Cucumbers are mostly made of water, which makes them low in calories, but they come packed with many nutritional benefits. Those are good reasons to devour fresh cucumbers in your salad, on toast, or in a smoothie.
The moisture-rich anatomy of a cucumber consists of vitamins K, C, A, magnesium, potassium, anti-inflammatory substances, and of course, water—96 percent. You can eat cucumbers every day to stay hydrated, support overall heart health, fight inflammation, reduce the effects of aging, and more.
1. Eating Cucumbers Regularly Prevents Dehydration
Dehydration can lead to other dangerous abnormalities, diseases, and interfere with proper metabolic processes.
Dehydration can often cause nausea, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, weakness, palpitations, headaches, and constipation.
Cucumbers are an excellent way to hydrate because their high water content comes with mineral salts and vitamins that replenish your entire body—including that hungry part in your belly.
2. Cucumbers are a Good Source of Fiber which Helps Lower Blood Pressure
Diabetics need a more restricted diet due to their high blood sugar levels and difficulty dealing with sugar, which impacts their entire body.
Cucumbers are especially helpful for Type 2 diabetes because cucumbers contain substances that help the pancreas to produce more insulin in the body, which helps diabetics process sugar.
Also, cucumbers contain fiber, which helps slow down the sugar spikes that diabetics are prone to.
Celery-cucumber juice and cucumber salads can help curb the symptoms of diabetes while stimulating more insulin production in the body.
3. Cucumbers Encourage Calcium Absorption in the Body for Optimal Bone Health
We need to eat enough vitamins to reduce the risk of bone abnormalities or bone fractures. Calcium is an important mineral for optimal bone health. If there’s not enough calcium absorption in the body, it can lead to arthritis, fracturing, weakness, etc.
Studies have found vitamin K helps build bone strength and enhancing calcium absorption in the body. It also plays a major role in preventing blood clotting, which has a direct impact on overall bone health.
For bone metabolism and maintaining proper calcium balance, consuming higher doses of vitamin K is required. Cucumbers are a delicious way to do that.
4. The Bitter Taste of Cucumbers Suppress the Growth of Cancer Cells in the Body
Cancer cells are known to inhibit the formation of malignant and benign tumors in the body thanks to their cucurbitacin B, which has been used as an anticancer drug for generations.
The cucurbitacin B in green cucumbers contains powerful cancer-suppressing properties that prevent cancer cell proliferation.
Cucumbers also contain lignans that contribute to the prevention of certain cancers, including prostate cancer, estrogen-related cancer, and breast cancer.
5. The Antioxidants in Cucumbers Reduce Chronic Inflammation
To fight inflammation, your body needs to be hydrated all the time. What’s more, you need to include healthy alkaline foods such as cucumber to regulate proper immune system functioning.
Inflammation can be mild or severe and can lead to cancer, arthritis, fever, and heart disease. The vitamin C and beta-carotene in cucumbers are natural anti-inflammatories that can lower the risk of chronic disease and keep blood pH levels normal.
6. Eating Cucumbers Nourishes Hair Growth
One of the ways to stimulate proper hair growth is by eating cucumbers regularly. The nutrient-dense silicon and sulfur present in organic cucumbers are the two most important sources of hair nourishment.
Cucumbers can activate hair cells for proper growth. You can apply cucumber juice on your hair, add cucumber slices to every meal, and have fresh cucumber juice with breakfast.
The vitamin C, fiber, and minerals present in cucumbers also accelerate hair growth.
7. The Fiber and Water in Cucumbers Prevent Constipation
Constipation is a common condition often caused by lack of water intake, fiber, and lack of exercise.
The most effective remedy for a proper bowel movement is plenty of water and fiber intake. Fruits and vegetables are the best sources and cucumbers are a natural laxative.
8. Cucumbers Can Prevent Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are most likely to develop in your urinary tract, causing painful urination. The most common type of kidney stones are calcium stones.
To prevent or treat kidney stones, you have to reduce the intake of oxalate-rich foods like spinach, chocolate, fried potato chips, and beets. And make sure to drink lots of water.
One of the best ways to prevent kidney stones is to drink lots of cucumber fruit juices. Cucumber is known as a natural kidney cleanser that cleans toxins from the blood. They also offer incredible resistance to renal damage.
9. Magnesium in Cucumbers Can Treat Migraines
Around 12 percent of the population suffers from chronic migraines. While some people mistake migraines for terrible headaches, they are actually a seriously disabling illness.
Cucumbers are a good source of magnesium and water, which are two elements for treating migraines. Magnesium deficiency in the body contributes to various cognitive conditions such as depression. The only way to prevent or control this is by encouraging a regular dose of magnesium to regulate better magnesium absorption in the body. As a matter of fact, headaches are triggered by many factors including stress, low blood pressure, and dehydration. So consuming cucumbers helps on many fronts.
10. Cucumbers Nourish Your Skin Inside Out
Why do you think cucumber-based spa treatments are so popular in salons? They have plenty of skin-nourishing properties including ascorbic acid, silica, and antioxidants. Moreover, regular doses of cucumber enhance your vitamin C and caffeic acid intake, both good for skin rejuvenation. This also helps in alleviating skin discoloration, dark circles, and puffy eyes.
11. Cucumbers Contain Flavonoids that Help Reduce Extreme Pain
Cucumbers are rich with anti-inflammatory compounds, including flavonoids that are powerful pain-reducing substances. They restrict the proliferation of free radicals in the body and that leads to less pain, though they do not cure the cause.
As a natural antioxidant, cucumbers suppress the symptoms arising from irregular cell metabolism. The tannins in cucumbers also contribute to this by lowering the risk of increased release of free radicals in the body.
Cucumbers Forever
Cucumbers are one of the healthiest and most popular vegetables with surprising health benefits. They’re nutritious as much as they’re delicious. With health-promoting nutrients like potassium, fiber, magnesium, vitamins, and mineral silica, cucumbers are much needed for healthy digestion and immunity.
You can consume cucumbers raw, in salads, crushed, spiralized, or blended. They keep you healthy from the inside out. If that’s not enough, they’re good for reducing cholesterol, they soothe muscle and joint aches, reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, and prevent tiredness and dehydration. There’s so much to benefit from with so little.
So it’s time you throw lots of fresh cucumbers in your shopping basket the next time you visit a supermarket.
Jen Miller is the editor-in-chief of JenReviews.This article was published on NaturallySavvy.com.
