Crunch Your Way to Hydration

by Michelle Sutton-Kerchner

Cucumbers don’t get much credit. That’s about to change …

Cukes do not resemble the frequently praised power produce. They aren’t dark in deep color or leafy. Almost everyone eats them because of their mild taste, unlike kale, cranberries, or Brussels sprouts. Hence, it is often incorrectly assumed cucumbers lack nutritional value. Not true! Here are reasons you can get away with serving this easy side without guilt.

You Can Only Drink So Much

Managing your daily fluid intake can be a challenge– and a boring one! By your third water refill, your taste buds may be crying for variety. At about 96 percent water, cucumbers are the solution. Boost your hydration by crunching on these. They also add refreshing flavor to water. Add a couple slices for a little joy in your next chug. They are low in calories so snack away!

It’s a Healthy Way to Satisfy

One cup of cucumbers has only 16 calories. Combined with their high water content, these are a great way to satiate appetite. Snack on them while watching a show in place of chips and other high-fat foods. Swap them out for cheese, pickles, and less-healthy toppings. A series of studies linked eating high-water, low-calorie foods to decreased body weight. Cucumbers take up big space in the belly with little calories.

They Help Prevent Certain Diseases

Cucumbers nutritional content may help protect you against:

• Cancer: Credit their high antioxidant content, including lignans. Antioxidants block harmful free radicals, which helps reduce cancer risk. Studies suggest lignans may be especially helpful in protecting against breast, ovary, uterus, and prostate cancers.
• Heart Disease: Attribute this benefit to their many antioxidants, including flavonoids. Cucumber seeds may help blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
• Osteoporosis: Vitamin K is at the top of a cucumber’s “ingredients listing.” One cup of unpeeled cucumber slices provides over 20 percent of the daily vitamin K recommendation. Vitamin K works with vitamin D to protect and build bones.
• Diabetes: Although additional studies are required, there is promise cucumbers can help lower blood sugar levels and minimize complications associated with diabetes.

Great at Freshening Breath

Crunch on some slices to help wash away bacteria that causes bad breath. Their water content combines with increased saliva production to freshen your mouth. Have a few forkfuls between meal courses to clear your palate.

Helps Cure Those Telltale Eyes

There is a reason the skincare world has capitalized on cucumbers in the form of masks, peels, and serums. Their pulp is a soothing combination of water, vitamin C, and anti-inflammatory properties. It is helpful in calming skin irritations, acne, and sunburn. A slice placed strategically over each eye reduces puffy, tired peepers—banish any appearance of late-night mayhem.

Cool Down

If these aren’t enough reasons to slice up a cuke, consider its core can be up to 20 degrees cooler than the outside air. Crunch on one and chill out.

Sources

“7 Health Benefits of Cucumbers” by Cynthia Sass at health.com.

“7 Health Benefits of Eating Cucumber” by Rachael Link at healthline.com.

CDC.gov

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