Benefits of cucumber

Benefits of cucumber

by Sanjay B

Cucumbers are supposed to have originated from India. This unassuming vegetable is a cooling food, very much used in vegetable juices. Little wonder then, that the adage “keeping cool as a cucumber” has originated from this wonderful vegetable. This adage is literally true due to its cooling effect on blood.

Cucumber is a fruit that belongs to the same family as the pumpkin and the zucchini. A lot of health benefits are accrued to this fantastic vegetable. Cucumber acts as a diuretic and also is highly efficacious in curing kidney and urinary bladder disease. This cucumber aids too in curing liver and pancreatic disease.

The benefits of cucumber do not end there. The potassium content in cucumber makes it an effective cure for conditions of both hyper tension and hypo tension. This vegetable contains erepsin, an enzyme that aids in digesting protein. For luxurious growth of hair, try adding the juice of carrot, lettuce and spinach. This is a wonderful beauty aid to promote growth of hair, since cucumber has high silicon and sulphur contents. A healthy mix of cucumber and carrot juice is just great a remedy for rheumatic conditions arising due to excessive uric acid in the body. Juice of cucumber is wonderful for curing diseases of the gum and teeth, especially in cases of pyorrhea. The high mineral content in cucumber helps to prevent splitting of nails of the fingers and toes.

From time immemorial, people have widely used cucumber to bring down the levels of heat and inflammation. Benefits of cucumber are vast and this wonderful vegetable can be eaten raw, pickled or well cooked. It’s most beneficial and popular among women for the simple reason that it helps to treat tired eyes.

Cucumber is also popular for healing illnesses such as those of lung, kidneys, stomach. Drink fresh cucumber juice to reduce heart burns and soothe an acidic stomach condition. It’s also beneficial in multiple ways for people suffering from gastritis and ulcer. Eyes that are swollen and puffy from late nights or too much work over a PC can be soothed by placing a cucumber slice over closed eyes. Take a glass of cucumber juice each day to control conditions of eczema, gout and arthritis.

Here are some nutritional benefits of cucumber

  • Cucumber has a high mineral content, and it’s a valuable source of potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulphur, silicon, chlorine and fluorine.
  • When taken along with other vegetables and cereals, cucumber naturally enhances the nutritional value of the meal.
  • Most often, cucumber is used as a salad in combination with other vegetables.
    Add a little curd to them and the salad is truly yummy to taste, and with great nutritional value too.

Let’s look into the natural and curative benefits of cucumber:

  • Cucumber should always be taken raw as cooking destroys useful minerals like potassium and phosphorous.
  • Cucumber being a natural laxative, supplies bulk to bowel action. Consuming two cucumbers a day proves beneficial in curing symptoms of constipation. Likewise, juice of cucumber is highly beneficial in the treatment of hyper acidity, gastric and duodenal ulcers. Take two doses of four to six ounces of cucumber juice every two hours to cure acute conditions.
  • For those suffering from burning sensation in urinary calculi or kidney stone, consuming emulsion of the shelled seeds of cucumber mixed with curd proves beneficial in dissolving the gravel in the urinary tract and in reducing hyperacidity of urine.
  • For excessive bouts of thirst attacks in cholera, a glass of cucumber juice and tender coconut water consumed every hour quenches the thirst effectively and restores the electrolyte liquid balance in dehydration.
  • This wonderful cucumber is an excellent beauty aid too. Cucumber juice is most effective in curing skin eruptions. Add a little alfalfa juice to speed up the cure. Apply grated cucumber over your face, eyes and neck for fifteen to twenty minutes each day. It’s highly beneficial as a beauty aid and a good tonic for the skin. Regular use of grated cucumber prevents pimples, blackheads, wrinkles and dryness of skin
  • Even though fresh cucumber may taste a trifle bland, it has immense thirst quenching and cooling properties. It’s an excellent anti oxidant when consumed with fried and barbecued foods. The excellent source of silicon in cucumber aids in the proper construction of connective tissues in the body, as in the bones, muscles, cartilage, ligaments and tendons.
  • During hot climes, a glass of cucumber and celery juice helps to cool body temperatures. To maximize the benefits of this wonderful cucumber, choose the ones that are dark green in color and firm to the touch. Store them in the fridge to retain its freshness. Whenever possible, buy only organic ones.
  • For years, the cucumber has been known as a good health snack but there are a number of skin benefits of cucumber that we need to take advantage of to remain youthful and glowing. Here are a few beauty tips to maintain your skin glowing, firm, smooth and supple.
  • Cucumbers reduce the appearance of dark circles around eyes. The wealth of antioxidants and silica in cucumbers rejuvenate the skin, leaving it smooth and soft.
    1. The large amount of ascorbic acid in cucumbers can reduce water retention and thereby cure puffy eyes.
    2. Grated cucumbers can be used as a tonic on the face and neck, wherein it helps to reduce the overall appearance of freckles.
    3. Use cucumbers within a face mask and watch your skin glow.
    4. If you have over stayed your time out in the sun, cucumber can prove helpful and beneficial. Its cooling effect is a natural way to soothe your skin and speed up the healing process.

Apart from being an important source of health food, cucumber provides healthy juices that are beneficial for increasing the urine flow.

After a day of laundering, rub a piece of cucumber peel on your hands to soften them. In fact, cucumber is a heaven sent all purpose beauty aid. For those of you on a diet, cucumber acts as a cleansing agent within the body, helping to remove accumulated waste and chemical toxins. Rejuvenate, and refresh yourself with the lovely cucumber.

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