Each of us at least once in our life tried this delicious and healthy vegetable, some eat it daily.
But not everyone knows that in addition to its taste, this vegetable also has a lot of useful properties, which we will tell you about in this article.
Cucumbers: composition, as used
Cucumber is a herbaceous annual vegetable plant that belongs to the pumpkin family. This vegetable came to us in the VIII century, and it was imported from East Asia.
The standard size of the cucumber is 5-10 cm, but there are also much larger specimens. This vegetable is very fond of moisture, warmth and light, and if you provide it with regular care, you can expect a wonderful harvest, as in our area it feels great.
Many use cucumber as a folk remedy, and very successfully. For example, it has excellent dietary properties, therefore people who want to get rid of extra poundsHe will be very welcome. Cucumber also found application in cosmetology, namely in creating masks for skin rejuvenation, which to this day are very popular among women.
Almost 95% of cucumber consists of structured water, so they can very well quench thirst. The remaining 5% contains various useful vitamins and minerals. For example, there is much more vitamin B in it than in radish, and vitamin B1 and iodine are also present in large quantities in cucumbers.
It also has the following beneficial substances:
vitamin C;
starch;
fructose;
glucose;
vitamins A, E, PP, C, H.
Also, the cucumber contains many useful trace elements, such as:
calcium;
potassium;
magnesium;
chromium;
sodium and many others.
Calorie content
The calorie content of cucumbers per 100 g of product is about 15 kcal, of which:
protein - 0.8 g;
fat - 0.1 g;
carbohydrates - 3.0 g.
Cucumbers: what are the benefits for the body?
The beneficial properties for the human body were known even to our ancestors. To date, cucumber is actively used in medicine, namely with catarrh of the upper respiratory tract and tuberculosis. It is also recommended to use cucumbers with protein foods, since the vegetable helps them quickly assimilate. Cucumber can be eaten either separately or in salads, and it is also often used as an addition to meat and fish dishes. Good nutrition, as you know, is the most important factor in the fight against tuberculosis and its rapid elimination from the body.
100 g of vegetable contains about 3 μg of iodine. Of course, this is a very small number. But it is in the composition of cucumbers that iodine is absorbed by the thyroid gland quickly and completely, improving its general condition.
Also present in this vegetable large amounts of folic acid, which is known for its ability to reduce appetite. Also in the composition of cucumbers there are insulin-like compounds that contribute to the normalization of glucose in the blood and prevent the conversion of carbohydrates into fats. So, the use of this vegetable helps to accelerate the metabolic process, and prevent the onset of diabetes and obesity.
Doctors also recommend cucumbers for spastic colitis. This is due to the fact that cucumbers contain a lot of fiber, which is able to relieve the inflammatory process and normalize the gastrointestinal tract.
Cucumbers are great for people on a diet, due to their excellent chemical composition. Since cucumbers are 95% water, when consumed in the stomach there is a feeling of fullness. In addition, many nutrients, vitamins, macro- and microelements enter the body.
In cucumbers is not plain water, but natural absorbentwhich has the ability to split most poisons. For this reason, this vegetable is recommended to be consumed after poisoning. Its use contributes to the maximum rapid elimination of toxins and the restoration of the body.
However, not only the water that is in this vegetable helps to cleanse the human body of harmful poisons. It also contains a record number of potassium and sodium ions among all vegetables, which also help to carry out this process.
In addition, the cucumber has mild diureticwhich is carried out thanks to the same rich chemical composition. In addition to eliminating harmful substances in a natural way, cucumber also helps in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, which are accompanied by swelling.
In addition to the fight against edema, cucumbers also help lower blood pressure and improve choleretic and laxative processes, and the presence of a large amount of potassium in the composition helps to accelerate the processes of waste and movement of water in the body.
If cucumbers are grown on your beds, then you have the opportunity to feel all their beneficial properties on yourself, because after they are separated from the stem, they begin to gradually lose useful substances. In this case, the same 15-20 minutes already play a role, because the vegetable is already starting to dry out a little. Scientists have found that after 24 hours after picking, a cucumber loses about 20% of its vitamin, and after a few days - all 50%. Therefore, if you want to get the maximum benefit from this vegetable, eat it immediately after picking.
For people suffering against thyroid disease, a cucumber will be a very useful remedy, as its juice and pulp contain an optimal combination of salts, and the presence of zinc in the composition helps fight diabetes.
Many men know how well a pickle pickle helps with a hangover. However, it has other healing properties. So, cucumber pickle should be drunk to eliminate spasms and cramps on the legs. To enhance the brine effect, it is recommended to add currant leaves, cherries, dill and garlic to it.
Cucumber juice
In addition to the basic properties of cucumber, a huge amount of nutrients is also contained in its juice. It contains a high concentration of sodium, calcium and phosphorus, so doctors recommend it for problems with memory and to improve the cardiovascular system. It also helps strengthen teeth and gums and improve overall skin condition. Regular intake of brine is recommended for people with kidney problems, as it stimulates the removal of stones from the biliary tract and gall bladder.
However, one should not get too carried away with brine, since its excessive consumption can provoke the movement of stones in the body, and, as a result, the emergence of various diseases. So, doctors recommend drinking no more than one liter per day, and traditional healers advise not to consume more than 100 ml of brine at a time.
How to prepare juice from cucumber? There are only a few ways to make it. Since this vegetable consists almost entirely of water, it can simply be grated or dispersed through a meat grinder. An important point: prepare cucumber juice immediately before use, since in half an hour it will lose most of its beneficial properties. Juice should be made from well-washed vegetables. The peel is not removed at the same time, since it contains many valuable substances.
Juice from cucumbers can be combined with other juices, for example, from grapefruit or apple. Such mixed juices are of great benefit. In addition, when you add dill or garlic to them, in addition to the benefit, good food is obtained.
Also, do not forget that drinking juice from cucumbers is not recommended if you have gastritis with high acidity or an ulcer. Also, if there are stones in any organ, the consumption of such juice should also be limited or taken in small portions, otherwise parallel treatment of the disease may be ineffective.
If the juice from cucumbers is used for cosmetic purposes, it must be stored in the refrigerator, since the products used to treat the face must be kept in the refrigerator for no more than two days.
Cucumbers for children: useful or harmful
Cucumbers are very useful for adults, with rare exceptions, but can they be given to a child? This question is asked by almost every mother who is worried about the health of her child. In addition to water, cucumbers contain dissolved mineral salt, and in their skin there is a certain amount of vitamin C and carotene, which are so useful for children. But the benefits for children do not end there.
Cucumbers have potassium, silicon, fiber, iodine, and other useful trace elements and vitamins that stimulate the baby's intestines. It also contains essential oils that stimulate the growth of appetite, which is very important for a growing body, and the presence of tartanic acid helps to regulate the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates. In addition, fresh juice from cucumbers can kill some microorganisms, for example, Staphylococcus aureus.
Cucumbers: what is the harm to health?
The harm from fresh cucumbers is minimal if we are talking about cucumbers grown in their beds, but not bought, since such cucumbers can be "seasoned" with various chemicals that will definitely not benefit. Such cucumbers are better to eat without a peel, since it is it that absorbs most poisons.
As for cucumbers grown on their site, they are not recommended for people suffering from gastritis or ulcers. Also, nursing mothers should not forget that fresh vegetables can cause a strong laxative effect.
On the whole, cucumber is an excellent and very useful vegetable that all people, with rare exceptions, can eat with pleasure.
Enjoy your meal!
