FIND OUT ABOUT THE NUTRITIONAL AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF CUCUMBER

Cucumbers are popular lean, long and green garden vegetables. They are basically the fruits from the same family as pumpkins and watermelons, but most of the people consider them as veggies only. They are native to India and have a slight melon-like taste too, which can sometimes be a little bitter. There are a lot of health benefits of cucumber as well. But they are also of two types- Slicing and Pickling. Slicing cucumbers are usually 12 inches long and have a smooth skin. These are eaten completely fresh in salad. These are also called European or seedless cucumbers. Whereas, pickling cucumbers are comparatively smaller in size and are used to make things like pickles. These are not more than 7 inches long and have spines or bumps on their outer side. Eating cucumbers is highly recommended as they are too nutritional and have a lot of benefits to health as well. Many people are not aware of their health benefits, and so to make them, we have provided below complete details on the same.

As you scroll down, you will find out complete details about the health as well as nutritional benefits of cucumber. So just keep reading below to check out all the info.

Nutritional benefits of Cucumber

Cucumbers are considered to be low in calories and very high in many essential minerals and nutrients, which is why there are plenty of health benefits of cucumber. A serving of cucumber ie. half a cup is almost around 8 calories. They also have little amounts of vitamin A and vitamin K and are also about 95% of water. They even have several plant chemicals or phytonutrients which are called lignans.

Now, 1 medium unpeeled raw-cucumber has the following content of nutrients-

1. Calories- 30
2. Total fat- 0 grams
3. Carbs- 6 grams
4. Fibre- 2 grams
5. Protein- 3 grams
6. Vitamin C- 10% of the daily value recommend to you (DV)
7. Magnesium- 9% of the daily value
8. Vitamin K- 57% of the DV
9. Manganese- 9% of the DV
10. Potassium- 12% of the DV

Also, to maximise the nutrient content of cucumbers, they should be always eaten unpeeled. Peeling them reduces the amount of fibre, as well as certain minerals and vitamins.

What are the health benefits of cucumber?

1. It contains Antioxidants- Antioxidants are basically the molecules which block the oxidation, that is a chemical reaction which forms very reactive atoms with unpaired electrons that are called free radicals. And so the accumulation of these free and harmful radicals can lead to many types of chronic illness & are even associated with heart and cancer. Thus, many fruits and vegetables, particularly cucumbers, are rich in these beneficial antioxidants which might help to reduce the risk of developing any such conditions. 
2. Cucumber promotes hydration- Water is very essential for the proper functioning of our body as it plays various important roles. It is involved in the processes such as transportation of nutrients and water products and temperature regulation. Even proper hydration of the body can affect everything, from metabolism to physical performance. So while most of the fluid needs can be completed by drinking water or any other liquid, some people might get as much as 45% of their total water intake from food. And because cucumbers are known to contain 95% of water, they are in particular very effective at promoting hydration and can also help you to fulfil your daily needs of fluid. And so it is one of the major health benefits of cucumber.
3. Lower blood sugar level- Now, it is found in many test-tube and animal studies that cucumbers are a great source which can help you reduce the blood sugar levels and prevent you from some of the complications of diabetes. While one of the animal studies focused on the effects of various plants on blood sugar levels, in which cucumbers were shown to be effective in controlling and reducing these levels, another study showed that cucumber peel can reverse most of the changes associated with diabetes and so causes a decrease in the levels of blood sugar.
4. It might also help in weight loss-  So cucumbers can also help to potentially lose weight in a lot of different ways. First and most importantly, they are low in calories. One cup of cucumbers or 105 grams contains almost 16 calories, while 300 grams of cucumber contains 45 calories only, which is very less as compared to other food options. This simply means that a person who wants to lose weight can easily eat a lot of cucumbers without worrying about the extra calories which can lead to weight gain. Cucumbers can also add flavours to your salad, sandwiches and other side wishes while giving you a feel of freshness. 

1. It could also help to promote regularity- One of the other health benefits of cucumber is that- eating cucumbers can also promote and support the regulation of bowel movement in our body. Dehydration is one of the major reasons for constipation, as it can not only alter your water balance, but can make the passage of stool quite difficult. And as cucumbers are known to be rich in water and helps in hydration, consuming these can keep you hydrated, improve the consistency of stool, prevent constipation and can help in maintaining the regularity. In addition to this, cucumbers contain fibre, which is also a big reason why they help in regulating bowel movements. And so, cucumbers contain a very good amount of water and fibre, which might help to increase the regularity and prevent constipation. 

Conclusion

Cucumbers are a nutritious, refreshing and an incredibly versatile addition to your everyday diet. These are very low in calories, but maintain and contain many essential minerals and vitamins, as well as high content of water. Consuming these might lead to many potential health benefits of cucumber, such as weight, digestive regularity, lower levels of blood sugar and balanced hydration throughout the day. So if you haven’t started to eat cucumbers yet, it’s high time now to add it to your diet!