Eat Me: Brightens skin, freshens breath… 7 health benefits of cucumber

Cucumber is a low-calorie vegetable that contains many nutritional benefits, including hydrating properties and valuable nutrients.

It belongs to the same plant family as squash, pumpkin, and watermelon.

Like watermelon, cucumber is made up of mostly (95 percent) water, which means eating it can help you stay hydrated.

Here are five ways it can be beneficial to your health.

Diabetes

Cucumber has been used in the care of diabetic patients for many years. Cucumber possesses a hormone required by the beta cells during insulin production.

The Glycemic Index of cucumber is zero. The presence of carbohydrates and their result on the body is measured by the quantity of Glycemic Index.

Prevents constipation, keeps kidneys healthy

Cucumber is a perfect blend of both fiber and water. Therefore, it helps to protect your body from both constipation and kidney stones.

It is also a good source of vitamin C, silica, potassium, and magnesium; which all have their respective health benefits.

Cucumber has an extraordinary amount of water that is naturally purified, thus making the water content much higher in quality than ordinary water.

Freshens your breath

Placing a cucumber slice on the roof of your mouth may help get rid of odour-causing bacteria.

According to the principles of Ayurveda, eating cucumber may also help to release excess heat in your stomach, which is said to be a primary cause of bad breath.

Stress management

Cucumber contains multiple B vitamins, including vitamin B1, vitamin B5, and vitamin B7 (biotin).

B vitamins are known to help ease feelings of anxiety and buffer some of the damaging effects of stress.

Controls blood pressure

The studies done at DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) consisted of people consuming foods high in magnesium, potassium, and fiber.

The results were clear; their blood pressure lowered to normal levels after ingesting foods like cucumber.

Keeps the body healthy and functioning

Cucumber has excellent cleaning properties, and actively removes accumulated waste and toxins from your body.

In many cases, cucumber has been shown to be an effective treatment for arthritis since it removes uric acid. Since it aids in urine secretion, cucumber is considered a natural diuretic.

Cucumber is very good for optimising urinary bladder, kidney, liver and pancreatic function.

Bright and healthy skin

Cucumber is rich in silica, which is the essential component that aids in developing strong and healthy connective tissues in the muscles, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and bone.

Doctors often recommend cucumber juice because of the silica content to create healthier and brighter skin.

Cucumber’s high water content makes it naturally hydrating, and it is well known that moisture is the best friend to healthy skin, so why not acquire the hydration naturally?