Health benefits of cucumber
By David Olajide
Cucumber (botanical name). It belongs to the gourd family. It is basically of South Asia origin, but now popularly grown in other parts of the world. Cucumber is a vegetable to put into consideration when it comes to keeping fit and living healthy on daily basis.
The nutrients contained in the wonderful vegetable comprises vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese, copper and potassium.
Cucumber has been discovered in Asian countries and India in particular as a very potent herbal solution to many diseases. The vegetable contain lipid lowering (weight loss) and gets-diabetic components. It promotes hydration of the body and prevent the body from overheating by keeping the body temperature constant.
Nutritional Benefits of Cucumber
1. Adequate and Easy Bowel Performance
Research revealed that cucumber contains an enzyme known as “erepsin” which helps in the process of digestion and easy passage of excretion. The high fibre in the vegetable helps to manage the bowel by preventing constipation, gastritis, ulcer and many other stomach related disorder.
2. Prevents obesity and excess weight gain
Cucumber addition to your diet will help you to reduce weight. There is a component in the vegetable that burn the excess fat from the body and thereby helps to normalize your body weight.
3. Helps the Performance of Liver
One major role of liver in the body is detoxification. This is the conversion of poisonous/harmful substances in the blood stream to harmless or neutral substance. Cucumber helps the body to eliminate accumulated toxins from the blood stream and gut. It also helps the body to pass out more urine through which the accumulated toxins get out of the body. Consumption of cucumber juice speed up the detoxification process.
4. Regulates your Blood pH
pH of the blood is the degree of alkalinity or acidity of the blood. When the blood pH level is optimal, this will eradicate free radical cells which are carcinogenic (cancer enhancer). Drinking cucumber juice daily can keep your body’s alkalinity at the optimal level.
5. Fight against carcinogenic cells (Cancer cells)
The phytochemicals in cucumber that have the capacity to reduce cancerous symptoms at the early stages are Lutein, Caffeic acid, Fisetin and Cucurbitacins. Eating cucumber whole or drinking the juice can reduce the occurrence of breast, ovarian, prostrate, uterine and lung cancer.
6. Optimizing Cardiovascular Functioning
To prevent the symptoms that are associated with high blood pressure such as stroke and others. The cardiovascular activities must be constantly regulated through natural diet. Cucumbers contain lignin which is a powerful anti-inflammatory substance that boost the immune system and reduces the occurrence of all the risks associated with cardiovascular diseases.
7. It promotes Shining and Healthy Skin
Cucumber is one of the best natural remedies for shining and healthy skin. It has been scientifically proved that cucumber has active ingredients used to treat skin defects, smoothens the skin and leaves it shining.
8. Promotes good sleep and prevents insomnia.
Cucumber consumption enhances sleep and prevent insomnia. It is a natural solution for those that find it difficult to sleep at night with no side effects.
Drinking a cup of cucumber juice at night can make one fall easily asleep without any difficulty and makes one to have a very blossom and blissful night rest.
9. Source of Essential Nutrients for Stronger Bones, Teeth and Nails
Cucumbers proximate analysis revealed that it contains 19.9 milligrams of calcium. It is also very rich in vitamins D and K. These substances are powerful active ingredients that promotes stronger bones, teeth and nails.
10. Empowers the Immune system
Deficiency diseases in the human body occur as a result weak immune system. Boosting your immune system depends on the components of the diet we take on daily basis. Cucumber can be regarded as a food supplement which is excellent in empowering the soldiers of the body and make them very active in fighting against germs.
Scientific research revealed that cucumber contains:
· Manganese – 12%
· Potassium – 13%
· Magnesium – 10%
· Vitamin K – 62%
· Vitamin C – 14%
· Protein – 2grams
· Carbohydrate – 11grams
· Total Fat – 0 grams
· Calories – 45 grams
In conclusion, to get the maximum nutrients of the above content, cucumber should be not peeled when eaten.
Peeling the cucumber bring down the amount of fiber as well as some vitamins and minerals.