Summer is fast approaching and according to a report, it might be the hottest summer we ever had on record. It’s time to get up from the winter slumber and gear up for scorching, sweaty, summer afternoons, and a key component that will help you beat the summer heat would be a bowl of sliced cucumbers.
But apart from using it for salads and facial masks, here are a few benefits of cucumber and why you need to adopt it more in your daily diet. So here we go:
Lowers blood sugar levels
According to a study published in the Journal of Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, patients with type-2 diabetes can cut down their blood sugar levels by consuming cucumber. Its high fibre content plays a key element in lowering blood sugar levels. It slows down the digestion of carbohydrates and sugar, which can further keep blood sugar levels at bay.
It keeps you hydrated
Most of the cucumber is plain water (in fact 90% of it). So amid scorching heat, a cucumber is a waterbottle disguised as fruit, best served when salted 😉
Keeps sunburns away
Slice those cucumbers and place them in the sunburnt area to ease your discomfort. When you consume cucumbers help you balance the acid-base levels in your body.
Removes toxins
It is a great detox agent. The water from the cucumbers acts as mini vacuum cleaners and sucks out every toxin in the body. Eating cucumbers regularly has also been highly attributed to dissolving kidney stones.
A repository of nutrients
They contain many important vitamins and nutrients which our bodies require daily. Cucumbers are good sources of phytonutrients such as flavonoids, lignans, and triterpenes, which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits. These plant chemicals have protective or disease-preventive properties. Cucumbers also contain antioxidants and enzymes such as erepsin which helps to digest proteins and destroy parasites and tapeworms. They are also a source of vitamin K, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, manganese and vitamin A which our body can’t live without.
Abundant in minerals
Silicon, magnesium, and potassium are the minerals present in cucumbers. They add glow and better your overall skin appearance. The peel and seeds are the most nutrient-rich parts. They contain fibre and beta-carotene. Beta carotene is an antioxidant that helps with immunity, skin, eyes and the prevention of cancer.
Betters digestion and encourages weight loss
They are low in calories. There are just 16 calories in a cup of cucumber with its peel on. If you want to lose weight, you should consume cucumbers as they are low on calories. Apply it with yoghurt and add it to various salads to enrich your diet. The fibre enhances various digestive processes and averts chronic constipation.
Minimizes the chance of cancer
Cucumbers are enriched with chlorophyll and lignin which makes them a great anti-cancer agent and can be particularly helpful in reducing the risk of estrogen-related cancers such as breast, uterus, prostate, and ovarian cancer.
Prevents constipation
The high fibre content of cucumbers again makes it an essential remedy for constipation since it adds bulk and water (through hydration) directly to the colon. They are the best natural diuretics available out there, aiding in the excretion of wastes and dissolving uric acid lumps like kidney and bladder stones.
Apart from consuming the right foods, it is also important that you eat food that is relevant to the season. An all-round, balanced diet is important to ensure your mental and physical balance. Cucumbers stimulate processes such as growth, reproduction and cellular rejuvenation. Munch on this fruit every day and boost your metabolism and immune system without worrying about calories.
