Nutritional benefits of cucumber; Among the types and varieties of vegetables, cucumber occupies a significant share of fame, use, and benefits.
It is a vegetable that almost no home is without, as it is sweet in taste and cheap in price, in addition to containing many nutrients important for human health.
Here we will learn about the nutritional benefits of cucumber, with an indication of the 8 most important nutrients present in it and its most important health benefits for the body.
What is the option?
Cucumber is one of the most popular and widely used vegetables, especially in salads. It is scientifically classified within the Qurayyat family, which also includes melons and pumpkins. Cucumber is one of the important vegetables that are high in nutrients.
It can be eaten in two different forms, either in its fresh form or after pickling it in jars designated for pickling. You can also try drinking the wonderful cucumber juice.
"Also read: kale nutritional benefits"
The nutritional value of cucumber
The nutritional, health, and aesthetic benefits of cucumber are due to its high content of important and necessary nutrients for the human body, which when the body obtains these elements, positively affects various health aspects. Each large cucumber with its peel (about 300 grams) contains:
- Calories: only 45 calories.
- Vitamin K: 62% of the body's daily requirement of the vitamin.
- Vitamin C: 14% of the daily requirement of the body.
- Magnesium: 10% of the daily requirement of the body.
- Potassium: 13% of the body's daily need.
- Protein: 2 grams.
- Carbohydrates: 11 grams.
- Dietary fiber: 2 grams.
- Manganese: 12% of the body's daily needs.
In addition to the previous nutrients, cucumbers are completely free of fat and cholesterol. Cucumber also contains water as high as 92% of the fruit.
It is important to eat the cucumber with its skin to obtain the nutritional and health benefits of the cucumber; This is due to the presence of most of the minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants in the cortex.
"Also read: Nutritional benefits of parsley"
Important nutritional benefits of cucumber
The nutritional benefits of cucumber are that it contains nutrients that bring many benefits to the body, the most important of which are the following:
Vitamin K
Cucumber is a rich source of this type of vitamin, which is very important for health, and the regulation of blood clotting is the most important benefit of this vitamin in addition to its role in improving heart health, protecting against cancer, and improving brain function.
The presence of this vitamin in cucumber makes it useful in contributing to the strengthening of bones and improving their health, especially as vegetables contain percentages of calcium, which is important for bones, and the fact that vitamin K improves the absorption of calcium by the body.
vitamin C
Cucumber is one of the good sources of vitamin C, one of the important vitamins for human health, and which acts as a powerful antioxidant. The presence of this type of vitamin inside the cucumber helps in achieving the following:
- Contribute to combating signs of skin aging by fighting free radical damage, moisturizing the skin, and revitalizing it.
- Treating and relieving sunburn with cucumber peels.
- Treating puffy eyes and removing blackness from under them, using cucumber slices.
- Help in strengthening immunity.
- As well as helping to improve eye health.
Dietary fiber
Cucumber contains a quantity of dietary fiber, which has multiple benefits for human health. These dietary fibers make the option suitable and useful in the following:
- Helping treat many digestive problems, the most important of which are: heartburn, acidity, and stomach infections.
- Its dietary fiber helps flush out toxins from the body and promotes digestion and bowel function.
- It also helps treat and prevent constipation, and maintains a regular bowel movement, especially with high amounts of water, as well as cucumbers.
- Protection against colon and rectal cancer in particular.
magnesium
Cucumbers are one of the good sources of the important mineral magnesium, which is necessary for a number of vital functions of the human body. The presence of magnesium in cucumber with potassium and dietary fiber makes it an aid in maintaining normal blood pressure levels.
"Also read: White flour side effects"
potassium
Potassium is one of the minerals that are indispensable to the body, and cucumbers contain good proportions of this important nutrient. Potassium is especially important in maintaining blood pressure and heart health, as it reduces the chances of stroke. Potassium is also useful in preventing kidney stones and reducing fluid retention in the body.
silicon and sulfur
Both silicon and sulfur are present in cucumber vegetables, and this is useful in using cucumbers for hair care, as these two elements help stimulate hair growth. Silicon also helps in strengthening the bones and nails and preventing them from thinning and breaking.
The presence of silicone in cucumber also makes it useful in fighting arthritis and gout, relieving pain, and helping to strengthen connective tissues.
manganese
This mineral works with some of the chemicals in the cucumber, which act as hormones needed for several specific cells in the pancreas, and this makes the option suitable for promoting the regulation of insulin secretion in the body.
Manganese may make eating cucumbers beneficial in lowering blood sugar levels and improving respiratory and brain health.
"Also read: Unexpected foods hinder weight loss"
Health benefits of cucumber
Cucumber is a healthy food because of its atypical properties. Cucumber is rich in a large number of nutrients beneficial to human health. The most important health benefits of cucumber are as follows:
- Reducing the proportion of harmful cholesterol in the body, thus promoting heart health and preventing clots.
- Restore moisture to the human body thanks to its water content, and protect it from dehydration.
- Improving the smell of the mouth, and getting rid of bad breath, and this is one of the benefits of eating cucumber.
- It is also a natural anti-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory in the body.
- It is also considered the best diuretic.
- Help treat and prevent urinary tract infections.
- Cucumber contains a high percentage of water that contributes to preventing the formation of gravel and sand in the urinary tract.
"Also read: lettuce-nutritional-benefits"
Frequently asked questions about the nutritional benefits of cucumber
Does cucumber burn fat?
Cucumber contributes to losing excess weight in several different ways, it is:
- A satiating food with very few calories, and a good proportion of dietary fibre.
- You can eat some cucumber when you feel hungry to curb your appetite.
- It contains a very high percentage of water, which is a natural weight loss aid.
Is cucumber good for the skin?
Yes, cucumber contributes to moisturizing, cleansing and soothing the skin. It is suitable for all types of skin, including oily, dry, and mixed. It is used in the manufacture of skin-lightening creams and closing pores.
Is cucumber useful for diabetics?
Yes, it contains water and dietary fiber in high proportions, and has a low percentage of carbohydrates. Cucumber also helps to enhance the regulation of insulin secretion in the body. That is why it is a suitable food for diabetics without any restrictions.
These were the nutritional and health benefits of cucumber, and it is one of the healthiest foods. Cucumber is low in calories, but contains a high percentage of nutrients beneficial to the body, which makes it one of the distinct vegetables and makes it a healthy food that achieves different benefits for the human body. Eating a cucumber daily is good for your health.