Cucumbers are delicious refreshment, especially in the extremely hot summer days. Being rich in water, nutrients, electrolytes, and calorie-free, they are one of the healthiest veggies a person can eat! They belong to the Cucurbitaceae family, together with melons, squash, and pumpkins. Cucumbers originate from the northern plains of Himalays in India, but nowadays, they can be easily found everywhere around the world.

Cucumbers are abundant in manganese, potassium, copper, vitamin K, B, and C, which makes them a a tasty way to supply the deficiencies of these nutrients.  Moreover, they contain high content of unique polyphenols which decrease the risk of various chronic diseases. Take a look at the following reasons why you should include cucumbers in your diet plan:

Delicious taste – Due to their delicious and refreshing flavor, cucumbers can be easily added to numerous salads, juices, and appetizers.

Detoxification – Having high content of water, cucumbers dissolve kidney stones and remove the excess waste from the body.

Fight diabetes, lower cholesterol, and regulate blood pressure – They are rich in potassium, magnesium, and fiber, that lower the high blood pressure and at the same time, stimulate the insulin production by the pancreatic cells.

Improve kidney function — Cucumbers decrease the uric acid levels, thus promote the kidney function.

Boost the immunity – Their high content of vitamins C, B, and A provide the body with a lot of energy and strengthen the immunity.

Skin health — Cucumbers are abundant in magnesium, silicon, and potassium that tighten and smooth the skin complexion and appearance.

Moisturize the body – The high content of water in cucumbers hydrates the body and moist the skin.

Improve joint health – The silicon in cucumbers strengthens the bones and the connective tissues. When combined with carrots, cucumbers lower the levels of uric acid and treat arthritis pain.

Digestion and weight loss – Because of the fact that they are abundant in water and fiber, and calorie-low, cucumbers improve digestion and stimulate weight loss.

Hair and nails – Thanks to the high content of silicon and sulfur, cucumbers improve the health of thehair and nails and boost their growth.

Fresh breath and healthy gums — Cucumbers have juices which refresh and heal the gums. In addition, they are rich in phytochemicals which destroy bacteria and eliminate the bad breath.

Prevent skin damage — Cucumbers regulate the skin acidity.If applied on the skin sunburns, they will relieve the pain and discomfort.

Eliminate dark circles — The anti-inflammatory features of cucumbers wipe out the dark circles and reduce the swellings under your eyes.

Treat hangover — Cucumbers are rich in vitamin B, electrolytes, and sugar – all of which treat hangovers and soothe headache.

The following recipes with cucumbers will help you receive all of their amazing health benefits:

Low-Calorie Cucumber Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 cups of cucumber (finely chopped)

½ a cup of tomatoes

¼ cup of onion (chopped)

¼ cup of Greek yogurt

1 ½ tsp. of lime juice

1 ½ tsp. of lemon juice

2 tbsp. of parsley (chopped)

1 garlic clove 2 chili

¼ tsp. of ground cumin

¼ tsp. of sea salt

Preparation: Put all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix them. Then, let them stay like that for a while, and then serve on toast.

The second recipe is called “Sassy Water”, in honor of its creator, Cynthia Sass, the Prevention nutrition director. It soothes the GI tract, promote weight loss, and fights stomach bloating. To prepare it, you will need the following ingredients:

1 peeled cucumber, thinly sliced

1 lemon, thinly sliced

12 spearmint leaves

2 liters of water

1 tsp. of grated ginger

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a pitcher and let the drink to stay like that until the next morning. Drink it throughout the entire day.

Source: www.thehealthyfoodhouse.com

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