Health-promoting Properties Of The Cucumber

It is advisable to eat the cucumber with the skin on. This contains valuable fiber and therefore has a digestive effect. It also helps with complaints such as heartburn or bloating, for example.

These summer vegetables are characterized by numerous health-promoting properties, in particular their high water content. The cucumber is low in calories and therefore perfect for weight loss diets.

It also has a refreshing effect and contains many nutrients. Learn more about the excellent properties of cucumber in this article .

More data on cucumbers

As already mentioned, cucumbers are low in calories and low in carbohydrates. They provide a lot of fiber as well as vitamins A, B, C and E.   This type of vegetable is an excellent source of water: 100 g has only 13 calories and 97% water.

Cucumbers also contain potassium, iron, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium.

You can eat them raw in salads, most of them slice cucumbers and season with salt to remove the slightly bitter taste. Cucumbers are also often consumed as canned food in vinegar or oil.

Cucumbers also taste great as an ingredient in a sandwich. In Spain, cucumbers – along with tomatoes, peppers, garlic and olive oil – are a key ingredient in gazpacho, a cold vegetable soup.

It is said that the cucumber originated in India, but this cannot be proven with certainty. The west of Asia has been cultivating cucumbers for over 3000 years, and they probably came to Europe via the Romans.

They belong in the same family as honey melons, watermelons and pumpkins. Even if the cucumber is mostly classified as a vegetable, it is actually a fruit.

What is the cucumber good for?

The valuable nutrients in cucumber make it a super food that is highly recommended for general health. Some of the health benefits of regular consumption are:

• Benefits of cucumber for the skin:  You can use the peel of the cucumber for various beauty treatments, as it contains the most caffeinic and ascorbic acid as well as vitamin C. The cucumber peel helps maintain healthy skin, relieves skin irritation and inflammation. That is why it is applied directly to the skin. It is one of the classic treatments in beauty salons, especially for eye care. The peel of the cucumber also helps with eczema and psoriasis. It can be used not only externally but also internally. It is used, for example, in juices or grated with a little water and the juice of half a lemon to cleanse and remove harmful substances from the body.

• Advantages of the cucumber for the tissue:  One of the active ingredients of the cucumber is silica, which has many health-promoting properties. This mineral strengthens the connective tissue, meaning it is good for muscles, ligaments, tendons, cartilage and also for the bones. It keeps the skin healthy and is therefore also found in many acne treatments and creams for skin diseases.
• Benefits of cucumber for the cardiovascular system:  Cucumbers contain a large amount of magnesium, fiber and potassium. These three active ingredients help reduce blood pressure.
• Digestive properties of cucumber:  If you suffer from digestive problems such as heartburn, bloating, etc., we recommend adding cucumber to your diet. They contain fiber, potassium, and magnesium, especially in the pods.

Other benefits of consuming cucumber regularly

• This type of vegetable has a strong dehydrating effect and is therefore particularly suitable for removing water and fat deposits.
• Cucumbers help regulate the uric acid balance and are particularly recommended for people with high blood pressure.

• They help repair the lining of the intestines and protect the stomach. However, they do contain cellulose, so you should chew them well to prevent indigestion.

• Cucumbers provide little energy in the form of calories and fat, but still provide vitality. 
• They help in the elimination of pollutants.
• Cucumbers contain vitamins of the B group (especially vitamins B3, B5 and B9), carbohydrates as well as good fats and proteins and thus promote the immune system.
• With their high vitamin C content, they protect against colds and help heal wounds.
• Cucumbers can also take precautions against premature cell aging, as they contain a lot of vitamins A, C and E.
• They protect against pollutants in food and the environment.

Contraindications to the cucumber

In some cases, cucumber is not recommended, although it is generally very healthy and carries few risks. They contain the active ingredient cucurbitacin, which can cause indigestion and gas.

Sensitive people should therefore limit their consumption of this type of vegetable. Some people are allergic to cucumber, which can cause their tongue, throat, or mouth to swell.

If you eat too much cucumber, you may lose fluids due to its highly draining properties. However, this only occurs in very rare cases. You need to eat several pounds of cucumber before your body’s water reserves are dangerously depleted.

Images courtesy of Stacy Spensley, Karen and Brad Emerson, Windell Oskay, Andy Melton, theilr, natalycolodi, Peter Oelschlaeger and liz west.