Cucumber is a popular and widely grown vegetable, known for its refreshing taste and health benefits. It contains important nutrients that help keep the body healthy.
Types of Cucumber
There are different types of cucumbers that vary in shape, size, and color. The color can range from pale green to dark green, turning orange or yellowish-brown when fully ripe. Cucumbers usually grow between 10 to 25 cm in length or even longer. The best cucumbers are fresh, firm, smooth, evenly shaped, and dark green in color.
Nutritional Value
Cucumber is rich in minerals and should not be peeled because most of the vitamins and nutrients are found in and near the skin. It is a good source of potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulfur, silicon, chlorine, and fluorine.
Nutritional value of 100g of cucumber:
- Energy – 13 kcal
- Moisture – 96.3 g
- Protein – 0.4 g
- Fat – 0.1 g
- Minerals – 0.3 g
- Cruide Fiber – 0.4 g
- Carbohydrates – 2.5 g
- Calcium – 10 mg
- Phosphorus – 25 mg
- Iron – 0.6 mg
- Vitamin C – 7 mg
- Thiamine – 0.03 mg
- Niacin – 0.2 g
Cooking cucumbers causes potassium and phosphorus to be lost, so they are best eaten raw.
Health Benefits
- Aids Digestion
Cucumber acts as a natural laxative by providing fiber, which helps with bowel movements. Eating two cucumbers a day can relieve constipation. - Soothes Stomach Issues
Cucumber juice helps treat acidity and gastric problems. Since cucumbers are made up of 96% water, the juice provides quick relief from stomach burning. - Hydrates During Illness
Drinking a mix of cucumber leaf juice and tender coconut water (around 30 ml every hour) can help restore electrolyte balance and reduce thirst during dehydration caused by cholera. - Improves Skin Health
Cucumber juice helps treat skin problems. Mixing it with carrot and lettuce juice can increase its effectiveness. Adding a bit of alfalfa juice makes it even more beneficial. - Promotes Hair Growth
Due to its high silicon and sulfur content, cucumber juice helps promote hair growth, especially when mixed with carrot, lettuce, and spinach juice. - Natural Beauty Treatment
Applying grated cucumber on the face, eyes, and neck for 15–20 minutes helps tone the skin. It prevents pimples, blackheads, wrinkles, and dryness, making the skin soft and fresh.
How to Eat Cucumber
Cucumbers are best eaten raw, either alone or in salads with carrots, beets, tomatoes, radishes, and lettuce. Adding curd to the salad makes it tastier and more nutritious.
