Cucumbers are the 4th most widely cultivated vegetable on the planet, which boasts a great number of health benefits. They are rarely mentioned as a superfood, however, they are one of the best and healthiest foods to add to your eating plan. You can use cucumbers in your salads, smoothies, and some other healthy meals. Take a look at the list of 8 healthy reasons to eat cucumbers more often.
1. Control blood pressure
One of the biggest reasons to add cucumbers to your diet is because they help control your blood pressure. Cucumbers are high in water, which helps hydrate your blood vessels. They are also rich in calcium and potassium that can help you reduce blood pressure. For this purpose, it’s recommended to drink cucumber juice in combination with beets, carrots, garlic and lemon.
2. Keep kidneys healthy
Cucumbers are diuretic due to its high water content. This helps your body flush out much more toxins through urination, which keeps your kidneys healthy as well as helps prevent kidney stone formation.
3. Help lose weight
If you are trying to lose weight, you should definitely include cucumbers in your diet. They’re rich in water (more than 95% water) and fiber that helps you feel fuller longer and also helps digestion. Plus, cucumbers contain the B vitamins, which are essential for your body. Whether you are on a diet or not, eat cucumbers as a healthy snack to boost your energy levels and drop a few unwanted pounds.
4. Fight bad breath
Hold a slice of cucumber against the roof of your mouth for about 30 seconds to fight bad breath. Now you don’t need gum or mints and you can easily order a house salad and save a slice of cucumber to combat bad breath after the meal.
5. Keep bones and joints healthy
Due to their high silica content, cucumbers help to keep your bones and joints healthy. Silica is the major building block of collagen that literally holds us together. Also, cucumbers help your body absorb calcium, which is used to build and maintain strong bones.
6. Fight cancer
Another reason to eat cucumbers is because of their ability to combat and prevent cancer. Numerous researchers have shown that cucumbers are very effective against breast, prostate, ovarian, uterine and lung cancers. Cucumbers contain a lot of important vitamins as well as the anti-cancer components of caffeic acid, fisetin, and lutein.
7. Combat diabetes
Cucumbers help the body combat diabetes as well. They contain a hormone which the body needs to produce its own insulin that people suffering from diabetes lack. Plus, cucumbers are a zero glycemic index food, which diabetics can consume without fear that it will raise their blood sugar level.
8. Fight a hangover
Cucumbers are high in water, electrolytes, B vitamins and they help fight a hangover. So if you want to avoid a terrible headache and hangover, eat several slices of this superfood before you go to bed and you will feel much better in the morning.
There are many reasons to include cucumbers in your everyday diet. Do you like cucumbers? What’s your favorite way to eat them?