Monday, June 14, 2010

How Healthy are Cucumbers?


I never thought cucumbers had much nutritional value...but I guess I was wrong.  Take a look at the nutrition found in a cucumber!
You may want to grow some organic cukes of your own because cucumbers are a healthy fruit from the same family as pumpkin, zucchini and other squashes.
100 grams of cucumber has
•    Vitamin A 180 I.U.
•    Niacin Trace
•    Vitamin C 9 mg.
•    Calcium 32 mg.
•    Iron 1.8 mg.
•    Phosphorus 27 mg.
•    Potassium 80 mg.
•    Carbohydrates 17 gm.
•    Calories 70
Some of the reported health benefits include
•    Cucumber is best natural diuretic known, secreting and promoting the flow of urine.
•    Helps in kidney and urinary bladder disease.
•    Liver disease
•    Pancreatic disease
•    The potassium content of cucumber makes it highly useful for conditions of high and low blood pressure.
•    Cucumber contains erepsin, the enzyme that helps to digest protein.
•    The high silicon and sulphur content of the cucumber is said to promote the growth of hair, especially when the juice of the cucumber is added to the juice of carrot, lettuce and spinach.
•    A mixture of cucumber juice with carrot juice is said to be beneficial for rheumatic conditions resulting from excessive uric acid in the body.
•    Cucumber juice is also valuable for helping diseases of the teeth, gums, especially in cases of pyorrhea.
•    The high mineral content of this vegetable also helps to prevent splitting of nails of the fingers and toes.
•    Cucumber, radish and bitter gourd are beneficial in diabetes.

Deborah Mumm
The Allergy Queen
Healthy Environments, Inc.

2 comments:

kat2757 said...

I knew they where healthy, but that's impresive...
There is a "Cucumber Salad" with "Tzatziki Dressing" that is very easy to make and very refreshing on hot summer days...
It contains cucumber on the salad and in the dressing...

Unknown said...

Who knew? I'll be eating a lot more cucumbers from now on! Thanks for the great info!