Cucumbers are a valuable source of conventional antioxidant nutrients including vitamin C, beta-carotene, and manganese. In addition, cucumbers contain numerous flavonoid antioxidants, including quercetin, apigenin, luteolin, and kaempferol. Fresh extracts from cucumber have been shown to provide specific antioxidant benefits, including increased scavenging of free radicals and increased overall antioxidant capacity.
Recent studies, however, have begun to pay more attention to the lignan content of vegetables, including cucumbers. Cucumbers are now known to contain lariciresinol, pinoresinol, and secoisolariciresinol—three lignans that have a strong history of research in connection with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease as well as several cancer types, including breast, uterine, ovarian, and prostate cancers.
So lets dive into specific benefits you will derive from consuming cucumber.
1.Keeps you hydrated and providing extra Vitamins and Minerals at the same time
Water is vital to the body, but in itself it’s not a great source of vitamins and minerals, meeting the specific water needs makes you enjoy the benefits of staying hydrated such as maintaining the right body temperature, helping the cardiovascular system, and assisting in the cleansing of toxins.
You’ll have more energy and help each of your organs do its job better when they’re getting enough water and fluid. Cucumber water adds that little something extra to regular water that makes you more likely to drink it more often, helping you stay hydrated all day.
Also, adding cucumbers to your diet helps in adding vitamins and minerals that will help supplement the rest of your diet. Many cucumber water recipes also add in fruit, so you’ll be getting antioxidants and extra vitamins from those, like Vitamin A and Vitamin C.
Since these vitamins are coming from whole food sources and not synthetic vitamins they’ll be better absorbed and utilized by the body than if you were to get them from waters marketed as containing added vitamins.
2. Freshen your breath by killing bacteria in the mouth/Beneficial for teeth and gums
Having a breath that makes your friend stand 5 feet away from you is so embarrassing for you and you friends you talk to. The consumption of cucumber help the salivary glands to produce more saliva, the more saliva we have, the less likely it is for bacteria to feel at home and multiply in our mouths.
The combination of water in the cucumber mixed with saliva aids in flushing out the nasty bacteria that causes bad breath. Placing just a cucumber slice on the roof of your mouth is enough to help get rid of your mouth odor causing bacteria.
According to the principles of Ayurveda, eating cucumbers may also help to release excess heat in your stomach, which is another cause of bad breath.
Cucumber is also beneficial for people with teeth and gums problems, especially in cases of pyorrhea. Cucumber is a good source of dietary fiber and this fiber massage in the teeth and gums
3. Curbs sugar cravings
Having cucumber when you’re hungry can help you make it until your next meal if it’s not quite mealtime. Eating when you’re not actually hungry can lead to weight gain, sluggishness, and can throw you off your natural eating cycle. When you feel hunger coming on before it’s time to eat again, see if you’re just thirsty.
Thirst and hunger use the same signal, and taking cucumber can help determine if it’s really hunger that you’re dealing with. The fluid and nutrient content of cucumbers allows you to feel satisfied and nourished so you’re not tempted to seek out sugary foods with empty calories, saving you from just a few unwarranted meals a week is big boost to your health.
4. Boost’s energy
Do you feel depleted of energy as your day go by, having cucumber gives you the needed boost to keep you awake and alert throughout the day.
The fiber and water content of cucumber help to stabilize your blood sugar level as it is broken down and made available for body use in a steady manner, giving you the needed energy and fuel you system through the day.
Also it was reported that cucumber is one of the world’s best energy enhancing food as it is shown to contain electrolytes, alkaline matters and fluid which improve antioxidant levels in the body, and inhibiting the effect of inflammatory substances like cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX-2) and Nitric-oxide.
5. Headache, stress and hangover reliever
A major weapon to combat hangover and kick the butt of pounding headache, and /or dehydration is cucumber. Cucumbers contain multiple B vitamins, including vitamin B1, vitamin B5, and vitamin B7 (biotin).
B vitamins are known to help ease feelings of anxiety and buffer some of the damaging effects of stress.
6. Get rid of unwanted cellulite and soothes the skin
Having cucumber regularly in your diet is seen to prevent and reduce cellulite. Staying hydrated will help your skin stay supple and smooth, and adding in cucumbers to your water intake means you’re getting extra nutrients that helps even more.
Cucumbers contain silica, which provides extra benefits to the skin. Applying cucumber on the affected area to eliminate cellulite as it to draw out excess fluids and tighten collagen which has the effect of naturally reducing cellulite over time.
They’re great for helping to calm irritation caused by acne or other blemishes. You’ll be helping your skin from the inside, as well as topically when you add cucumber water to your skin care routine.
7. Fight constipation
Cucumber are high in fiber content, nutrients, and cleansing water which help to keep things moving through the body thereby preventing constipation. Cucumbers are rich in two of the most basic elements needed for healthy digestion: water and fiber.
If you struggle with acid reflux, you should know that drinking water can help suppress acute symptoms of acid reflux by temporarily raising stomach pH, it’s seen that waterrich cucumbers may have a similar effect.
Cucumber skins contain insoluble fiber, which helps add bulk to your stool. This helps food to move through your digestive tract more quickly for healthy elimination.
8. Fights cancer
The antioxidants in cucumber such as glycosides, steroids, flavonoids, carbohydrates, terpenoids, and tannins fortify the body and provide the body needed power and protection against free radicals which causes cancer.
Cucumbers are seen to help treat certain strains of cancer of breast, uterus, ovary, and prostate as they are seen to contain cancer fighting lignans (lariciresinol, pinoresinol, and secoisolariciresinol), and phytonutrients. These three lignans bind with cancer causing bacteria in the digestive tract.
Cucumbers contain the phytonutrients cucurbitacins A, B, C, D, and E… which have been studied for their abilities to inhibit cancer cell signaling pathways. Researches are going on cucurbitacins to develop anticancer drugs in the near future.
It is necessary to use cucumber as part of an overall healthy lifestyle, you’ll be helping to avoid this disease. Of course they aren’t powerful enough by themselves to ward off cancer, but as part of a broader approach at a healthy lifestyle it makes sense to stay healthy with cucumber intake.
You’ll be taking in plenty of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients like the cucurbitacins found in cucumbers giving you a better chance at staying healthy long-term.
9. Detoxifying power
The liver, bladder and the kidney are always working tirelessly together at all times, getting rid of toxins form the body. For them to function at their best they need a lot of fluid and water, consuming fluid rich fruits like cucumber go a long way in helping them function properly.
Using cucumber during a detox program helps the body. It contains antioxidants that will help battle free radicals, and helps the body flush out built-up toxins- thanks to its hydrating effect.
Detoxing the body doesn’t have to be a one time or once a year event, you can help your body stay clean with daily attention to the foods that you’re taking in, as well as avoiding foods that are known as being toxic to the body. This sort of regular maintenance keeps you feeling great all year long.
Asides, the water content provides the necessary medium for Sulphur and Silicon in it to get rid of excess uric acid which may build up and create kidney stones which could be very painful.
10. Antiaging power and promoting healthy skin
The detoxification power of cucumber go a long way as it prevents toxins to build up in the body, thereby making the skin to stay young and healthy at all times. It’s antiaging properties help to improve the look and feel of the skin, making it radiant at all times as it contains unique anti-oxidants in moderate ratios such as ß-carotene and a-carotene, vitamin-C, vitamin-A, zea-xanthin and lutein.
These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease processes.
The silica in cucumber improves the condition of your skin and fingernails.
11. Reduce blood pressure and checks weight gain
As the kidney, bladder, and liver works perfectly, they will thank you as they are not stressed under toxins overload, cucumber and the nutrients it supplies will go ahead and aid in reducing high blood pressure, making sure your blood pressure is at optimum.
Cucumbers have mild diuretic property, which perhaps attributed to their free-water, and potassium and low sodium content. This helps in checking weight gain and high blood pressure.
Cucumbers are very low in calories, yet they make a filling snack (one cup of sliced cucumber contains just 16 calories). The soluble fiber in cucumbers dissolves into a gellike texture in your gut, helping to slow down your digestion.
This helps you to feel full longer and is one reason why fiber-rich foods may help with weight control
Keeping your blood pressure in check is important because it will help keep you away from debilitating diseases like stroke, heart attack, kidney disease, or vision loss. By taking cucumber, you’re staying hydrated and helping your blood pressure- thanks to the 4% of potassium cucumbers contain.
Since they’re essentially free of sodium you’ll get the maximum benefit of this important mineral if high blood pressure is a concern. Researchers found that some compound called sterols in cucumber may help reduce cholesterol levels
12. Support heart health
Cucumbers contain potassium, which is associated with lower blood pressure levels. A proper balance of potassium both inside and outside your cells is crucial for your body to function properly.
As an electrolyte, potassium is a positive charged ion that must maintain a certain concentration (about 30 times higher inside than outside your cells) in order to carry out its functions, which includes interacting with sodium to help control nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and heart function
13. Improves joint health and reliefs arthritis
Pain experienced at and in the joints from gout and arthritis are due to inflammation and excess uric acid build up. Cucumber help to reduce the accumulation of uric acid at the joints thereby preventing swelling.
They surprisingly have a high amount of vitamin K, provides about 17 µg of this vitamin per 100 g. Vitamin-K has been found to have a potential role in bone strength by promoting osteotrophic (bone mass building) activity.
If the joints swell or become inflamed, they become painful and mobility is inhibited. Cucumber help to create a cooling effect on the body easing the joints to move and function without obstruction.
Cucumber accomplishes this task by inhibiting activity of pro-inflammatory enzymes like cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX-2), and by preventing overproduction of nitric oxide in situations where it could increase the likelihood of excessive inflammation.
14. Helps your muscles
Whether or not you’re trying to put on muscle, helping your muscles stay strong is a good idea. The same silica in cucumbers that helps the skin, also helps your muscle tissues healthy. It’s a great choice if you’ve added a strength training regimen to your healthy lifestyle, or if you want to make sure that your muscles have all of the nutrients needed to function at their best.
A daily dose of cucumber makes a great contribution to the overall health of your muscles, and your body in general.
15. Enhances hair growth
Silicon and Sulphur contained in cucumber helps to promote hair growth, making it stronger and shiner.Silica is renowned to be good for the hair and so are the other vitamins in cucumber. Eating cucumber as part of a healthy diet regularly is good for total health and hair in general.
Silica, sulphur, and just enough Vitamin A in cucumber makes it an excellent agent for hair growth and hair loss prevention.
You can mix well crushed cucucmbers and apply topically to your hair and condition.
16. Protects your brain
Cucumbers contain an anti-inflammatory flavonol called fisetin that appears to play an important role in brain health. In addition to improving your memory and protecting your nerve cells from age-related decline, fisetin has been found to prevent progressive memory, learning impairments, and Alzheimer’s disease.
As blood flow increases and your blood pressure reduces. Gravity is constantly working against your heart to pump fluid into your brain.
17. Beneficial for teeth and gums
Cucumber juice is also beneficial for people with teeth and gums problems, especially in cases of pyorrhea. Cucumber is a good source of dietary fiber and this fiber massage in the teeth and gums.
Cucumbers stimulate the gums and boost the production of saliva. As a result, they flush away harmful sugars and bits of food in the mouth.
18. Cures diabetes
The cucumber juice has been found to be beneficial for the diabetic patients. Beta cells within the pancreas produce the hormone insulin. Cucumber is found to get a hormone required by the beta cells in the insulin production. The lower the amount of carbohydrate in cucumber and the more fiber it has, results in the less the rise in blood glucose in blood. The carbohydrates are primarily responsible of the raise of the glucose level. However the carbohydrates present in the cucumber are easily digestible in a diabetes patient’s stomach.
Conclusion
Cucumbers are a nutritious and refreshing addition to one’s diet, offering several health benefits. They are low in calories and high in water content, making them an ideal food for weight loss. Cucumbers also contain antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, which help boost immunity and promote healthy skin. Additionally, their high fiber content aids in digestion and promotes a healthy gut. Incorporating cucumbers into your daily diet is an easy and simple way to improve your overall health and well-being.
