In this blog, I wanted to spotlight the health benefits of cucumbers. Although cucumbers can be found by other vegetables in the grocery store, they technically are a fruit. Yeah—I didn’t realize either, but they are part of the Cucurbitaceae family, like squash and a variety of melons. Cucumbers are a low calorie food that have a mild taste and are loaded with a variety of nutrients. Cucumbers are prevalent in the summer months and typically grown when the weather is warm or in warm climates. Some people like to grow their own cucumber plants in their garden to have on hand for salads during the growing season. Others like to can cucumbers for pickles, which are tasty little gems that help promote gut health. Like zucchini’s, cucumbers grow on vines and are an excellent source of vitamin C for your body. They also contain other vitamins including: vitamin K, manganese, potassium and magnesium. They also contain fiber and are a good food source of water. Cucumbers also have many other health benefits for your body, as well.
Health Benefits Of Cucumbers
Promotes Hydration
Cucumbers are loaded with water. In fact, they are contain 96 percent water, so they naturally promote hydration for your body. While it is important to drink water throughout the day (8 glasses recommended), it is also important to eat foods that contain water, as well. It is estimated that some people get as much as 40 percent of their total water intake from the foods that they eat. If you are looking to boost your overall hydration, you might want to add more cucumbers to your diet.
Protects Your Skin
Since cucumbers help promote hydration and are loaded with nutrients your body needs, they are beneficial for skin health. Many beauty products contain cucumber for this very reason. They help plump up the skin and prevent premature aging and wrinkling.
Helps Fight Inflammation
Cucumbers contain polyphenols called lignans, which help fight inflammation in the body. Inflammation causes a host of illnesses and disease, so prevention is important. Cucumbers are specifically helpful in the prevention of some cancers, as well as cardiovascular disease.
Helps Reduce Bad Breath
Unfortunately everyone suffers from bad breath from time to time. The good news that water-rich vegetables, such as cucmbers help increase saliva in your mouth and help stave off bacteria that may accumulate helping to keep bad breath at bay. Try adding more cucumbers to your diet to help prevent bacteria build-up in the mouth.
Thanks for reading!
Barb
P.S. If you are interested in reading more about healthful eating and living a healthy lifestyle, you might want to check out my book, Wholey Cow A Simple Guide To Eating And Living, which is available on Amazon. Click here for a FREE Chapter.
Source:
¹ 7 Health Benefits of Eating Cucumber.” Healthline, Healthline Media, www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-of-cucumber#section3.
² Ricci, Anne. “10 Amazing Health Benefits of Cucumbers.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 20 Oct. 2016, www.huffingtonpost.com/anne-ricci/health-benefits-of-cucumbers_b_8231704.html.
³ LD, Megan Ware RDN. “Cucumbers: Health Benefits, Nutritional Content, and Uses.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 5 Jan. 2018, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/283006.php.
