It may be truer than the cliche: “as cool as the cucumber,” but there are factual reasons for that coolness going beyond the feel and look of the fruit.
Cucumbers are usually considered a vegetable but botancially a fruit that have enormous nutritional and health benefits.
There are more than enough benefits, but 10 of them will be explained.
Cucumbers can help alleviate chronic and ongoing health issues.
ARTHRITIS
Joint pains are problems that are rampant among old people. Stress and work over the years cause our bones and joints to wear and get stiff. It is almost an irreversible process. The older one becomes the more susceptible one becomes to arthritis. Eating cucumbers regularly can help alleviate these pains as cucumbers contain silica, which is good for joint health.
CHOLESTEROL:
Saturated fat increases cholesterol levels that increase the risk of heart disease. It is also a major root cause of heart related ailments like High Blood Pressure and Hypertension. Fat covers the veins and the heart preventing easy breathing. Eating cucumbers can help reduce these fats and cholesterol by burning them off, hydrating the body and reducing calorie intake.
WEIGHT:
Perhaps you have been trying to cut down your weight. In some countries obesity has become a serious health and social problem. One cucumber is only 45 calories, plus it is high in water content. Ultimately, it is a good nutritional food for reducing weight. Cucumber aids the burning of fat and will give significant result in the fight to trim down as you will fill up on it, instead of high calorie foods.
DIGESTION:
Constipation is one problem that affects many people for which they do not know the way out. It is a big problem, when food does not digest easily into the system. The release of waste products (faeces and urine) will be a hard process. It is also stressful and painful. Regular consumption of cucumber helps the organs to reduce the foods into smaller particles and as a result helping the digestion of foods.
HEADACHES:
Stress can cause little headaches or migraine. Some times these can last a while and drugs may not stop them. Cucumbers can help reduce headaches and migraine, due to their nutrients and high water content.
Cucumbers contain Vitamin C, Vitamin K, magnesium, potassium and manganese.
It is never a straight cure to when headache or migraine that attacks, but habitual consumption of cucumbers can reduce your susceptibility to these attacks.
HYDRATION:
The human body makes use of water in a large quantity. The human system also releases water in large volumes through the various “exit systems” of the body and through the skin in sweat.
When water is not available in good normal quantities within the system it leads to dehydration. Cucumbers contain a large water content to hydrate the body and other essential minerals to reinvigorate, revitalize and re-energize the whole body system. Then you can be as cool as the cucumber.
SILICA CONTENT:
Do you want you hair to look good and natural?
Then you could make sure to eat cucumbers regularly. The vegetable contains the mineral “silica” in a high amount compared to most other fruits and vegetable. Known as the beauty mineral, silica helps to nourish the hair and make it very natural and silky. Putting cucumber slices on eyes could help to reduce dark circles.
DIABETES:
Another health issue that can be helped with cucumbers is diabetes. Too much of sugar and high carbohydrate nutrition can lead to diabetics.
Cucumbers can help keep blood sugar levels low and reduce complications from diabetes.
A test tube study has found that cucumbers may be effective at lowering oxidative stress and complications from diabetes.
Easy to Add to Your Diet:
Cucumbers are so easy to work into your daily diet. Add slices to a sandwich or hamburger bun. Add slices to water along with mint for a refreshing drink.
Chop up and add to salads like Tabbouleh, a Middle-Eastern grain salad with cucumber, mint, parsley and tomatoes. Make a cucumber and mint sorbet. Try cucumber chips by putting sliced cucumbers in the oven at 170 for 4 hours. Season with your choice of seasonings.
Try sliced cucumbers as a snack or appetizer topped with a soft cheese, shrimp or maybe even a nut butter.
Looking for more ideas on using herbs and foods?
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