The benefits and harms of cucumbers, and the beneficial properties of cucumber juice
The smell of fresh cucumber is difficult to confuse with something: light, invigorating, refreshing, it gives energy and increases efficiency. Studies have shown that the scent of cucumber relieves symptoms of depression, promotes a positive outlook on life, relieves headaches, and brightens up any positive emotions.
While preparing for exams (annual report, passing a diploma), it is good to take breaks from work every 45 minutes, in which it is imperative to eat 1 fresh cucumber from the refrigerator.
The benefits of cucumbers
The cucumber hides unprecedented beneficial properties under its green skin. It finds its application in areas such as:
- Disease prevention;
- Cosmetology;
- Dietetics;
- Aromatherapy.
Composition and calorie content
- Fats: 0.1 g
- Proteins: 0.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 3.5 g
-
Water:
95 g
- Ash: 0.5 g
- Cellulose: 0.8 g
Vitamins (per 100 g): |
amount |
% RDA |
| Lutein + Zeaxanthin | 23 μg | 383% |
| Vitamin K | 16.4 μg | 13.7% |
| Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) | 10-13.7 mg | 12% |
Minerals (in 100 g): |
amount |
% RDA |
| Silicon | 53 mg | 177% |
| Silver | 6 μg | 85.7% |
| Cobalt | 1 μg | ten% |
Other important connections:
- Purines - 2 mg (2% of the RDI)
- Oxalic acid - 1 mg (0.3% of the RDI)
Complete chemical composition ➤
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[Video] Cucumbers are much healthier than they might seem. Dr. Berg - How to Eat Cucumbers for Maximum Benefits:
The benefits of cucumbers for various diseases
Cucumber is very healthy for the heart, as despite the fact that 95% of the mass is water, it is one of the leaders in potassium content.
Due to this, cucumbers help prevent diseases of the cardiovascular system associated with a lack of this trace element:
- Rhythm disturbances;
- Decreased heart rate;
- Swelling.
Due to the special ratio of minerals and water in the pulp of a cucumber, it has the ability to reduce the acidity of the internal environment, that is, to alkalize the blood.
Increased acidity of the body develops with diseases such as:
- Diabetes;
- Renal and hepatic impairment;
- A number of endocrine diseases.
In turn, a chronic decrease in the body's pH leads to the stimulation of the multiplication of malignant cells. Therefore, fresh cucumbers will be helpful in preventing cancer development.
The rich fiber content and the special structure of the water in the form of a flowing gel, which forms the basis of the pulp, allow cucumbers to be an excellent remedy for constipation. In addition, such a composition interferes with the absorption of animal cholesterol that has entered the digestive tract with food. This prevents the development of vascular atherosclerosis and, as a consequence, the development of such severe complications as stroke and heart attack.
Separately, I would like to mention the beneficial properties of bitter cucumbers. As you know, the base of a vegetable becomes bitter if it does not get enough moisture. Despite the sharp taste, such fruits stimulate the secretion of bile well. Therefore, they can be used to prevent stagnant processes in the liver.
A high content of special substances - cucurbitacins, which inhibit the growth of tumor cells, which makes bitter cucumbers a promising means of fighting cancer.
Are cucumbers good for facial skin?
Cucumbers are a wonderful cosmetic product. Grated cucumber pulp has the following effects on the skin:
- Tonic. Makes the skin elastic, saturates it with moisture.
- Matting. Fights greasy shine and oily skin.
- Bleaching. Slightly brightens the skin, giving it an even tone and radiance.
- Cleaning. Unclogs pores and removes blackheads.
Cucumber-based cosmetics are suitable for all skin types. The main thing is to choose the right additional components.
Dry skin. There are many simple and effective cucumber-based products that can soften dry skin, relieve irritation, flakiness, hydrate it and prevent premature aging.
Cucumber Olive Lotion:
- Take 1 small cucumber, peel it, cut it into small cubes, put it in a glass jar and pour in natural extra virgin olive oil at a rate of 1: 1 (1 tablespoon of pulp per 1 tablespoon of oil). Let it brew in the refrigerator for 12 hours. Every day before going to bed, after washing, wipe your face with a cotton pad soaked in the resulting lotion. Store the finished product at + 4C for no more than 2 days. Energy mask
- Take 1 medium-sized cucumber, chop on a fine grater or in a blender, squeeze the juice. Mix 3 tbsp. l. cucumber juice with 1 tsp. cream and 1 egg yolk. Apply to cleansed face and décolleté, leave for 10-15 minutes. After drying, wash off the mask with warm water, dry your face with a towel with blotting movements (do not rub).
Oily skin. This type of skin is characterized by increased activity of the sebaceous glands. Cucumber-based products are able to normalize sebum production, unclog clogged pores and tone the face.
Matting mask. Grate 1 medium-sized cucumber with the peel (grind with a blender or mince), add the protein of 1 egg, beat well with a fork until rich foam. Cleanse the skin with a gel for washing, apply a towel soaked in hot water to your face for 1 minute, this will help open the pores. Apply cucumber and egg mask all over the face, excluding the area around the eyes and lips. Leave to dry. Wash off with warm water. Pat dry with a towel.
Lotion. Grate half a cucumber with the skin, squeeze the pulp, strain through a strainer or double cheesecloth, add 1 tsp. cologne (any alcoholic lotion or herbal tincture on alcohol), stir. Apply with a cotton pad to cleansed face, paying particular attention to the T-zone. Do not rinse.
Normal to combination skin. For these skin types, you can simply wipe your face with sliced cucumber slices or ice cubes (freeze cucumber juice in molds).
Slimming cucumbers
The beneficial properties of cucumbers appear in the diet for people who want to lose weight. Cucumber is an amazing food product, with its uniquely low calorie content - 100 g of the product contains only 16 kcal, due to its high fiber content, it quickly creates a feeling of fullness. Therefore, cucumber salads are an important part of any diet.
The high content of tartranic acid in cucumbers stimulates lipid metabolism and reduces the conversion of excess carbohydrates into fats, thereby helping to shed those extra pounds.
Due to the high water content, cucumbers are excellent thirst quenchers, so they are indispensable companions for outdoor enthusiasts.
The fiber, which is part of the pulp, and a special form of water in the form of a flowing gel, which are rich in cucumber, stimulate the intestines, reducing the absorption of fats from food.
All this leads to a gradual normalization of body weight.
Fasting days based on cucumbers are used in dietetics. They help:
- Cleanse the blood of toxins
- "Flush" the urinary tract;
- Reduce cholesterol levels;
- Replenish the water supply in the cages.
A cucumber fasting day is best done once a week during the ripening season of ground vegetables. Since greenhouse cucumbers contain many chemical impurities.
For unloading, you need to eat 1.5 kg of cucumbers during the day, divided into 5-6 receptions. It is better to use them with the skin. But if the cucumbers are not from their own garden, then before eating, the peel must be washed well with the hard side of the dishwashing sponge. This will remove the remaining fertilizers and growth stimulants from the surface of the vegetable. So that the menu does not seem monotonous, you can cut a cucumber salad with parsley, cilantro, dill. It is better to fill it with natural olive oil - 0.5 tablespoon is enough. For better absorption, it is recommended to sprinkle the salad with lemon juice. It is better to refuse salting.
Harm of cucumbers and contraindications
Like all food products, cucumbers can also be harmful to health if consumed regardless of contraindications.
In what cases is it better to refuse cucumbers:
- In diseases of the stomach and duodenum with high acidity during an exacerbation;
- Diseases accompanied by alkalization of the body;
- If the woman is breastfeeding;
- Cucumbers grown out of season.
The ability of cucumber juice to increase the production of hydrochloric acid makes it one of the prohibited foods for exacerbation of gastritis, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer.
Since cucumber is the record holder for its ability to alkalize blood, it is contraindicated in diseases accompanied by alkalosis (an increase in blood pH). These include:
- Conditions accompanied by frequent profuse vomiting (toxicosis of pregnant women, poisoning, infectious diseases of the digestive system);
- Operated bowel cancer;
- Long-term use of diuretics;
- Certain endocrine diseases.
The use of cucumbers during breastfeeding can cause stool disturbance, the development of colic in babies. Therefore, nursing mothers need to be careful when introducing this green vegetable into their diet.
The main danger of cucumbers is that it is a common greenhouse crop. This means that the most aggressive agronomic technologies are used during its cultivation: large doses of fertilizers, growth stimulants. The matter is aggravated by the fact that the pulp of a cucumber is capable of accumulating large doses of nitrates, without altering its appearance at all. Therefore, in order to avoid poisoning, it is necessary to refuse to buy very early greenhouse cucumbers. It is especially important to use seasonally grown vegetables when compiling a children's menu.
The benefits of cucumber juice
Cucumber juice is a concentrate of beneficial properties. It's all about the water that is part of this vegetable. It is presented in it in a special "structured" form, that is, it resembles the liquid inside the living cells of the body. Due to this, the water of cucumber juice easily flushes out toxins accumulated in the intercellular space and causing rapid aging of the body.
As a separate remedy, cucumber juice is used to:
- Prevention of heart disease;
- Blood pressure normalization;
- Eliminate constipation;
- Reducing cholesterol levels;
- Removal of toxins, heavy metals;
- Improvement of the condition of the skin, hair, nails.
How to make cucumber juice?
- For the preparation of cucumber juice, it is best to use vegetables grown outdoors. You should wash the surface of the cucumber well with a brush or dishwashing sponge, this advice is especially relevant for varieties with puffy skin.
- It is best to put the cucumbers through a juicer, but if this is not possible, a blender or rondo will do. It is undesirable to use a meat grinder and an iron grater for this purpose. It is not necessary to filter the juice obtained from the juicer. If a blender has been used, strain through a coarse strainer.
- In order to make the cucumber drink more pleasant to the taste, you can add lemon juice to it: 1 teaspoon per glass.
- You need to start drinking cucumber juice 0.5 cups 2 times a day. If you feel well, you can increase the dose to 1 glass. It is not recommended to take more of this.
- The best option is to prepare the juice just before drinking. But if this is not possible, then it should be poured into a glass jar, tightly closed with a lid and stored in the refrigerator for no more than 24 hours. Cucumber juice with a shelf life of 24 to 36 hours can be used as a component of skin and hair care products. But if it has stood in the refrigerator for more than 1.5 days, then it cannot be used even for external use.
For the best effect, you can make cocktails from cucumber juice with the addition of other vegetables and herbs. So, for the skin there is nothing better than mixing cucumber and carrot juices. Fresh cucumber-spinach is a real boost of vitality for the immune system.
"You will be like a cucumber again" - it is worth taking a fresh look at these humorous words of wishes for a speedy recovery. Perhaps, soon it will mean being healthy, full of strength and energy, like a strong cucumber.
The author of the article: Kuzmina Vera Valerievna | Endocrinologist, nutritionist
Education: Diploma of the Russian State Medical University named after NI Pirogov with a degree in General Medicine (2004). Residency at Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, diploma in Endocrinology (2006).
