Cucumber Health Benefits and Side Effects

Introduction

This article will look at cucumber’s health benefits and side effects.

But what are cucumbers?

Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) are part of the family Cucurbitaceae, as are pumpkins, watermelons, cantaloupe, and squash. Cucumbers originated in Southern Asia and the Northern parts of Southeast Asia.

Different names are called cucumbers in South Africa. Cucumbers in Afrikaans definition are “komkommer,” while in IsiZulu are called “ikhukhamba.”

Cucumber Plant

The cucumber plant is a trailing vine covering a large ground area without a trellis to climb. The cucumber plant has large, hairy, dark green leaves that are semi-triangular. The cucumber plant supports itself with a strong taproot that can grow to about one meter, although most beneficial roots are in the top 30 cm of soil.

The cucumber plant produces both male, which appears first, and female yellow flowers. Female flowers have distinctive swollen ovaries at the base of the flower, which later form the cylindrical-shaped fruit. About ten male flowers will bloom for every female flower.

Cucumber plants grow as vines or bushes.

There are two main varieties: English/Dutch, used in salads, and the Beta Alpha cucumber, to make gherkins.

The English cucumber grows between 25cm and 30cm in length. In contrast, the Beta Alpha cucumber grows between 12cm and 15cm when mature.

Cucumber Uses

There is a variety of cucumber uses.

The English cucumber is suitable for fresh consumption as a salad. Cucumber has very high water content and soft skin. You can eat regular cucumber while fresh. However, peeling is necessary because of its rugged and slightly bitter skin.

Cucumbers are loaded with nutrients but are low in calories, fat, cholesterol, and sodium.

The cucumber is a diuretic and cleans the digestive system. It also breaks down uric acid and is suitable for people living with arthritis.

Cucumber Types

Pexels: Fayza Tugba

Is cucumber a fruit or a vegetable? Cucumbers are technically fruits. However, they are thought of as vegetables because of their savoury flavour. 

Cucumbers are sliced and pickled. 

Slicing cucumbers, such as those in salads, sandwiches, and spas, are good to eat raw. Pickling cucumbers are smaller with more seeds and thicker skin. This feature allows them to stay crispy through the pickling process. Their spines are either white or black.

Slicing Cucumber Varieties

Slicing cucumber varieties comprise of:

• Hot House Cucumbers are burpless, elongated, and have fewer seeds. They are crisp flesh, thin skin, and typically wrapped in plastic to retain moisture for practical use.
• Armenian, or snake Cucumbers: long and twisted with thin, dark green skin, some seeds, and mild taste with hints of cantaloupe. They are primarily for pickling.
• Lemon Cucumbers are round or oval, the size of a lemon, with yellow to gold skin when ripe.
• Persian Cucumbers: they are shorter, cylindrical-shaped, crunchier, and less watery. These are full of edible seeds with a mild and sweet taste and slightly bitter.
• Japanese Cucumbers are dark green and narrow, and the skin is thin and slim. You can eat them whole. 

Pickling Cucumber

Kirby Cucumbers: these are for dill pickles. They are crispy, with thin skin and tiny seeds.

Cucumber Nutritional Facts

Remember, your body is about 60% water. Yet cucumbers beat you by far with their water content.

 However, most cucumbers are about 95% water, making them an excellent food for your overall hydration strategy.

Cucumbers comprise:

Energy, kilojoules 52.0 kJ

Calories 12

Protein 0, 59 g

Fat, Total 0,16 g

– Saturated 0,01 g

– Cholesterol 0,0 mg

Carbs total 2, 16 g

Dietary fibre 0, 7 g

Magnesium, Mg 12, 0 mg

Iron, Fe 0, 22 mg

Cucumbers contain vitamin K1, vitamin A, potassium, and manganese. Cucumbers are rich in antioxidants, including beta-carotene, vitamin C, tannins, and flavonoids. Flavonoids can help reduce inflammation and protect against chronic diseases. 

Antioxidants help in removing substances from the body known as free radicals. Free radicals result in natural bodily processes and others from outside pressures, such as pollution. Too much collection of free radicals in the body leads to various ailments. 

The bitter compound cucurbitacin in the skin and seeds of cucumbers. This terpene may contribute to the cucumber’s health benefits.

Cucumber Health Benefits

Pexels: Chan Walrus

Besides others using cucumber as a gel mask, fragrance, or bath and body cucumber lemon, cucumbers are good for you.

Cucumber Water Benefits

Cucumbers consist primarily of water. They also contain essential electrolytes. Cucumbers can help prevent dehydration in hot weather or after a workout.

Keeping yourself hydrated is necessary to maintain a healthy intestine, prevent constipation, and avoid kidney stones.

Cucumber is one of the most hydrating foods. 

Cucumber and Digestion

Flavonoids in cucumber-like kaempferol, quercetin, narcissin, and orientin are responsible for their antispasmodic effects.

Are Cucumbers Good for Type 2 Diabetes?

Cucumbers have a low glycemic index (GI). Because of their low glycemic index, no added carbohydrates are added in your body that can increase blood glucose.

Oxidative and carbonyl stress are two driving forces causing type 2 diabetes. I had to look up that second one. Carbonyl stress results from carbonyl compounds such as oxidized fats and proteins.

A 2016 study showed that liquid extracts of cucumber fruits could block oxidative and carbonyl stress in the liver cells of highly stressed rats. Hence, they exerted protective effects against complications typically seen in type 2 diabetes.

This study is suggestive that cucumbers slow or reverse type 2 diabetes in humans. Further research on cucumber’s effects on humans is necessary for certainty of its impact on type 2 diabetes.

Cucumber Heart Benefits

An excellent Iranian study was conducted in 2016 that assessed the effects of cucumber seed extract on cardiovascular biomarkers. Forty-seven people with high blood lipids participated in the study; all had a heightened risk of atherosclerosis.

Researchers randomly assigned participants to a capsule daily. This capsule contains 500mg of the extract or a placebo. After six weeks, The group receiving cucumber seed extract when examined after six weeks had significantly lower BMI, triglycerides, and cholesterol.

The Cucurbitacin in cucumber may also help prevent atherosclerosis.

Are Cucumbers Good For Inflammation?

Cucumbers may have anti-inflammatory benefits.

Studies show inflammation may help trigger the development of various health conditions. These health conditions include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and depression.

A 2018 Mexican study discovered that cucumber solution increased nitric oxide availability. This crucial compound signals the endothelium to relax, allowing greater blood flow at lower pressure.

Cucumber Cancer Benefits

The cucumber is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family. Cucumbers contain lots of bitter-tasting nutrients known as Cucurbitacin.

The International Journal of Health Services article suggests that cucurbitacins help prevent cancer by stopping cancer cells from reproducing.

 Cucurbitacin C, a bitter compound in cucumbers, shows promise as a potential anticancer agent. 

Cucumber for Weight Loss

Who doesn’t want to lose weight? Can cucumber reduce belly fat?

Cucumbers can help you lose weight in a few different ways.

 Cucumbers are low in calories but nutrient-dense. You can eat cucumbers as much as you like without extra calories to gain weight. The high water content of cucumbers helps you lose weight.

Cucumbers Side Effects

Cucumber Indigestion

 Cucumbers are generally an excellent and healthy food. However, a few things to remember when considering including them in your diet.

Some people find some types of cucumber hard to digest. The Cucurbitacin in the un burpless cucumbers triggers indigestion, bloating, and gas.

In South Africa, commercially grown cucumbers and other members of the cucumber family rarely have high levels of Cucurbitacin. You can consume cucumber without fear of side effects.

Vitamin K in Cucumbers

Cucumbers contain a relatively high vitamin K. Vitamin A is essential for blood clotting and bone health. Individuals taking blood thinning medication should monitor their vitamin K intake to ensure they have about the same daily amount. Overeating vitamin K can counteract the effects of blood thinners, thus increasing the risk of blood clots.

Vitamin K affects blood thinners, known as anticoagulants, which interrupt the clotting pathway to prevent blood clots from forming. In contrast, vitamin K helps activate clotting factors. 

However, this is a minor issue for many cucumber consumers. Instead, consuming moderate amounts of vitamin K–rich foods is beneficial to your health.

Pesticide and Cucumbers

Environmental Working Group (EWG) ranks cucumbers at number 20. The number 20 is on their list of the most pesticide-contaminated foods.

Therefore, you can consume cucumbers without any fear of pesticide contamination if you wash them thoroughly. Be careful not to overdo your washing because you’ll lose fibre and many vitamins and minerals in the skin. 

Cucumbers are Good for You

Cucumbers are a popular fruit, although many think it’s a vegetable. Cucumbers nourish your body with vitamins K1, A, magnesium, potassium, and manganese. Cucumbers contain important disease-fighting antioxidants. Several studies show they have properties that impact healthy digestion, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and inflammation and may have anticancer properties.

Grown conventionally, as our South African farmers do, they are not prone to significant pesticide exposure.  

 Others may experience digestive issues when consuming bitter cucumbers with a high cucurbitacin content.

However, cucumbers can be a healthy choice, especially with a balanced diet.