A lot of people view cucumbers as crunchy water. They do not know that cucumbers have multiple benefits for our bodies! Today, we are going to tell you about all the different cucumber benefits and side effects. Check out our article to find out everything there is to know about cucumber benefits and side effects.
Health benefits of cucumber
You might be thinking:
‘What are the health benefits of cucumber? What benefits could it have when it looks and tastes like nothing at all?’ And that is where you are wrong. There are tons of benefits of eating cucumber! In order not to bore you to death, we decided to limit our list of cucumber health benefits to ten points. Without further ado, here are ten health benefits of cucumbers.
- Cucumbers help you with being hydrated. You might have heard that cucumbers are 95% water. But did you know that 159 grams of cucumbers can cover 26% of your water intake for a day? We know, it’s phenomenal.
- Cucumbers keep your heart healthy. Potassium that can be found in cucumbers is great for lowering blood pressure. People that eat cucumbers regularly, are less likely suffer cardiovascular diseases or have a stroke.
- Cucumbers prevent neurological diseases in the brain. The importance of cucumber for the brain cannot be understated. It contains fisetin (an anti-inflammatory element), which reduces the impact of neurological diseases that come with age. It also helps people with Alzheimer’s to maintain their cognitive function.
- Cucumbers protect the skin from aging. It is a known fact that many cosmetic and medical companies use cucumber for skin care products. Cucumber reduces the severity of existing wrinkles and prevents new ones from appearing.
- Cucumbers can reduce the risk of getting cancer and fight inflammation. They contain two important groups of elements: lignans and cucurbitacins. The first group helps the body to fight possible inflammation, while the second blocks the development of cancer cells.
- Cucumbers are great for relieving pain. Flavonoids and tannins that can be found in cucumbers, can reduce pain by limiting the release of free radicals.
- Cucumbers can improve bad breath. As they are rich with water and fibre, they boost the production of saliva in your mouth. This helps to remove the bacteria that is the cause of bad smelling breath.
- Cucumbers make your bones sturdier. They contain vitamin K, which is very important for maintaining healthy bones. It lowers the risk of bone fractures, as it improves the absorption of calcium in the bones.
- Cucumbers can prevent constipation. As we have mentioned before, cucumbers contain lots of fibre and water. Both of these things improve the digestion process and prevent constipation.
- Cucumbers help you stay at a healthy weight. They are a low-calorie food and they contain fibre, which helps the body maintain the proper weight.
There are many more benefits of cucumber, but it is time to talk about how it might be harmful to your health.
Side effects of cucumber
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It might surprise you, but cucumbers can also have certain side effects. Incredible, isn’t it? Here are ten possible side effects that you might experience from eating too many cucumbers.
- Cucumbers might be toxic. The same cucurbitacin that can prevent cancer might be hazardous in large quantities. This element, along with tetracyclic triterpenoids, causes a bitter taste of some cucumbers. The taste serves as a warning that, if you eat too many cucumbers, you might get ill.
- Eating too many cucumbers might lead to dehydration. While we have mentioned before that cucumbers are great for hydration, you should consume them in moderation. Eating large amounts of cucumbers can actually cause dehydration, as certain elements in cucumbers trigger the elimination of fluids from your body.
- Too much Vitamin C is not a good thing. Among other vitamins and important elements, cucumbers contain Vitamin C. Many of us know about its benefits, but not everyone knows about its side effects. When there is too much Vitamin C in your body, it might cause the spread of free radicals. These radicals can harm you in a number of ways, including premature aging, higher risk of cancer, acne and many others.
- Excessive amounts of potassium can harm the renal system. As cucumbers contain potassium, you should not eat too many of them to avoid disruption in the work of your kidneys. High potassium can severely damage your renal system.
- Too many cucumbers can harm your heart. As we have said before, a moderate intake of cucumbers keeps the heart healthy. However, if you eat too many, you might damage your blood vessels and heart by exerting more pressure on them than necessary.
- Cucumbers might not be good for people with milk allergies. This might sound insane, but it is a fact. Many farmers coat their cucumbers in wax to protect them during transportation. Said wax contains milk casein, among other ingredients. Therefore, if you have milk allergy, you might experience an allergic reaction while eating cucumbers.
- Eating cucumbers can cause flatulence and bloating. If you have a delicate digestive system, you might want to stay away from cucumbers. The cucurbitacin we’ve mentioned twice before, can also cause gasses, which can lead to such uncomfortable social incidents like farting and burping.
- Some people are allergic to cucumbers. People that suffer from allergies to bananas, sunflower seeds, ragweed pollen or watermelons might also be allergic to cucumbers in their raw state. Cooked cucumbers are safer, but the safest option would be to remove them from the diet completely.
- Cucumbers are harmful for people with chronic respiratory diseases. If you suffer from chronic diseases like sinusitis, you might worsen your condition by eating cucumbers.
- Not all pregnant women should eat cucumbers. While it is mostly safe to consume cucumbers during pregnancy, you might want to stay away from them until you give birth. They cause frequent urinating and bloating, which can make pregnancy even more uncomfortable than it already is.
As you can see, most of the side effects of cucumbers are triggered if you eat too many of them. Therefore, know your limits and you will be safe!
Nutritional value of cucumber
For those who care about the nutritional values of the foods they consume, we have prepared a breakdown of raw unpeeled cucumber’s nutrition facts. The daily value is calculated according to a regular 2,000-calorie diet.
100 grams of cucumber contain:
- 16 calories
- Total Fat 0.1 g (0% of the daily value)
- Sodium 2 mg (0%)
- Potassium 147 mg (4%)
- Total Carbohydrate 3.6 g (1%)
- Dietary fibre 0.5 g (2%)
- Sugar 1.7 g
- Protein 0.7 g (1%)
- Vitamin A (2%)
- Vitamin C (4%)
- Vitamin K (19%)
- Calcium (1%)
- Iron (1%)
- Magnesium (3%)
- Molybdenum (12%)
Now you know more about the benefits of cucumber, as well as about its side effects and nutritional value. Do you like cucumbers? Do you hate them? Have you learned anything new from this article? Let us know!
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