. As an added benefit, lose weight and prevent chronic ailments at the same time.
Doctors often advise you to remain hydrated. They ask you to drink adequate amounts of water that will keep your body healthy and rejuvenated. However, simply glugging enormous quantities of water by itself is boring and can leave you cold and feeling heavy. You do not have to depend only on water or liquids to keep your body hydrated and nourished perfectly. You can always replenish the lost quantity by biting into a cucumber. Nutritionists reveal that cucumber contains 95% water, making it an excellent source to stay hydrated.
Nutritional Facts of Cucumber
Cucumbers are chock-a-block with phytonutrient, another term for plant-based nutrients that can keep away a host of ailments. A cucumber contains flavonoids, triterpenes, and lignans that are antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties and the capacity to fight off cancer. Professional nutritionists and dieticians recommend including the skin of the cucumber along with its seeds on your plate as they contain multiple nutrients and are good for your body. Eating peeled or a whole cucumber with seeds intact will help you obtain lots of fibre and beta-carotene, an antioxidant that will boost your immunity. Besides, you get to have blemish-free skin and excellent eyesight; courtesy of the humble cucumber.
You may want to check the nutritional value of cucumber to get the best out of it. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends eating half a cup of unpeeled, sliced cucumber. A quantity of 52 grams of cucumber will only add 8 calories with no fat going inside your body. A single serving does not include any cholesterol or sugar either. You may consume a milligram of sodium if you eat it in the form of a raw salad without any kind of dressing. You get 1% calcium and iron, and Vitamin A, while the amount of Vitamin C obtained is double that quantity, i.e. 2%.
12 Health Benefits of Cucumber
1. Fights Dehydration
Water is considered to be a life-giving fluid that is essential for your body. Having less than the required amount of water in the body results in dehydration, causing you to be susceptible to several diseases. Thankfully, including cucumber in your daily diet replenishes the lost water within your body, keeping you perfectly hydrated. Do remember to eat a few slices of cucumber after a strenuous round of workout or exhausting physical activity, especially during the height of summer.
2. Fiber-Rich
Cucumber is considered a good source of nutritious fiber that will help your body function properly. The combination of fiber and water in cucumbers can help prevent constipation and can increase regularity. This is why dieticians advise diabetics to consume it regularly, as it can cause the pancreas to secrete the right amount of insulin, thus helping in regulating the sugar produced.
3. Boosts Bone Health
Cucumbers are also a source of calcium necessary to eliminate the risks of low bone density and fractures. Do not fail to add cucumber to your diet, as you will enjoy having strong bones and cartilages despite advancing in years. Cucumber also helps to improve the absorption of calcium, enhancing the repair of bone muscles.
4. Prevents Growth of Cancer Cells
Cucumber is known for its anti-cancer properties. It can reduce the spread of cancerous cells throughout the body and decrease the risk of cancer cells developing in your body. Oncologists or cancer specialists ask their patients to consume cucumbers to restore the damaged cells in their body that also aids blood circulation.
5. Reduces Chronic Inflammation
The water content and Vitamin C present in cucumber can arrest the spread of damaged cells in your body, thus saving you from multiple chronic inflammatory conditions, including heart ailments. The antioxidants in cucumber will fight inflammation by boosting the immune effects of your body.
6. Beautiful Hair
The sulfur and silicon present in cucumber can help strengthen and rejuvenate your hair. You will have improved hair growth with the hair becoming soft and silky to touch. The hair will be supple and not break easily either.
7. Prevents Constipation
An insufficient amount of water and dietary fibres in your body may cause constipation, causing you great discomfort. Remember to eat cucumber salad every single day to replenish the water and fibres in your body so that the passage of stool becomes smooth and painless.
8. Natural Treatment for Kidney Stones
The water content of cucumber can flush out all toxins from your body. This can go a long way in preventing kidney stones while the existing stones and debris present in the bladder get removed from the body by urination. Cucumber also plays a major role in regulating uric acid levels of your body.
9. Relief from Migraine
Migraine can be excruciating, and you will get no relief unless you sleep it off. No worries! Including cucumber in your diet can have a miraculous effect. The magnesium in cucumber, helping you keep your blood pressure in control, provides a boost to your immunological system.
10. Healthy Skin
Forget expensive skin treatments by application of pricey lotions and oils. Consume cucumbers instead to ensure healthy and glowing skin that remains blemish-free, with wrinkles and lines becoming a thing of the past. Cucumber can also be applied topically for skin lightening and revitalising.
11. Pain Relief
Cucumber contains flavonoids, tannins and other antioxidants—this helps to bring down the pain by controlling the number of free radicals released in the body. You do not have to suffer excessive pain because of chronic ailments either. Eat cucumbers every day to reduce the pain if you cannot eliminate it completely.
12. Fight Bad Breath
You have to brush your teeth twice a day and maintain proper oral hygiene. Unfortunately, you may still be plagued with a bad breath that makes people shun you. No! You do not have to opt for costly treatments to get rid of stinking breath. Have as much cucumber as you want to wash the accumulated bacteria off your gums and teeth.
3 Easy Indian Recipes with Cucumbers
Do not force yourself to munch on cucumbers if you are reluctant to do so every day. Try these three delicious recipes to obtain their health benefits.
#1 Kachumber Salad
This is a simple dish of chopped vegetables that is refreshing to eat when served along with meals. It is an excellent summer snack as well. This dish serves 4 and contains only 35 calories per serving.
Ingredients:
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped
- 2-3 small cucumbers chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped mint leaves
- ¼ cup of finely chopped coriander leaves
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- rock salt or regular salt to taste
Optional-
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- A green chilli / ¼ teaspoon powdered red chilli
- Few slices of lemon for garnish
Directions:
Add all chopped vegetables into a bowl and toss it vigorously until it gets mixed thoroughly. Add lemon juice and salt. Serve the salad immediately.
#2 Cucumber Raita
This is a wholesome dish that can beat the heat—often used as a dip in India; it is served alongside rich and decadent dishes. This dish can be served to 4 people, with each serving providing 117 calories.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of grated cucumber
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 cup plain curd
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped coriander or mint leaves
- Salt to taste
Directions:
Add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk until it all mixes properly. Serve it alongside rich and flavourful dishes.
#3 Cucumber Cooler
This is a refreshing drink that cools the body and keeps you hydrated. The recipe below serves 6 persons with each serving, providing 43 calories.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of cubed cucumber
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup mint leaves
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of crushed black pepper
- 1 tsp chat masala, 1 tsp cumin powder
Directions:
Blend all ingredients, pour into tall glasses and add ice cubes.
Consume cucumber by adding it to your daily diet to ensure hydration. Lose weight naturally and be the proud owner of beautiful hair and blemish-free skin.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A. Cucumber comprises 95% water and is extremely low in calories. It contains vitamins, nutrient fibre and a host of antioxidants, making it beneficial for your health. You can fight off cravings by including cucumbers in your diet regularly.
A. Eating a raw cucumber can help you remain full and benefit your body too. However, you may relieve the boredom by eating it as a salad and other fresh vegetables. Pair it with seasonal fruit to enjoy a wholesome snack. You may also drink copious amounts of cucumber water in summer to stay hydrated.
A. Many individuals take care to peel the skin entirely from cucumbers. Unfortunately, a majority of nutrients are present in the skin of this unique vegetable. Wash it carefully to remove the accumulated dirt and slice it without peeling off the skin. Enjoy eating the peel, the softcore, plus the seeds to get all the nutrients together.