nutrition facts of cucumber

nutrition facts of cucumber

Cucumber nutrition facts

Ever wonder how to beat the scorching summer? Remember crunchy cucumber! This wonderful, low calorie vegetable has more nutrients to offer than just water and electrolytes.

One of the oldest cultivated vegetables, this veggie believed to be originated in the northern plains of India. The plant is a creeper just like other members of the same family for e.g gourds, squashes, melons, zucchini... etc. Botanically, it belongs to the cucurbitaceous family; and is known as Cucumis sativus.

cucumber cucumber with slice
Fresh Cucumbers Cucumber with slice

Different varieties, varying in size, shape, and color, are cultivated all around the world. Fresh cucumbers are available throughout the season and can be eaten raw as is or in vegetable salads or in the form of juice.
armenian cucumbers
Cucumis melo var. flexuosus
Armenian cucumbers (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus) are long, crispy, and thin-ribbed, curved, and have light green color. Although they are grouped botanically in melons family they look and taste like cucumbers.

Small size varieties such as gherkins, American dills and french-cornichons are very small in size and usually preferred in piclkling.

Health benefits of Cucumber

Very low in calories; provides just 15 calories per 100 g. Contains no saturated fats or cholesterol. Cucumber peel is a good source of dietary fiber that helps reduce constipation and offers some protection against colon cancers.

It is a very good source of potassium, an important intra-cellular electrolyte. Potassium is a heart friendly electrolyte; helps reduce blood pressure and heart rates by countering effects of sodium.

It contains unique anti-oxidants in good ratios such as ß-carotene and a-carotene, vitamin-C, vitamin-A, zea-xanthin and lutein. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease process.

Cucumbers have mild diuretic property probably due to their high water content, which helps in checking weight gain and high blood pressure.

Cucumbers surprisingly have high amount of vitamin K, provides about 17 mcg of this vitamin per 100 g. Vitamin-K has been found to have potential role in bone strength by promoting osteotrophic (bone mass building) activity. It also has established role in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease patients by limit