
The cucumber is a versatile fruit. It’s a tasty addition to salads, can be used to flavor water, and is a popular spa treatment to reduce puffiness under eyes.
But on top
of that, some amazing things happen to your body when you regularly eat
cucumber. Don’t believe it? Here’s our guide to the health benefits of
cucumber.
Cucumber helps lower blood pressure
How often do you worry about your blood pressure? Chances are the honest answer is “not often enough.” And high blood pressure can lead to scary things like hypertension and even strokes!
Fortunately,
cucumber can help to lower your blood pressure. That’s because it is very high
in electrolyte potassium. That means regularly noshing on cucumbers can help
you reduce sodium-induced water retention and lower your blood pressure
naturally and easily.
Of course, there are limits to what cucumber can do. If you’re really worried about high blood pressure, don’t be afraid to make other changes to your lifestyle, diet, and exercise routine to help control it.
Cucumber aids weight loss
If you ask
a hundred people about their health goals, what do you think most of them are
going to say? That they want to lose weight, of course!
As you
might imagine, cucumbers can help you potentially lose weight. It’s all about
the calories: you can eat an entire cucumber and feel nice and full, and you’ve
only eaten about 45 calories.
Some people
love to eat cucumbers on their own. But you should also experiment with things
like cucumber sandwiches to create some low-calorie snacks and meals to make
your mouth water. And swapping high-calorie salad toppings for cucumber can be
a refreshing game-changer.
Cucumber improves digestion
One topic
related to digestive health is weight loss. Let’s be real: nobody is going to
feel their best if they aren’t feeling nice and regular with their digestion.
And
cucumber can actually work miracles for your digestive health. This is because
cucumber is jam-packed with fiber. Regular cucumber consumption will make you
more regular and improve your overall gut health, which is particularly
important if you suffer from any extreme digestive issues.
Cucumber helps lower blood sugar
Many who
suffer from diabetes turn to cucumber as a natural way to lower their blood
sugar levels. But lower blood sugar is something that all of us can benefit
from!
Long story
short? Scientists are still trying to figure out exactly why this is and how
reliable the effect is. But in multiple studies, cucumber was able to do things
like reduce blood sugar levels, reverse diabetes-related changes, and prevent
diabetes-related complications.
Cucumber helps keep you hydrated
Whether you
want your body to get the full benefits of the nutrients you consume or you
just want your skin to look amazing, hydration is very important. And while you
can achieve your hydration goals by slamming water all day, it’s also important
to consume foods that help you stay hydrated.
Any given
cucumber is about 95% water, so this makes a great way to get more hydration
into your body with each bite. So if you’ve been dreading trying to drink eight
cups of water each day for optimal hydration, a regular cucumber diet is going
to make a world of difference.

Cucumber boosts immunity
Earlier, we
touched on the fact that regular cucumber consumption can help improve your
digestive health. But there is another related benefit that is worth focusing
on: giving you a stronger immune system!
Cucumbers
are especially good for immunity in their pickled form. The fermented brine
used in pickles acts as a probiotic, supporting the growth of good bacteria. In
addition to helping with digestion, these good bacteria also help boost your
immune system.
Cucumber reduces the risk of heart disease
Cucumber is
full of antioxidants. And regularly consuming antioxidants can help reduce the
risk of heart disease.
That’s
because antioxidants fight against free radicals in your body. Free
radicals are molecules with unpaired electrons. They steal electrons from
other cells in your body, causing damage and contributing to many diseases.
Free
radicals are produced naturally in your body in normal metabolic processes, but
also increase with exposure to ultraviolet radiation, tobacco smoke, air
pollution, and more.
Because
free radicals can lead to things like heart disease and even cancer, adding
cucumber to your regular diet is a great way to help protect yourself from
future health concerns.
Cucumber helps strengthen bones
Growing up,
you may have heard that you need to drink milk to get stronger bones, due to
its high level of calcium. And while calcium is a wonderful way to strengthen
bones, vitamin K has also been shown in studies to help prevent bone fractures.
The good
news is that cucumber is rich in vitamin K. One cup of unpeeled cucumber
contains 17.1 micrograms of vitamin K, about 20 percent of the daily
recommended intake for women or 14 percent for men. To get the full health
benefits of cucumber, make sure to eat it unpeeled. A cup of peeled cucumbers
only contains 8.6 micrograms of vitamin K.
It’s also important to note that vitamin K makes your blood clot. So, if you take blood thinners, consult your doctor before increasing the cucumber in your diet.
Source: life360.tips