CUCUMBERS....

Cucumbers belong to the same plant family as
squash, pumpkin, and watermelon (the
Cucurbitaceae family). Like watermelon,
cucumbers are made up of mostly (95 percent)
water, which means eating them on a hot
summer day can help you stay hydrated.
However, there's reason to eat cucumbers all
year long. With vitamin K, B vitamins, copper,
potassium, vitamin C, and manganese,
cucumbers can help you to avoid nutrient
deficiencies that are widespread among those
eating a typical American diet.
Plus, cucumbers contain unique polyphenols and
other compounds that may help reduce your risk
of chronic diseases and much, much more.
9 Reasons to Eat Cucumbers
1. Protect 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 and learning
impairments in mice with Alzheimer's disease.
2. Reduce Your Risk of Cancer
Cucumbers contain polyphenols called lignans
(pinoresinol, lariciresinol, and
secoisolariciresinol), which may help to lower
your risk of breast, uterine, ovarian, and prostate
cancers. They also contain phytonutrients
called cucurbitacins, which also have anti-cancer
properties. According to the George Mateljan
Foundation:
"Scientists have already determined that several
different signaling pathways (for example, the
JAK-STAT and MAPK pathways) required for
cancer cell development and survival can be
blocked by activity of cucurbitacins."
3. Fight Inflammation
Cucumbers may help to "cool" the inflammatory
response in your body, and animal studies
suggest that cucumber extract helps reduce
unwanted inflammation, in part by inhibiting the
activity of pro-inflammatory enzymes (including
cyclo-oxygenase 2, or COX-2).
4. Antioxidant Properties
Cucumbers contain numerous antioxidants,
including the well-known vitamin C and beta-
carotene. They also contain antioxidant
flavonoids, such as quercetin, apigenin, luteolin,
and kaempferol, which provide additional
benefits.
For instance, quercetin is an antioxidant that
many believe prevents histamine release—
making quercetin-rich foods "natural
antihistamines." Kaempferol, meanwhile, may
help fight cancer and lower your risk of chronic
diseases including heart disease.
5. Freshen Your Breath
Placing a cucumber slice on the roof of your
mouth may help to rid your mouth of odor-
causing bacteria. According to the principles of
Ayurveda, eating cucumbers may also help to
release excess heat in your stomach, which is
said to be a primary cause of bad breath.
6. Manage Stress
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.
7. Support Your Digestive Health
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 possible that water-rich
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. Maintain a Healthy Weight
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 gel-like 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.
9. 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.
Cucumbers Make a Great Base for Vegetable
Juice
There are many ways to enjoy cucumbers, such
as fermented or raw in vinegar-based salads. If
you're looking for something different,
cucumbers make an ideal base for your
vegetable juice due to their mild flavor and high
water content. In fact, a simple juice of
cucumber and celery is ideal for those new to
juicing.
From there you can work your way up to red leaf
lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, and escarole,
along with parsley and cilantro. Juicing is
actually an ideal way to consume cucumbers.
When you drink fresh-made green juice, it is
almost like receiving an intravenous infusion of
vitamins, minerals, and enzymes because they
go straight into your system without having to
be broken down. When your body has an
abundance of the nutrients it needs, and your pH
is optimally balanced, you will feel energized and
your immune system will get a boost.
Organic Cucumbers Are Worth It
If you're wondering whether you should choose
organic cucumbers over conventionally grown
varieties, I'd suggest organic. Cucumbers were
ranked the 12th most contaminated food and the
second in cancer risk due to their pesticide
content , according to the Environmental Working
Group (EWG).
Further, cucumbers are often waxed after harvest
to withstand the long journey to market
unscarred and to protect against the many hands
that touch it. While the wax is supposed to be
food-grade and safe, there are different types
used:
Carnauba wax (from the carnauba palm
tree)
Beeswax
Shellac (from the lac beetle)
Petroleum-based waxes
The natural waxes are far preferable to the
petroleum-based waxes, which may contain
solvent residues or wood rosins. Produce coated
with wax is not labeled as such, but organic
produce will not contain petroleum-based wax
coatings (although it may contain carnauba wax
or insect shellac).
The other potential issue is that wax seals in
pesticide residues and debris, making them even
more difficult to remove with just water. To reach
the contaminants buried beneath the surface of
your vegetables and fruits, you need a cleanser
that also removes the wax, which is what my
fruit and vegetable wash does. You could also
peel the cucumber, but that is one of the most
nutrient-dense parts of the cucumber (the other
is the seeds), so it's better to consume it if you
can.
What Else Are Cucumbers Good For?
Flavonoids and tannins in cucumbers have been
found to have both free-radical scavenging and
pain-relieving effects, while it has a number of
traditional folk uses as well. As written in the
Journal of Young Pharmacists : "Traditionally,
this plant is used for headaches; the seeds are
cooling and diuretic, the fruit juice of this plant is
used as a nutritive and as a demulcent in anti-
acne lotions."
As the fourth-most widely cultivated "vegetable"
in the world (cucumbers are technically a fruit),
cucumbers are widely available, but seek to get
them from a local farmer's market if you can.
Even better, cucumbers are very easy to grow,
even if you only have access to a patio. They
thrive in containers (provide they have
somewhere to climb on) and produce ample
produce from a small number of plants, so you
could try your hand at growing them yourself.
Visit Our Food Facts Library for Empowering
Nutrition Information
If you want to learn even more about what's in
the food you're eating, visit our Food Facts
library. Most people are not aware of the wealth
of nutrients available in healthful foods,
particularly organic fruits and vegetables. By
getting to know your food, you can make
informed decisions about how to eat healthier
and thereby boost your brain function, lower
your risk of chronic disease, lose weight, and
much more.
Food Facts is a directory of the most highly
recommended health foods to add to your
wholesome diet. Its purpose is to provide you
with valuable information about various types of
foods including recipes to help you maximize
these benefits. You'll learn about nutrition facts,
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about each food in the Food Facts library.
Remember, knowing what's in your food is the
first step to choosing and preparing nutritious
meals each and every day.