One of the best foods to enjoy during summer to keep you hydrated and moisturized is the cucumber! consuming cucumber in your meals is a big deal during the summer seasons.
Why is this so? Cucumber contains over 95% of water and can keep your body well-hydrated, additionally can also aid in lose weight process and prevent chronic ailments at the same time.
It is often advised you remain hydrated. Doctors would require you drink adequate amounts of water that will keep your body healthy and rejuvenated.
However, glugging enormous quantities of water by itself might be boring and exhausting as well as leave you heavy! You could enjoy your water by infusing chunks of diced cucumbers into your water jars or bottles.
Nutritional Facts of Cucumber
Cucumbers are plant-based nutrients that can fight off a host of ailments. A cucumber plant contains flavonoids, triterpenes, and lignans which are antioxidants with great anti-inflammatory properties and have the capacity to fight off cancer.
One medium of unpeeled, raw cucumber, contains the following:
- Calories: 30
- Total fat: 0 grams
- Carbs: 6 grams
- Protein: 3 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Vitamin C: 10% of the recommended daily value (DV)
- Vitamin K: 57% of the DV
- Magnesium: 9% of the DV
- Potassium: 12% of the DV
- Manganese: 9% of the DV
Registered nutritionists and dieticians recommend including the skin of the cucumber along with its seeds on your plate because they contain multiple nutrients and are very essential for your body.
Eating peeled or a whole cucumber with seeds intact will help you obtain lots of fiber and beta-carotene, an antioxidant that will help boost your immunity against sickness.
Additionally, for you to have blemish-free skin and excellent eyesight, consuming cucumber daily would be an added advantage.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggests eating half a cup of unpeeled, sliced cucumber which contains about 52g.
Benefits of Cucumber
For Dehydration
Since water is considered to be a life-giving fluid that is essential for your body, having less than the required amount of water in the body can results in dehydration, which can expose you to be susceptible to several illness and diseases.
Including cucumber in your daily diet replenishes the lost water within your body, keeping you perfectly hydrated and moisturized.
Tips: Eating a few slices of cucumber after a strenuous round of workouts or physical activity, especially at the peak of summer can boost your strength and water level.
Rich in Fiber
Cucumber is known as a good source of nutritious fiber [1] that will help your body function properly. The combination of fiber and water in cucumbers might help prevent constipation and also increase regularity in the body system.
This is why most dieticians advise diabetic patients to consume more cucumber regularly, as it can cause the pancreas to secrete the right amount of insulin, needed helping in regulate the sugar produced.
For Healthy Bones
Cucumbers are also a great source of calcium which is needed to eliminate the risks of low bone density and fractures. Adding cucumber to your diet, will enable you enjoy having stronger bones and cartilages regardless of your age. Cucumber might also helps to improve the absorption of calcium, enhancing the repair of bone muscles.
Reduces Chronic Inflammation
The water content and Vitamin C [2] present in cucumber can lower the spread of damaged cells in your body, thus saving you from multiple chronic inflammatory conditions, such as heart ailments. The antioxidants in cucumber can help fight inflammation by boosting the immune effects of your body.
For Healthy Hair
The sulfur and silicon found in cucumber can help strengthen and rejuvenate your hair. Eating cucumber will help improve hair growth with the hair becoming soft and silky to the touch. The hair will be supple, shiny, and not break easily either.
For Constipation
Not taking the right amount of water and dietary fibers in your body may cause constipation, causing you great discomfort and pain. Eating cucumber salad every single day can help replenish the water and fibers in your body needs so that the passage of stool becomes smooth and painless.
A Natural Treatment for Kidney Stones
The large water content of cucumber can help flush out all toxins [3] from your body. This can go a long way in guarding against kidney stones while the existing stones and debris present in the bladder get removed from the body by urination. Cucumber also plays a vital role in regulating uric acid levels in your body.
For Healthy Skin
You can do away with expensive skin treatments by application of expensive lotions and oils. If you consume cucumbers instead, you would be sure of healthy and glowing skin that remains blemish-free, with wrinkles and lines becoming a thing of the past. Cucumber can also be applied topically on the skin for revitalizing and soothing.
For Relief from Migraine and Pains
Migraine can be very excruciating, and you will get no relief unless you sleep it off. However, Including cucumber in your diet can have a great effect. The magnesium in cucumber, helps you keep your blood pressure in control, and provides a boost to your immunological system [4].
Additionally, the flavonoids, tannins, and other antioxidants found in cucumber can help bring down the pain by controlling the number of free radicals released in the body.
To help combat bad Breath
Consuming cucumber daily can help with your oral breath. Have as much cucumber as you desire to wash accumulated bacteria off your gums and teeth which can cause bad breath.
