Cucumber is a universal vegetable: it suits perfectly for a salad, a fresh, an energizing drink, and even a face mask. It is low in calories and packed with vitamins. Health benefits of cucumber have been confirmed by dieting specialists and cosmetologists.
Due to the specific nutrition value, it is a perfect component of a light evening meal. So let’s try to figure out more about what are the benefits of eating cucumbers and how eating cucumber before bed can influence your health.
Nutritional value of cucumber
100 g of fresh cucumbers contain:
- 95 g of water;
- 1 g of fiber;
- little bit of proteins, carbs, and fats;
- vitamins of group B, C, E, PP;
- high level of potassium and iodine;
- minerals – ferrum, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, chlorine, aluminium.
Benefits of cucumber to the body
Benefits of eating cucumber every day are numerous. Some of its properties may even surprise you. Here is a list of positive influences a cucumber can have on your body, which will make you add this vegetable to your daily diet.
- It compensates the lack of water. If you do not drink enough liquid, eat fresh cucumber – that’s 90% of water.
- It deals with heartburn. Moreover, it can handle other kinds of heat, for example, relieve the discomfort of sunburn.
- It removes toxins. High amount of water works like a broom that removes waste from the body. The regular use can even dissolve kidney stones.
- It contains skin-friendly minerals. Cucumber is rich in potassium, magnesium, and silicon. That’s why it is often used in spa procedures.
- It helps digestion and weight loss. Use it when cooking soups and salads. If these are not your favorite foods, try dipping crispy cucumber slices in low-fat yogurt. The process of chewing will well knead your jaws, and cucumber fibers will improve digestion.
- It eliminates bags under the eyes. Put cucumber slices on your puffy eyes. Cucumber will help to get rid of bags under the eyes due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
- It fights cancer. Cucumbers contain secoisolariciresinol, larisiresinol and pinoresinol – the components that can reduce the risk of certain types of cancer.
- It treats diabetes, lowers cholesterol and controls blood pressure. Cucumber juice contains a hormone that participates in producing insulin. The studies have shown that sterols help to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood, while fibers, potassium, and magnesium effectively regulate blood pressure.
- It freshens breath. Cucumber juice treats sore gums. Put a piece of cucumber on the tongue and hold for 30 seconds. Phytochemicals will kill the bacteria that cause bad breath.
- It improves hair and nails condition. Silicon make your nails and hair shiny and strong. In combination with sulfur, it can also accelerate hair growth.
- It maintains healthy joints and relieves pain from arthritis. A cucumber is rich in silicon that strengthens connective tissue and helps keep joints healthy.
- It relieves hangover. A sufficient amount of vitamin B, sugar and electrolytes helps to replenish body’s nutrient reserves, alleviate severe hangover, and headaches.
- It is good for the kidneys. It reduces uric acid levels in the body and helps maintain healthy kidneys.
Cosmetology & self-care
Cucumber benefits are not limited to cooking. For instance, you can grind a fresh cucumber or cut it into slices and use as a mask. It will help you to improve skin water balance, skin tone, deal with puffy eyes and wrinkles. Cucumbers are also used for making whitening and cleansing lotions.
The best time to eat cucumber
Low caloric value is at the top of the list of benefits of eating cucumber at night. Right, it is much healthier than foods rich in fats and carbs. However, don’t forget that it consists mainly of water, and drinking too much water before bed can cause swelling.
It is complicated to define the best time to eat cucumbers. As usual, it greatly depends on the peculiarities of your organism. For example, eating them before bed is not the best decision for a person with a sensitive stomach.
So start with a salad or a fresh in the morning, when charging your body with vitamins and liquid is essential.
