Written By Miranda Regalado
“Sometimes you want to eat an entire cucumber; let me show you the way to do it.” It is truly astonishing to see the impact social media has on our lives. Whether you’ve heard it before or you’ve already tried Logan’s Cucumber Salad ideas, the way in which a viral video has the entire online community eating cucumbers is amazing, going as far as influencing Walmart, who started to offer pre-sliced cucumbers and placing plastic containers next to the produce aisle.
If you are jumping on this trend or you were already a fan of cucumbers, this is all you need to know. For starters, a cucumber is a fruit, not a vegetable. It has a high concentration of water and soluble fiber, making it very hydrating and promoting weight loss, plus it has low calories. Although I am not a fan, experts recommend eating the peel as well to maximize nutrient absorption. A great benefit of cucumbers is their ability to cleanse the body, absorbing concentrations of old waste material and chemical toxins, helping the body dispose of them.
A reason why Logan’s way of eating an entire cucumber is so healthy for us is that you are able to utilize the entire fruit. Yes, there are benefits even in the seeds as they have a cooling effect on the body and also prevent constipation. Another great benefit is the topical use; fresh fruit juice application can nourish the skin, has soothing action, reduces swelling and irritation, including the ability to alleviate sunburn pain. And of course, we can’t leave behind the famous slices on the eyes to reduce morning puffiness, promoting circulation.
The more we research, the more benefits are found. There is a study done on the use of cucumber peel that helped manage symptoms of diabetes in mice; it turns out, some of their potent antioxidants are contained in the peel. Another theory involves the effect of cucurbitacins compounds that help to regulate insulin release, which might help control and prevent diabetes. Of course, more studies should be done on this matter, and cucumbers do not replace medical treatment for this disease, but they do show promising results. Another study done on 122 patients suffering from moderate knee osteoarthritis showed that the use of a cucumber extract twice daily was effective in reducing pain and helping them manage stiffness and physical function. The results showed a score of 70.29% improvement after 180 days.
To summarize, this wonderful fruit is refreshing, nutritious, and versatile, fitting into our lifestyles from salads to sandwiches, whether raw, fresh, or pickled. There are countless ways to promote health within our body by eating a delicious cucumber.
