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The cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is a widely cultivated plant in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, which includes squash, and in the same genus as the muskmelon. It is from Cucurbitaceous family like zucchini, melon, squash and pumpkin. Like watermelon, these mostly contain water and are low in calories. These contain a lot of nutrients. Its flesh is crunchy and dense but also contains a lot of water. Cucumber is a good source of dietary fiber. The plant is a creeping vine which bears cylindrical edible fruit. There are three main varieties of cucumber: “slicing”, “pickling”, and “burpless”. Within these varieties, several different cultivars have emerged. The cucumber is originally from India, but is now grown in most of the continents. Many different varieties are traded on the global market.

It rids the body of extra fluids and removes toxins and harmful wastes from the body. The flesh contains adequate quantity of vitamin C, folic acid and vitamin A. The hard skin of cucumber contains a lot of fiber. It has adequate silica and assists in strengthening bones, ligaments, blood vessels and tendons. Other minerals that are found in skin of cucumber are magnesium and potassium.

Health Benefits of Cucumber

TREATS HIGHBLOOD PRESSURE
Juice of cucumber contains a lot of potassium, magnesium and traces of sodium that work effectively for regulating blood pressure. This makes cucumber good for treating both low and high blood pressure.

HELPFUL FOR LOSING WEIGHT
Cucumber is high on the list for diet to be taken for weight loss. Its high water content and no calories make it ideal for losing weight effectively. It keeps the body satiated with water and keeps away hunger pangs and at the same time does not add to the fat intake. The high water content flushes out the toxins from the body. Its anti-oxidants prevent the free radicals from causing any harm to the body’s cellular structure too.

HELPFUL FOR TREATING PYORRHEA
Cucumber is very useful for treating various teeth and gums related problems especially pyorrhea as it is a rich source of vitamin C.

CURES SKIN PROBLEMS
Cucumber skin contains silica that helps in forming healthier connective tissue for the skin giving the person a healthier skin, cartilage, bone, tendons, ligaments and muscles. Cucumber is very useful for skin problems, sunburns and also for curing swelling under the eyes. Beauticians have been using cucumber generously and advice placing cucumber slices on the eyes. It contains caffeic acid which assists in preventing water retention. Placing two cucumber slices on eyes for ten minutes can reduce the puffiness considerably. Cucumber is also known to be beneficial for curing skin diseases like eczema. Cucumber oil when combined with olive oil is excellent for curing blackheads, acne, boils etc. Vitamin A, B & C in cucumber helps maintain a healthy and glowing skin.

HELPFUL FOR DIABETICS
Through research it has shown that cucumber contains a hormone that is required by the pancreas to produce more insulin and is thus an essential diet for diabetics. Also the carbohydrate content in cucumber is nutrient carbohydrates and so the glycemic index of cucumber is zero. These carbohydrates are quickly digested and do not increase the sugar level in diabetics and can be easily consumed. Also due to its skin healing properties it is highly recommended for diabetics as generally the healing process in diabetics is comparatively much slower.

KEEPS BODY HYDRATED AND COOL
Cucumber has 96% water content that is more nutritious than ordinary water and it helps in keeping the body hydrated and regulates the body temperature. It also helps in getting rid of the toxic elements of the body by flushing them out.

TREATS ACIDITY
Cucumber juice is essentially alkaline in nature due to the minerals it contains. Hence it is very effective in curing acidity in people by neutralizing the pH content of the body. Apart from acidity it also acts as a soothing agent for gastric ulcers.

PROMOTES HEALTHY HAIR GROWTH
Cucumber is rich in silicon and sulphur and thus a regular intake can help promote healthy hair growth. For having healthy hair it is recommended to add cucumber juice with carrot juice, lettuce juice or spinach juice.

DIURETIC
Cucumber contains natural salts and vitamins which are good for cell growth. Its high mineral content provide natural source of antioxidants. Because of water base it is very useful as diuretic. It has cleansing action inside body by removing old waste. It assists in eliminating uric acid and is good for those who have arthritis. Mixture of cucumber and carrot juice is excellent for rheumatic conditions.

PREVENTS WATER RETENTION
Cucumber contains caffeic and ascorbic acids which prevent water retention. It is helpful for burns, swollen eyes and dermatitis. Chinese believe that cucumber has high cooling effect but is not suitable for those having rheumatism. However, there are reports that suggest otherwise as cucumber can help reduce the uric acid of the body and be beneficial for rheumatic patients. On taking cucumber the joints get cleaned. It assists in inflamed conditions like asthma, gout and arthritis.

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