A lot of people think of cucumber as a vegetable. However, cucumber is a fruit. It is an incredible fruit, packed with essential nutrients, antioxidants, and plant compounds that will prevent or treat certain conditions. Moreover, cucumber has very few calories. It contains a good degree of soluble fiber and water. Hence, cucumber is one of the perfect picks for weight loss and hydration. Here, in this article, we’ll discuss with you, top health benefits of eating cucumber.
Good source of nutrients
Cucumbers do not have too many calories. However, despite that, it is rich in important vitamins and minerals needed by the body. Further, since cucumbers are made up of 96% of water, they keep you hydrated. To avail maximum nutrition from cucumber, you must eat it unpeeled. Jiah, who offers online assignment help Australia, says that peeling the cucumber reduces the fiber quotient, along with a few essential vitamins and minerals.
Cucumber contains antioxidants
Firstly, what are antioxidants? They are the molecules that block oxidation. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that forms exceptionally reactive atoms with a few unpaired electrons. Such electrons are known as free radicals. If these harmful free radicals get accumulated, they can lead to different chronic illnesses. Moreover, the oxidative stress which occurs as a result of the free radicals might lead to lung, heart, or other autoimmune diseases. Cancer, too, is linked to it. So, the consumption of fruits, such as cucumber tends to risk of such conditions. Kim, who offers online assignment help, says that cucumber comprises of antioxidants such as tannins and flavonoids that restrict the assembly of dangerous free radicals. It also lowers down the risk of chronic diseases.
Cucumber promotes hydration
For your body to function normally, it needs water. Water performs a bunch of functions in the body, such as:
- It assures temperature regulation.
- It allows easy transportation of nutrients
- It assists in the easy transit and exit of the waste from the body.
Roxy, who works with a platform, where you can buy essay online, says that water not only helps in proper hydration but also has a direct impact on everything from the metabolism to your body’s physical performance.
Though you can complete your daily fluid requirement by drinking water or consuming other liquids, people usually achieve 40% of their body’s total water demand via food. Both fruits and vegetables are an excellent source of water in the diet. Moreover, some studies have also proved that with the increase of fruits or vegetables in the diet, the hydration status gets better. Since the composition of cucumber is 96% water, it is exceptionally effective in promoting hydration, which can help meet the fluid requirements of your body.
Cucumber facilitates weight loss
Cucumber assists in weight loss in several different ways. Firstly, they don’t have too many calories in them. One cup or a 104-gram serving of cucumber has only 16 calories. Similarly, 300-gram or an 11-ounce cucumber has about 45 calories. It means that you can eat a lot of cucumber without worrying about calories or weight gain. Secondly, cucumber is good value addition in any salad. It adds freshness and flavor to a myriad of side dishes and sandwiches. Mia, who offers online research paper writing service, says that cucumber is a great replacement for higher-calorie alternatives. Thirdly, since the water content in cucumber is high, it promotes weight loss too. A recent study proved that people who consumed food items with higher water content and lower calories experienced a significant decline in body weight.
Lowers down blood sugar levels
A lot of test-tube and animal studies have proved that cucumber helps in the reduction of blood sugar levels. As a result of it, it can prevent complications such as diabetes. Cucumber not only reduces but also controls the blood sugar levels in the body. If a person who has diabetes, consumes unpeeled cucumber on an everyday basis, he may experience a reverse in the diabetes-associated changes and notice a significant decline in the blood sugar levels. So, it is advisable to consume at least one unpeeled cucumber on an everyday basis.
Cucumber promotes regularity
Alina, who offers the best data science online course, says that consumption of cucumber on a day-to-day basis has a direct impact on your bowel movements. One of the primary risk factors of constipation is dehydration. It can hamper the water balance in the body. As a result of this, passing a stool too might get problematic. Regular consumption of cucumber assures hydration. When you are hydrated, your bowel movement is consistent. So, cucumber not only prevents constipation but also assures regularity. It is also because of the heavy fiber content present in the cucumbers. Cucumbers have pectin too, which is a soluble fiber that accentuates the frequency of the bowel movement.
Inclusion in the diet is easy
Cucumbers have a mild smell with a distinctly refreshing and crispy flavor. They are more prominently enjoyed in fresh or pickled form. A lot of restaurants today include cucumber in their salads and sandwiches. You can also consume them raw. It is a good replacement for your otherwise, high-calorie evening or midnight snack. Jacob, who took a DigitalOcean free trial, recently, says that you can team it up with salt, hummus, salad dressing, or olive oil if you wish to add a better flavor to it. However, that would increase the calorie levels of the cucumber. But yes, with just a bit of creativity, you can enjoy cucumber in some umpteen different ways.
These, according to us, are the top 7 health benefits of consuming cucumber on an everyday basis. Cucumber not only is a great snack but is also extremely filling. So, the addition of cucumber in your diet will lower down your appetite, and that would be a good contributor to your weight loss journey. Now, if you have any questions or queries, associated with it, do let us know in the comment section below.
Author Bio:
Pankaj Raghav is a fulltime blogger and blogs with DigiToolsCoupons. While sharing his experience, he also loves to help fellow bloggers in setting up their blogs. Learn about the SEO tactics at his blog.