kerescan - Jun 23rd, 2015

Ordinary cucumber, the so-called annual herbaceous plant of the gourd family. This amazing fruit was known more than 6 thousand years ago. Their homeland is considered to be the tropical and subtropical regions of India and China.

The calorie content of cucumbers is small, 15 kcal per 100 grams of the product.

Fresh cucumbers contain 95% water, very few carbohydrates and proteins.

The rest includes vitamins C, B1, B2, P, carotene and macro and microelements. Therefore, cucumbers are so useful, because these substances are essential to maintain the metabolic process. Cucumber also contains a lot of potassium, it contributes to the rapid removal of excess water from the body.

Health benefits of cucumbers

The benefits of fresh cucumbers for the body are multifaceted, they have choleretic, diuretic, laxative effects, improve appetite.

They are used for diseases of the cardiovascular system, liver, kidneys, obesity, gout and many others.

There are enzymes in cucumbers that contribute to better absorption of animal proteins, preventing carbohydrates from being converted into fats. Because of this property, nutritionists believe that meat dishes are best combined with cucumber salad.

Fiber, which is quite a lot in cucumbers, removes “bad” cholesterol from the body. Fresh cucumbers are recommended for atherosclerosis.

Cucumbers also help with burns, and they are also used against acne and certain skin diseases.

Cucumber is rich in alkaline salts that neutralize acidic compounds, thereby improving metabolic processes, preventing premature aging, the deposition of stones in the liver and kidneys.

Cucumber is also a good source of iodine, a compound that is well tolerated by the body.

Fresh cucumber is an indispensable tool for those who want to lose weight, it can be eaten in large quantities and added to any diet. It effectively controls appetite, improves digestion, and creates a feeling of satiety.

Cucumbers are also used in cosmetics, an extract from fresh cucumbers is part of bleaching agents, and alcoholic cucumber tincture is also used for oily skin.

In winter, pickled cucumbers are useful. They well remove toxins and toxins, help the absorption of protein. Pickled cucumber brine is used as a laxative.

Harm and contraindications of cucumbers

Harm from cucumbers can affect the increased acidity of the stomach. Therefore, cucumbers are contraindicated in peptic ulcers of the digestive system.

There are restrictions on pickles. They can not be people with diseases of the liver, kidneys, cardiovascular system, hypertension, atherosclerosis and during pregnancy.

For many years, nutritionists treated this vegetable crop with a little disdain. It was believed that there was practically no benefit from the cucumber. Indeed, what can be useful in a vegetable that is 95% water? What can be nutritious there? However, later scientists found out that cucumber is a wonderful dietary plant product that has many useful properties, for example, it has a pronounced diuretic, choleretic effect.

In ancient times, when the great ancient healer Hippocrates lived and worked, cucumbers were used as an antipyretic, anti-inflammatory agent, they were credited with healing properties for gout, intestinal diseases, and other ailments. Modern medicine recommends a fresh vegetable to cleanse the kidneys and eliminate edema. Nutritionists advise using it to reduce weight.

How else is cucumber useful for the human body? Let's talk about this in more detail:

How useful is cucumber?

It should be noted that contrary to popular belief, cucumbers contain not only water. Their composition is enriched with potassium, magnesium, phosphorus. There is iron, iodine, a small amount of vitamins B, C and carotene.

The use of these vegetables in fresh form improves digestion, promotes better absorption of food. They are recommended to be included in the diet for diseases of the kidneys, liver, stomach diseases.
They help the body to remove excess accumulated fluid, which helps to get rid of
edema. Cucumbers contain many valuable alkaline salts. These substances slow down the aging process, prevent the occurrence of kidney stones, liver.

Freshly squeezed cucumber juice is especially useful for the human body. Its regular use will help cure a lingering cough, it is used in the complex treatment of respiratory catarrhs, it is recommended to drink with stomach pains to normalize the acid balance. Due to the high content of minerals: potassium, sodium, phosphorus, the vegetables themselves, as well as their juice, are very useful for strengthening the heart muscle.

A very effective remedy for the treatment of constipation is cucumber infusion:

Wash large fruits, cut into large pieces or rings, place in a 3-liter jar. Fill the jar to the top with a moderately salty water solution. Close the jar, put it in a warm, sunny place. It will be possible to use the infusion in a month. Take a quarter cup after meals.

By the way, not only the fruits themselves are useful for the human body. Leaves and long stems are also used for treatment and healing. Decoctions are prepared from them, which have antipyretic, anti-inflammatory properties.

A decoction of cucumber leaves is taken for fever. A decoction of bitter fruits is effective in the treatment of jaundice, since it is he who most effectively “accelerates” bile. From the dried roots of the plant, a powder is prepared to induce vomiting. Well, Indians, for example, use dried cucumber flowers in the treatment of malaria.

It is impossible not to mention the well-known property of this vegetable - to reduce weight. Therefore, probably, not a single popular diet is complete without a cucumber. Let's take a closer look at this property:

Cucumber diet for weight loss

This vegetable is great for weight loss purposes. Unlike strict diets, cucumber
- does not harm the body. With its help, you can quickly, without any damage to health, lose 2-3 extra pounds.

It is based on the fact that after eating, the cucumber mass, which contains a minimum of calories, fills almost the entire stomach and the feeling of hunger quickly dulls. In addition, during such a diet, the intestines are cleansed of toxins, toxins, and other harmful substances. The skin is also cleansed.

Nutrition involves the use of a salad of fresh cucumbers with the addition of garden greens according to your desire. The salad is dressed with kefir, yogurt or lemon juice. This dish is eaten throughout the day, little by little, but often. In the afternoon, you can add a piece of dried rye bread. You need to drink 5-2.0 liters of water per day, including green tea, dried fruit compote (all without sugar).

Well, and who is not in danger of being overweight, you can cook a very tasty festive dish of large cucumbers. It will decorate any table, including New Year's.

Delicious Recipe:

Cucumbers stuffed with crab meat

For cooking you will need: 3 medium or large fresh cucumbers, 2 packs of simulated crab meat, 3 boiled potatoes, lettuce, thick mayonnaise, a little sour cream. Also needed: 1 tbsp. l 3% balsamic or wine vinegar, finely chopped, a small bunch of herbs. Salt, pepper - take at your discretion.

Cooking:

Finely chop crab meat, crumble cold boiled potatoes. Combine together, mix with a mixture of sour cream and mayonnaise. Pour in the vinegar. Add salt, pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Wash cucumbers, peel off the skin. Cut in half. With a spoon, remove the seeds and a solid part of the pulp from each half. Fill each half with cooked minced meat. Arrange lettuce leaves on a dish, mark the stuffed halves on top. Sprinkle with herbs. Bon appetit and stay healthy!

One of the most common vegetables in our dachas and gardens, unpretentious and very juicy, while the most ancient vegetable crop. What's this? Of course, cucumber.

This vegetable was given to us by mysterious India, where wild cucumbers are a tropical vine growing in forests. The very name of the vegetable was given back in ancient times, the Greeks called this vegetable "aguros", which literally means "unripe, unripe". Indeed, the smaller, greener and more unripe the cucumber, the better and tastier it is.

Cucumber seeds found in the ruins of the Khazar city of Sarkepa testify to the antiquity of the use of cucumbers by mankind. And in ancient Egypt, cucumbers were depicted on sacrificial tables and placed in the tombs of the most famous pharaohs.

The wide popularity and prevalence of cucumbers is primarily due to their unique beneficial properties, which are used by traditional healers to treat many ailments. Moreover, not only fresh cucumbers, but also cucumber juice and seeds are used.

Composition of cucumber

Cucumber is the most dietary of all diet foods. The thing is that in composition it consists of 95-98% water, which means it contains a minimum of calories. But in addition to water, cucumber is a source of valuable alkaline salts, vitamins, fiber and other nutrients.

Not everyone knows that the small spikes that cucumbers are covered with serve to remove excess moisture.

100 g of cucumbers contain the following substances:

15 Health Benefits of Cucumber

1. Cosmetic properties

   Cucumber is rich in silicon, which is an important component that helps in the development of strong and healthy connective tissues of muscles, ligaments, tendons, cartilage and bones. Beauticians often recommend cucumber juice to give the skin a healthy and radiant effect. Cucumber also has excellent moisturizing properties due to its high water content and is often used topically to treat various types of skin conditions, including sunburn and puffiness under the eyes. Ascorbic acid and caffeic acid found in cucumbers are vital compounds that prevent water loss from the body.

2. healthy digestion

   Cucumbers, thanks to the perfect combination of dietary fiber and water in them, help protect your body from constipation and cope with ailments such as ulcers, hyperacidity of gastric juice, gastritis. Cucumber improves intestinal motility, and also facilitates the work of the pancreas and is easily absorbed in the digestive tract and without its participation.

3. Healthy heart and blood vessels

   Numerous studies show that consuming foods high in magnesium, potassium, and fiber improves blood pressure.

4. No to diabetes

   Cucumbers are an excellent product that normalizes blood sugar levels. In addition, the glycemic index of this vegetable is zero, and the carbohydrates contained in cucumbers are easily digested and do not increase the level of glucose in the blood of diabetics.

5. Healthy bones and joints

   Due to the content of silicon, vitamin A, B1, B6, C and D, calcium, magnesium and potassium, cucumbers have a diuretic property and can actively remove accumulated metabolic products and toxins from the body. All these substances contribute to the strengthening of joints and bone tissue. Cucumbers have been shown to be effective in treating arthritis and rheumatic conditions, and when combined with carrot juice, they can reduce the symptoms of gout.

6. Cancer Prevention

7. Helps with a hangover

   Due to the high content of water, sugar and vitamins, cucumbers do an excellent job with a hangover and the unpleasant symptoms that accompany it.

Cucumbers are extremely low-calorie, do not contain fat, but only water, vitamins and mineral salts. Therefore, the product is an ideal ingredient in any diet salad or smoothie. Moreover, cucumbers can be consumed without fear for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

8. Healthy teeth and gums

   Cucumber juice is effective in treating inflammation of the gums, periodontitis, and the use of raw cucumber increases salivation and reduces the harmful effects of acids and other substances contained in the food consumed on tooth enamel. In addition, eating cucumber after the main meal will reduce bad breath.

9. Gets rid of worms.

   It is believed that powdered cucumber seeds are a natural remedy for the prevention and control of tapeworms in the digestive tract.

10. Beautiful and healthy hair

    Cucumber juice stimulates the growth of new hair due to the content of silicon and sulfur in its composition. Hair especially needs these nutrients, so experts recommend consuming half a glass of freshly squeezed cucumber juice. For best results, try combining cucumber juice with carrot juice, lettuce juice, or even green spinach What useful substances are contained in Spinach and how it helps our body. At what diseases it is recommended to use spinach and its chemical composition. Harm and contraindications for use. .

It’s good to crunch a cucumber, picking it right from the garden, as they say “on the run”. Nothing beats the taste and smell! What about crispness? Sheer pleasure! What is the use of cucumber? Some consider it a completely "empty" vegetable. But in reality this is far from the case.

Now we are used to seeing cucumbers on the shelves all year round. In terms of their qualities, they are far from their summer counterpart, but every housewife in any season believes that a cucumber must be in her refrigerator. Salad, vinaigrette - how to do without it?

A bit of history

This popular vegetable is native to India. In this country, and until now you can find wild cucumbers, like creepers, wrapping around trees in the forests. Cucumbers are also planted as hedges.

In ancient Greece and Rome, not a single dinner of emperors was complete without a cucumber (almost like we have now).

Whether or not there was actually such a story - I do not know. But they say that at one time the Turkish Sultan Magomed II received a gift from the Indian ruler of 10 outlandish fruits. They were cucumbers. Gifts on a platter were placed in the main hall, and the Sultan periodically came to admire them. And once again, one cucumber was missing. The Sultan was very angry and ordered his courtiers to cut open the stomachs to find out which of them had eaten the gift. This is such a sad story.

Now cucumbers are not uncommon! Many varieties have been bred and in our country they grow well and bear fruit. They differ in appearance, but small cucumbers are still considered the most valuable. Cucumbers are loved, they even erect monuments, dedicate holidays held in the summer, and some cities become simply cucumber “capitals”, for example, Lukhovitsy, Nizhyn.

Chemical composition

To answer the question "what is the use of cucumber?" you need to get acquainted with its chemical composition. Water makes up 95 - 97%, fats, proteins and carbohydrates make up a very small amount. Vitamins contain vitamin C, carotene, vitamin PP, B, N. From macro and microelements, a sufficient amount of potassium can be noted. In addition, it contains calcium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, sulfur, iodine.

What are the benefits of cucumbers?

• First of all, I would like to note that the content of potassium in fruits makes this vegetable useful for the cardiovascular system and kidneys. Cucumbers regulate blood pressure, both high and low, thanks to the magnesium and potassium they contain and the ability to remove excess fluid from the body.
• Cucumber fiber is favorable for the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, it binds harmful metabolic products and promotes their removal from the body. This also applies to the hated cholesterol for all of us.
• When eaten regularly, cucumber reduces the level of uric acid and helps cleanse the organs of the excretory system from sand and stones. Has diuretic properties.
• Cucumber is a champion in water content, and structured water, which is called living. Minerals dissolved in cucumber water make it extremely useful for humans.
• If you do not like to drink water, then at least eat cucumbers.
• The low calorie content of cucumbers makes them a favorite product for those who want to lose those extra pounds. In addition, they prevent the conversion of carbohydrates into fats. Arrange fasting days on cucumbers! And it's simple, if you watch your weight, then if you want to chew something - take a cucumber!
• Cucumbers have a laxative property and their daily consumption will help to cope with problems such as constipation.
• Cucumber increases appetite
• It is a good source of iodine and it has even been noted that lovers of this vegetable rarely have problems with the thyroid gland.
• Cucumber juice or gruel will help to cope with the unpleasant consequences of a sunburn.
• The choleretic properties of cucumber make it useful for healing the liver and biliary tract, removing sand and dissolving stones.
• We all know that cucumber is actively used in cosmetology. Yes, and each of us does not forget to wipe the face with cucumber juice or stick circles on the skin. Trace elements: potassium, silicon, magnesium, sulfur - make it useful for our skin, nails and hair. Cucumber cleanses and soothes the skin with acne and inflammation, whitens freckles. Cucumber circles placed on the eyes will help get rid of edema.
• Silicon, which is part of the cucumber, is involved in strengthening the connective tissue, thereby helping with joint diseases and reducing pain.

Contraindications

Fresh cucumbers increase the acidity of gastric juice, so it is better not to eat them for people suffering from gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer.

Salted and pickled cucumbers lose all their beneficial properties. So eating them is just a feast for our taste buds. Moreover, an excess of salt is completely unnecessary for people with diseases of the cardiovascular system, pregnant women, people with diseases of the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract.

By the way, during an exacerbation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys, it is better to refuse fresh cucumbers.

Recipes for using cucumber as a remedy

Not only fruits, but also flowers, leaves and even seeds have medicinal properties. It is very convenient to use cucumber juice as a medicine.

Probably the most popular use of cucumbers is cucumber fasting days for obesity and for its prevention. During such unloading, you can eat up to two kilograms of cucumbers per day. Salt try not to use or quite a minimum. Calorie content of 100g cucumber 15 kcal. So, even after eating two kilograms, you won’t gain many calories.

If you drink the eaten cucumber with milk or water, you can clean the intestines well. To improve bowel function, traditional medicine advises eating cucumbers with honey or drinking juice with honey.

A decoction of the flowers is used to treat malaria. To prepare it, a tablespoon of dried flowers is poured with a glass of boiling water and boiled for 2-3 minutes. The broth is cooled and filtered. Take a third of a glass during the day.

A mixture of cucumber and help with rheumatic diseases.

The juice is also useful for poor condition of teeth and gums.

Strengthens the nervous system, reduces the risk of atherosclerosis, improves memory. At one time, you can drink 100 ml of pure cucumber juice. But it is great to mix with apple, tomato, blackcurrant, grapefruit juice.

You can drink a liter of cucumber juice per day. To improve the taste, the juice can be flavored with dill, garlic, curdled milk or other juices.

If we talk about the use of cucumber as a skin care, then sticking circles on the skin seems ineffective to me. Personally, I rub a cucumber on a fine grater, take an old soft, thin cloth or gauze, soak it with cucumber juice (gruel) and apply it on my face. If the fabric is sparse, then it’s quite possible to breathe through it, and if it’s hard for you, then cut holes for your nose or mouth. But so the skin will perfectly drink cucumber juice!

Cucumbers are an annual herbaceous vegetable plant of the gourd family.

Cucumbers first appeared in the Himalayas over 3,000 years ago. From there, vegetables were brought to Egypt, and the ancient Jews grew them in Galilee. In France, cucumbers began to be cultivated in the 9th century.

Cucumber came to Russia from Byzantium. Its Russian name is derived from the Greek word "unripe, unripe". And all because the taste of a fresh young cucumber is better than a mature one.

Cucumbers are eaten fresh, salted and pickled, sometimes stuffed or cooked - stewed, stewed, sautéed, fried, baked and served as a side dish for meat or fish.

Composition of cucumbers

Cucumbers are mainly composed of water - 96%, and contain 12 kcal per 100 g, which makes them a healthy and dietary product for women and men.

The composition of the cucumber includes folic, nicotinic and pantothenic acid, thiamine and beta-carotene.

vitamins

• C - 2.8 mg;
• A - 105 IU;
• E, 0.03 mg;
• K - 16.4 mcg.

Minerals

Calorie cucumber - 16 kcal per 100 gr.

Vitamins and minerals from cucumbers support our health and effectively fight diseases.

For the immune system

For the musculoskeletal system

Vitamin K from cucumbers has a beneficial effect on bone health. Eating cucumbers reduces the risk of fractures, increases bone density and maintains calcium balance in the body.

For the cardiovascular system

Cucumbers contain potassium, which protects against heart disease. Fresh cucumbers and their juice reduce cases of hypertension and promote the expansion of blood vessels.