Health Benefit of Cucumber To Male and Female – Cucumber Nutrition Importance
10 Health Benefits of cucumber, Eating cucumbers is good for our health but only when they are consumed in moderation as excessive consumption of cucumbers is bad for our health.
Some of the major side effects of eating too many cucumbers, before then let discuss Cucumber, and it health benefits of cucumber, before the disadvantages of eating too much cucumber.
Cucumbers are crisp and refreshing due to their high water content. However, with 95% water, you may be wondering whether they have much to offer by way of nutrition. Along with potassium and vitamins K and C, cucumbers have several phytochemicals with promising health benefits.
Cucumber Nutrition Facts
One-half cup of sliced cucumber (52g), with the peel, provides 8 calories, 0.3g of protein, 1.9g of carbohydrates, and 0.1g of fat. Cucumbers are a good source of potassium and vitamins K and C.
Calories: 8
Fat: 0.1g
Sodium: 1mg
Carbohydrates: 1.9g
Fiber: 0.3g
Sugars: 0.9g
Protein: 0.3g
Vitamin K: 8.5mcg
Vitamin C: 1.5mg
Potassium: 76.4mg
Vitamin B5: 0.1mg
Magnesium: 6.8mg
Carbs
A half-cup of sliced cucumber has almost 2 grams of carbohydrates with 0.3 grams of fiber. There are also 0.9 grams of natural sugar in cucumber. Cucumber has a low glycemic index of 15,2 which means that it’s not likely to raise blood sugar.
Fats
There is almost no fat in cucumber at 0.1 grams per half cup of slices. The small amount that it does contain is primarily unsaturated fat, which is considered the “good” fat as it may help improve cholesterol levels.3
Protein
Cucumbers are not a good source of protein, providing just 0.3 grams per serving. Therefore, if you want to increase your intake of protein—such as if you exercise a lot—you’ll want to eat your cucumber with foods that are higher in protein, like meat, nuts, and seeds.
Vitamins and Minerals
Cucumbers are naturally high in water so their relative concentration of nutrients is low. Nonetheless, they do contain vitamin K, vitamin C, and potassium. Cucumber also has trace amounts of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and vitamin A.
Calories
A half-cup of cucumber (52g), with the peel, provides only 8 calories. If you eat a whole cucumber that is roughly 8.25 inches in length (301g), you will consume around 45 calories. So, this vegetable fits into a low-calorie diet if you’re watching your calorie intake.
Summary
Cucumber is a low-calorie food that is primarily water, making it great for reaching your hydration goals. This vegetable also provides some nutrients, such as potassium and vitamins K and C.
10 Health Benefits of Cucumber
Supports Heart Health
Promotes Hydration
Improves Blood Sugar Control
Reduces Cancer Risk
Eases Diverticulitis
Aids in digestion
Heals sunburn
Lowers blood sugar
Regulates blood pressure
Prevents hangovers
Eases Diverticulitis is One of the 10 Health Benefits of cucumber
Diverticular disease is a painful inflammation of the colon that sometimes requires hospitalization. Studies have shown mixed results on the benefits of fiber to prevent flare-ups (called diverticulitis).4
However, research does support the intake of fiber from fruits and vegetables, like cucumbers, to lower the likelihood of diverticulitis-related hospitalizations. Specifically, getting an additional 8.5 grams per day of fiber from fruits and vegetables was associated with a 30% risk reduction.5
10 Health Benefits of Cucumber – Reduces Cancer Risk is the Second
Cucurbitacins are a natural compound found in cucumbers and some other vegetables, such as squash. There are multiple variations of cucurbitacins that work together to inhibit cancer growth, and breast cancer appears to be particularly sensitive to their effects.6
In addition, cucumbers contain the flavonoid fisetin, which shows antioxidant and anti-cancer behavior.7 Although more human studies are needed to confirm the role of cucumber in cancer prevention, research thus far is promising.
10 Health Benefits of Cucumber – Improves Blood Sugar Control Is the Third
Cucumbers are a non-starchy vegetable, which is one of the best categories of food for managing diabetes. The American Diabetes Association recommends three to five servings of non-starchy vegetables per day,8 but that’s just a minimum.
When hunger strikes, having more non-starchy vegetables can help satisfy the appetite without raising blood sugar levels. The fiber and water content of fresh cucumbers makes them an ideal choice for glycemic control.
Promotes Hydration
Drinking water may the most efficient way to quench your thirst, but high-water foods can also provide good hydration. Cucumbers are 95% water,9 making them a great way to rehydrate in hot temperatures.
Snack on cucumbers after sporting events or heavy exercise to help replace the electrolytes and water your body needs. Because the interior of cucumbers can be up to 20 degrees cooler than outside temperatures,10 they’re sure to cool you down in no time.
Supports Heart Health
Cucumbers are a good way to add more fiber and potassium to your meal. Fiber improves satiety and helps keep cholesterol levels down,11 while potassium reduces blood pressure levels.12
Cucumbers also provide folate, an essential B vitamin that reduces stroke risk.13 It’s no secret that eating a variety of fruits and vegetables every day is an effective way to prevent heart disease, and cucumbers are a refreshing option.
Aids in digestion
The high water content and dietary fibers in cucumbers work together to get rid of harmful toxins from the digestive system and aid in its functioning.
Many digestive disorders, such as acidity, constipation, heartburn, gastritis, and even ulcers, can be easily treated at home by drinking a glass of cucumber juice daily.
On top of that, pickled cucumbers contain healthy strands of probiotic bacteria that aid the growth of favorable gut flora and promote a smoother digestion process.
Heals sunburn
The cooling and healing powers of cucumbers can be highly effective in treating sunburn. Cucumbers are full of skin-lavishing minerals, including magnesium, potassium, and silicon, which explains why they are a regular ingredient in commercial products for sunburn treatment.
Cucumbers also work to rejuvenate the skin and improve its complexion. They can even be used to fade scars and lighten pigmentation. (4)
If you have a sunburn, cucumbers will help draw heat out of your skin and speed up the healing process.
How to use:
Blend one cucumber and apply the paste on the affected skin.
Allow it to dry on its own.
Then, take a cool shower.
Follow this treatment once daily for a few days.
Lowers Blood Sugar
Cucumbers are naturally a diabetes-diet-friendly food as they have low calories and high fiber content. Moreover, cucumbers may help lower blood sugar as they contain a hormone that is required by beta cells for insulin production.
A study published in the Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences expounded upon this antidiabetic effect of cucumbers by demonstrating that a nine-day diet of cucumber seed extract helped reduce sugar levels in diabetic rats.
Another animal study published in the October 2014 issue of the Journal of Medicinal Plant Research demonstrated that cucumber pulp extract lowered blood sugar. This study isolated chemicals from the cucumber that have previously been linked to blood-sugar-lowering properties.
Although further studies are needed to establish and elaborate upon the sugar-lowering efficacy of cucumbers for humans, it wouldn’t hurt to add this low-calorie succulent snack to your diet nevertheless!
Regulates blood pressure
Cucumbers contain a lot of potassium, magnesium, and fiber which make them very effective in regulating blood pressure. They are considered good for the treatment of both low and high blood pressure. Plus, being a natural diuretic, cucumbers help to hydrate and lower the pressure in the arteries.
Several studies done by DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) found that eating cucumbers, coupled with a low-starch and lean protein diet, helped lower blood pressure by 5.5 points in people suffering from hypertension.
To lower blood pressure, cucumber juice should be mixed with other vegetable juices, such as those from carrots, beets, and lemons. Drinking this juice two or three times a day has been found to bring down elevated blood pressure in a matter of days.
Prevents hangovers
If drinking alcohol gives you a headache the next morning, cucumbers (and time) may solve your problem.
Nutrients including B vitamins, sugar, and electrolytes, and the high-water content present in cucumbers help replenish the essential nutrients lost through alcohol consumption and prevent dehydration. This, in turn, reduces the intensity of hangovers.
To help prevent a hangover, eat a few slices of cucumber, including the skin, before going to bed after you have been drinking.
Importance of Cucumber Sexually
Cucumber has many health benefits that have been specifically researched for sexual health. While most of the research has been on men’s sexual health, we know that many of the nutrients in cucumber can benefit women as well.
The minerals in cucumber that support sexual health are equally beneficial to women as men. These include potassium, magnesium, and manganese. But there is research to indicate that cucumbers can be more beneficial to men than women when it comes to sexual performance.
Benefits of Eating Cucumber at Night
1. Cucumber benefits for healthy weight loss especially when taken at night.
2. It allows for a reasonable reduction in triglyceride levels as well as cholesterol.
3. It also aids the heart’s health.
4. It reduces the risk of having cancer.
5. Moreover, it contains essential antioxidants such as Apigenin, Luteolin, and others as well as reduces the risk of inflammation.
Disadvantages of Eating Cucumber Daily
- Cause Toxicity
- Can Cause Fluid Loss And Imbalance
- Vitamins And Minerals
- Strain our Blood Vessels
- Harm the body cells
1. Cause Toxicity
Although cucumber is a healthy fruit it contains small patches that make it tastes bitter. These small portions of cucumber contain extremely toxic triterpenoids or cucurbitacin compounds. It is, therefore, important for us to make sure that we keep our cucumber consumption within limits and don’t overeat them.
2. Can Cause Fluid Loss And Imbalance.
Eating too many cucumbers can increase the risk of fluid loss and this can result in an imbalance of the body. The main reason behind the fluid loss by overeating cucumber is because of the presence of cucurbitacin and fatty oil in the cucumber seeds.
3. Harm the body cells
Too much vitamin C can promote the growth of free radicals which can harm our body cells, under certain conditions in the same way too much potassium can put a negative effect on our kidneys and excessive fiber can cause intestinal gas, bloating, and abdominal cramps. We will know more about these, shortly.
4. Strain our Blood Vessels.
However, excess consumption of cucumbers can have a very harmful effect on our body because excessive water intake can increase the total volume of blood in our body, put a strain on our blood vessels and heart, and can cause excessive wear and tear of kidneys by putting the burden on them.