Cucumber is an edible crop (vegetable) which comes from the Cucurbitaceae family. They are long, lean and green vegetables. They are fruits and vegetables as well. They can be eaten raw (fruit) or cooked (vegetables). Cucumbers are creeping vines that have slight melon-like taste and sometimes can be slightly bitter. There are three main varieties of cucumber and they are slicing, pickling and burpless/seedless within which several cultivars have created.
Cucumbers originate from South Asia but now grows on most continent hence its trade on the global market. They are creeping vine that root from the ground and grows up trellises or other supporting frames, wrapping around and supports with thin spiral tendrils.
The followings are some of the benefits of cucumber:
- IT CONTAINS ANTIOXIDANTS
Antioxidants are molecules that block oxidation, a chemical reaction that forms highly reactive atoms with unpaired electrons known as free radicals. The accumulation of these harmful free radicals can lead to several types of chronic illness. In fact, oxidative stress caused by free radicals has been associated with cancer and heart, lung and autoimmune disease. Fruits and vegetables, including cucumbers, are especially rich in beneficial antioxidants that may reduce the risk of these conditions.
- IT PROMOTES HYDRATION
Water is crucial to your body’s function, playing numerous important roles. It is involved in processes like temperature regulation and the transportation of waste products and nutrients. In fact, proper hydration can affect everything from physical performance to metabolism.
- IT MAY AID IN WEIGHT LOSS
Cucumbers could potentially help you lose weight in a few different ways.First of all, they are low in calories.Each one-cup (104-gram) serving contains just 16 calories, while an entire 11-ounce (300-gram) cucumber contains only 45 calories. This means that you can eat plenty of cucumbers without packing on the extra calories that lead to weight gain.
- IT MAY LOWER BLOOD SUGAR
Several animal and test-tube studies have found that cucumbers may help reduce blood sugar levels and prevent some complications of diabetes. One animal study examined the effects of various plants on blood sugar. Cucumbers were shown to effectively reduce and control blood sugar levels. Another animal study induced diabetes in mice and then supplemented them with cucumber peel extract. Cucumber peel reversed most of the diabetes-associated changes and caused a decrease in blood sugar.
SOURCE:
- REACHEL LINKS- HEALTHLINE CONDITIONS.
- CUCUMBER ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITTAINICCA {1998} 2019.
ARTICLE BY: ANUM JUSTICE OBODAI