8 Incredible Health Benefits of Cucumbers

Cucumbers health benefits are truly amazing when it comes to detoxification, skin health, and beauty ¹ . Cucumbers are an ideal way to remain healthy and beautiful.

Cucumber is a commonly cultivated plant that belongs to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae. There are 3 basic varieties of cucumber: pickling, burpless, and slicing. Within these common varieties, some different cultivars have appeared. Cucumbers are originally from South Asia ² . Today, you can find them grown on most continents.

Cucumbers Health Benefits

Cucumber is one of the veggies with the highest water content, which means it delivers valuable minerals and vitamins, and it’s very low in calories ³ . Here are the best health benefits of cucumber:

1. Hydration

Made generally of water and full of vital electrolytes, cucumbers are a fantastic food to have on hand during the summer months in order to prevent dehydration. Adding a few pieces of cucumber into a glass of water is a great way to increase water consumption, too.

2. Low in Calories

Since this vegetable is around 95% water, it does a great job of taking up room in your belly. So, you could eat more and feel satisfied while still sticking to a healthy, low-carb or low-calorie weight loss plan. Moreover, cucumber nutrition can prevent the desire to snack and help quench thirst due to dehydration.

3. Bone Health

Low consumption of vitamin K has been related to the risk of bone fracture ⁴ . You can achieve adequate intake of Vitamin K by eating vegetables and fruits (one cup of cucumber provides about 12% of your daily requirements) and is essential for improving absorption of calcium, which is significant for optimal bone health.

4. Skin Health

When used topically on your skin, cucumbers have a soothing and cooling effect that decreases inflammation, swelling, and irritation ⁵ . You can place a slice of cucumber on your eyes to reduce morning puffiness or place on your skin to alleviate and treat sunburn.

5. Cancer Prevention

Cucumbers health benefits are countless due to their high levels of nutrients called cucurbitacins, which are considerate to have anticancer effects. These properties might prevent cancer cells from multiplying and surviving. Cucumber has cucurbitacins A, B, C, D and E ⁶ . Even though there are no existing anti-cancer therapies which utilize these nutrients there are a few preliminary laboratory types of research with promising results ^7  8 .

6. Digestive Health

Many scientists suggest that cucumber seeds can improve digestion and relieve constipation ⁹ . These seeds are known for having a head-reducing, healing effect on the body, and they are used many times to prevent and relieve constipation naturally ¹⁰ .

There are numerous people who suffer from magnesium deficiency (here you can find more about this condition: LINK) without even knowing it. However, cucumbers are an includible source of magnesium and some other potent electrolytes that can help hydrate the digestive tract, which keeps us more “regular”.

7. Natural Headache and Migraine Remedy

For centuries this vegetable has been used as an effective natural remedy for treating headaches and migraines. A headache can be triggered by numerous things, including fatigue, stress, nutritional deficiency, and low blood sugar.

Many studies have proven that foods high in magnesium and water, like cucumbers, fight headaches and migraines by balancing body fluids and preventing dehydration ¹¹ .

8. Alkalize the Body

Cucumbers health benefits include being one of the greatest alkaline foods that can balance the pH levels of our bodies and stabilize the effects of acidic diets. Further, limiting consumption of acidic foods — such as sugar, refined carbohydrates, and fried foods, and consuming more alkaline-forming foods instead — is helpful for protecting the body from many health ailments, which thrive in an acidic entrainment. How to tell if your body is alkaline or acidic? Check out this article:  http://yourhealthtube.com/tell-body-alkaline-acidic/

Cucumber Nutrition Facts 

In accordance to the USDA National Nutrient Database, 1 cup of unpeeled, raw sliced cucumber (around 119 grams) contains ¹² :

• 16 calories
• 115 grams’ water
• 9 grams of carbohydrate (including 1.8 grams’ sugar and 0.9 grams’ fiber)
• 8 grams’ protein
• 2 grams’ fat

One cup of cucumber delivers the following % of the recommended daily allowance:

• 11 % Vitamin K
• 4 % Vitamin C
• 4 % manganese
• 4% magnesium
• 4% potassium
• 2 % Vitamin A
• 2 % Vitamin B1
• 2 % Vitamin B2
• 2 % Vitamin B6
• 2% calcium
• 2% pantothenic acid
• 2 % folate
• 2 % iron
• 2% phosphorus
• 2% copper
• 2% zinc

Cucumber also contains lignans that research has proven may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease as well as certain types of cancer.

Green Smoothie with Cucumber, Mint and Lime Recipe 

Since cucumbers are an amazing vegetable for making smoothies or for juicing, you could try combining cucumber with some other hydrating foods — like lime, melon, celery, fennel, and avocado – in order to prepare a natural anti-bloating drink.

In this article, we offer you one of the Your Health Tubers-favorite green smoothies, mostly served on the Monday-morning meetings in our office. Yeah – Mondays! It’s a great energy booster that will wake you up really fast! This refreshing green smoothie is a simple and excellent way to start the day – and you need just 3 ingredients for its preparation! 

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Total time: 5 minutes

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 1 large or 1 1/2 medium cucumbers
• Freshly squeezed juice from 3 limes
• A few mint leaves
• 2-3 ice cubes (optional)

Instructions:

Put all the ingredients into a blender. Mix them until smooth. You are done! Serve and enjoy!

Conclusion:

There are numerous reasons to eat cucumbers all year long. With vitamins B, vitamin K, Vitamin C, manganese, magnesium, potassium, and copper, cucumbers health benefits are some of the most impressive between the vegetables. Cucumber can help you to avoid nutrient deficiencies, which are widespread among those eating a standard American diet.

Moreover, cucumber contains unique polyphenols and many other compounds that may help reduce your risk of various health conditions and much, much more.

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