If you don’t already know, cucumbers are mostly made of water, which makes them low in calories, and they come packed with many nutritional benefits. So there's no reason why you shouldn't devour fresh cucumbers in your salad, on a toast, or in a smoothie.
The moisture-rich anatomy of a cucumber consists of vitamins (K, C, A), magnesium, potassium, anti-inflammatory substances, and 96 percent of water. You can eat a sufficient amount of cucumbers everyday to stay hydrated, support overall heart health, fight inflammation in the body, reduce the effects of aging, and much more! 1
Without further delay, I'm now going to reveal the many health benefits of cucumbers. Plus, you’ll find some exciting new recipes to make with cucumbers this summer season!
1. Eating Cucumbers Regularly Prevents Dehydration
Dehydration can lead to other dangerous abnormalities, diseases, and health conditions. It occurs when there’s more loss of water in the body than consumption. With more water moving out, the amount of water that you’re currently taking in is not sufficient for proper metabolic processes.
Dehydration can often lead to nausea, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, weakness, palpitations, headaches, and constipation. 2
A single cucumber consists of 96 percent of water. So reaching for a cucumber after an intense workout session or after a long day at work can hydrate your body fast.
More importantly, the high water content paired with the mineral salts and vitamins present in cucumbers replenishes your entire body while filling up your stomach more effectively. 3
Key Takeaway: The symptoms of severe dehydration in the body can often lead to heart problems and organ failure. It can also lead to death, if not taken seriously. To fight the many signs of dehydration, consuming cucumbers regularly can be of great help. They provide necessary nutrients and hydration for the body.
2. Cucumbers are a Good Source of Fiber which Helps Lower Blood Pressure for Diabetes
Diabetics indulge in a more restricted diet due to the high sugar or high blood glucose content in their body. It is a form of metabolic disease in which a person’s blood sugar levels affect the overall body’s functioning.
There are many types of diabetes, but the one I’m specifically discussing here is Type 2 diabetes. This chronic condition requires a natural remedy to help lower blood sugars. Cucumbers consist of certain substances that help the pancreas to produce more insulin in the body. This stimulation decreases the diabetic’s sugar production. 4,5
Also, cucumbers contain fiber, although not in great amounts, fiber also helps in providing positive sugar benefits in the body.
You can drink lots of celery-cucumber juice and eat lots of cucumber salads in your diet. This helps curb the symptoms of diabetes while stimulating more insulin hormone in the body.
Key Takeaway: To promote health and reduce the risk of diabetes, cucumber has an important impact on improving blood sugar levels. When eaten regularly, cucumbers help diabetics curb sugar cravings and help produce more insulin hormones.
3. Cucumbers Encourage Calcium Absorption in the Body for Optimal Bone Health
To reduce the risk of bone abnormalities or bone fracture, adequate vitamins is required. As you already know, 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.
Based on important studies, vitamin K present in cucumbers is significant for building 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. 6
For bone metabolism and maintaining proper calcium balance, consuming higher doses of vitamin K is required. Vitamin K and calcium are ideal for bone mineralization and can help reduce the risk of experiencing bone fractures.
Key Takeaway: Cucumbers are an excellent source for those who want to cure bone fractures. It promotes proper construction of bones, cartilage, and tendons. What’s more, they play an important role in ideal calcium absorption in the body for renovating bone muscle.
Try this Chilled Cucumber and Avocado Soup
4. The Bitter Taste of Cucumbers Suppress the Growth of Cancer Cells in the Body
Cancer cells are known to rapidly regulate the formation of malignant and benign tumors in the body. Suppressing the growth of cancer cells is important. With time, these cells contribute to the formation of abnormal cells that hinder proper growth and repair.
Studies suggest that the unpleasant taste in green cucumbers has the power to prevent and destroy such cells. The cucurbitacin B in cucumbers has been used as an anticancer drug for generations. This is because it contains powerful cancer-suppressing properties that prevent cancer cell proliferation. 7,8
Cucumbers also contain lignans that contribute to the prevention of certain cancers, including prostate cancer, estrogen-related cancer, and breast cancer. 9
Key Takeaway: Cucumber is known to have many anticancer benefits from restricting cancer cell proliferation to lowering the threat of various cancers due to abnormal cells. It is one of the most effective foods to eat to regulate proper circulation and renewal of damaged cancer cells.
5. The Antioxidant Benefits of 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 a mild or severe conditions that most often lead to cancer, arthritis, fever, and other heart diseases. To lower risk of such chronic diseases, the vitamin C and beta-carotene present in cucumbers contribute greatly. These anti-inflammatory substances present in cucumbers keep the blood pH levels normal.
When the blood pH levels become more acidic than alkaline, they contribute to the formation of many inflammatory conditions. So to combat these symptoms, eating cucumbers on a daily basis has soothing and therapeutic properties for disease prevention. 10
Key Takeaway: When consumed frequently, the high levels of water and vitamin C in cucumbers have anti-inflammatory properties. They reduce the proliferation of damaged cells that cause muscle weakening, heart diseases, and other chronic inflammatory conditions. The antioxidant nutrients present in cucumbers help fight acidity in the body which has a reduced risk of many severe immune conditions.
6. Eating Cucumbers can Nourish Hair Growth
There are many golden rules for having beautiful and healthy hair. Adding healthy ways to nourish your hair quality and stimulate hair growth is important when you want long-lasting hair volume. One of the ways to stimulate proper hair growth is by eating cucumbers regularly.
Don’t restrict your diet to just eating cucumber salads. You can always find creative ways to consume cucumber in sufficient amounts to help keep your hair shiny and healthy. The nutrient-dense silicon and sulphur present in organic cucumbers are two most important sources of hair nourishment. 11
Not just as a digestive nutrient, cucumbers are used to activate hair cells for proper growth in many ways. You can apply cucumber juice on your hair, add cucumber slices to your every meal of the day, and add the fresh cucumber juice in smoothies for breakfast.
You will be amazed to know that the vitamin C, fiber, and minerals present in cucumbers also help in promoting faster hair growth. 12
Key Takeaway: The excellent benefits of silicon and sulphur present in cucumbers help change hair cells for faster and better hair growth. They also keep your hair clean, soft, and supple for long stretches of time. A simple cucumber diet proves to be extremely beneficial for strengthening hair growth.
7. The Combination of Fiber and Water Content in Cucumbers Prevent Constipation
Constipation is a common condition. It occurs when your bowel movements are inconsistent due to lack of water intake, fiber, and also due to lack of exercise. If you have experienced constipation at some point in your life, you can treat it naturally.
The most effective remedy for proper bowel movement is plenty of water and fiber intake. Fruits and vegetables provide sufficient amounts of that but cucumbers beat them all. It is a natural laxative. They reduce discomfort from hard stools that most often causes hemorrhoids.
A low-fibre diet and lack of water in the body causes constipation, making stools hard and extremely dry.. A single cucumber contains 6% of dietary fiber and it a good source of unsaturated fat and sterols which help to reduce bad cholesterol levels. 13
Key Takeaway: Consistent intake of water and dietary fiber can help relieve the discomfort and symptoms of constipation. Patients suffering from hard stools can help reduce constipation by regularly eating cucumbers as a part of their daily diet, resulting in smooth stool passage and no pain.
Recipe for Refreshing and Hydrating Summer Cucumber Salad
8. Cucumbers Offer Preventative Benefits for those Suffering from Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are also referred to as renal calculi, that are solid formations made up of crystals. Even though they are called kidney stones, they are more likely to develop in your urinary tract, restricting painless urination. The most common type of kidney stones is 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.
The best way to prevent kidney stones, based on research, is by drinking lots of cucumber fruit juices. Cucumber is known as a natural kidney cleanser that destroys all toxins from the blood. They also offer incredible resistance to renal damage while easing the patient’s symptoms. 14
Key Takeaway: Cucumber is extremely beneficial to flush out toxins from the body. This helps in preventing and treating kidney stones, naturally. Cucumber’s high water content helps to wash out stones and debris from the bladder and regulate uric acid production.
9. The Magnesium Present in Cucumbers Have Significant Benefits for Treating Migraines
Around 12% of the population suffers from chronic migraines. While some people mistake migraines for terrible headaches, it’s the most disabling illness to deal with. 15
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 is more beneficial than you think.
Key Takeaway: With the help magnesium present in cucumbers you can fight the distressing symptoms of a migraine effectively. By increasing your nutritional value of magnesium, they also help in hydration, regulating proper blood pressure, and promoting normal immune system functionality.
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 other antioxidants. Moreover, for skin rejuvenation, regular doses of cucumber enhances your vitamin C and caffeic acid intake. This also helps in alleviating skin discoloration, dark circles, and puffy eyes.
You’d love to know that cucumber also offers positive anti-aging properties to speed up the nourishing process. It helps in dealing with skin-irritants, inflammation, and swelling. 16
Key Takeaway: Eating cucumbers on a daily basis for your skin has its long-lasting benefits. It contains a good amount of vitamins, antioxidants, and other nutrients that help restoring natural skin tone while fighting the daily struggles of sun exposure and acne. They help protect your skin from aging so wrinkles and blemishes are naturally treated.
11. Cucumbers Contain Flavonoids that Help Reduce Extreme Pain
If you can’t consume too much water during the day, don’t let that affect the way your body responds to pain. Pain is inevitable, right? Any sort of body pain is simply unbearable and you’re always looking for new ways to reduce the outcome of such pain.
Cucumbers are rich with anti-inflammatory compounds, including flavonoids that are powerful pain-reducing substances. What they do is they restrict the proliferation of free radicals in the body and that leads to less pain. These only help in reducing the pain, but not the cause. 17
As a natural antioxidant, cucumbers suppress the symptoms arising from irregular cell metabolism. The tannins in cucumbers also contribute to this effect, lowering the risk of increased release of free radicals in the body.
Key Takeaway: Cucumbers contain a fair amount of flavonoids and tannins that moderate excessive pain. They also help reducing the effects of certain diseases by slowing down the release of free radicals in the body.
12. Cucumber is a Natural Bad Breath Killer
Halitosis or bad breath can be both an unhealthy and embarrassing condition. To completely wash away bacteria from your mouth, fiber and water-rich foods are very important.
Cucumbers contain nutrients that can help boost saliva production after meals. Bad breath usually occurs when there is food residue and bacteria in the mouth. This further invites tooth decay, plaque buildup, and other gum problems.
The fiber and high water content in this vegetable carefully destroys all the toxins and bacteria. The bacteria on your tongue feeds off the plaque sitting in between teeth and on gums, and only a fibrous vegetable such as a cucumber can help alleviate the effects that cause bad breath or halitosis. 18
To neutralize the taste, odor, and enzymes on your tongue, gums, and teeth, eating a cucumber 20 minutes after a meal is a great defense for tackling bad breath. 19
Key Takeaway: Water and fiber are two very important elements for fighting against halitosis. Bacteria and a variety of acids can erode tooth enamel, which causes less saliva production. Cucumber is good for your teeth, tongue, and gums because they wash away that bacteria effectively. This has a drastic impact on oral health for people of all ages.
That’s A Wrap!
Cucumbers are one of the most healthiest and 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 silico, cucumbers is much need 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. You’ll need them now more than ever for your active lifestyle.
This article originally appeared on JenReviews.
