This is a superfood that you probably already have in your kitchen, but whose benefits go unnoticed by many people. It is the cucumber, which is a hidden ally that can transform and protect your health in surprising ways. The problem is that if you ignore these benefits, you could be losing out on the following a unique opportunity to improve your hydration, facilitate intestinal health, strengthen your bones, and protect your and other benefits that I will discuss later.
And what am I going to reveal in this video? What are the benefits of cucumber and which people can benefit from it? benefit more from consuming it?
Some of these benefits will surprise you. How can it be consumed and how much in order to maximize its benefits without falling into excess? Hidden risks that you might be ignoring and how to avoid them for enjoy cucumber without worries.
First of all, what are the benefits of cucumber? and which people can make the most of them? The first benefit is hydration, because a little more than 95% of the composition cucumber water, it is one of the most hydrating foods, and this is important to maintain the hydric balance, i.
e. water balance, in the organism. And this is important so that the biochemical reactions that take place in our body to develop properly in cells and tissues.
This is very important, especially for digestion, for the joints, for the kidney, for the skin, also for the memory, cognition and to regulate body temperature and for general health. Who benefits most from this amount of water in cucumber? In general, it will be people who live in hot climates or when there are hot environmental temperatures, but also sportsmen and women or people in general who may have difficulty in consuming the right amount of food.
of adequate water needed by your body, especially the elderly, because they may have a perception of decreased thirst and this type of food will benefit them. Cucumber is beneficial for intestinal health. And why?
Because it is an excellent source of fiber, especially insoluble fiber. such as cellulose, hemicellulose, which does not dissolve in water and increases the volume of stool. This makes it easier for these feces to pass through the intestinal tract.
In addition, it has a high amount of soluble fiber such as pectin, that these do dissolve water and that it has a prebiotic effect, i. e, that nourishes the healthy bacteria in the gut, the microbiome, and what it does is to improve the health of the intestine, the digestion, also overall health and can lower cholesterol levels. and blood sugar levels.
In addition, the abundant amount of water it possesses, as we have already mentioned before, it helps soften the stool and helps it flow more easily. Who can benefit most from these digestive properties? People who have problems with constipation and people who have bloating or mild digestive problems, which with these properties can help facilitate both the passage of stool and its digestion.
Cucumber is beneficial for bone health. And why? Because it has certain amounts of vitamin K that are part of the metabolism.
to produce proteins important for bone strengthening. It also has a lot of vitamin C, which is important for the synthesis of collagen, which also plays an important role in tissue formation. and the strengthening of bones and connective tissue in general.
And also some minerals such as magnesium, which is also important for bones, silica and small amounts of calcium and phosphorus. For whom can this property be most useful? Especially for people who are older, people who want to prevent osteoporosis or who have vitamin K deficiencies or deficiencies or who want to strengthen their bones.
But of course, within a more comprehensive approach, to take more factors into account. But cucumber would be an interesting addition. Cucumber is beneficial for cardiovascular health, i.
e. , for the heart. and for the blood vessels.
Why? For four reasons. First of all, because of the amount of potassium it contains, which serves to neutralize sodium and balance it in the blood, and this is beneficial to lower blood pressure.
Also because it has an amount of magnesium, which serves to have arteries more elastic and decrease their resistance to passage. and also contributes to lowering blood pressure. Because it has antioxidants as well, thirdly.
It was found in a 2010 study to be rich in flavonoids and tannins, that are particularly effective in counteracting the effect of radicals, and that we have already commented on other occasions that they are free, which are harmful to health. And this has an anti-inflammatory effect as well, which is beneficial for the heart, for the blood vessels, but also for general health. And also because it has a significant amount of water, as we have already mentioned, which is also beneficial for the cardiovascular system.
Cucumber is beneficial for skin health. Why? Because it contains vitamin C, which stimulates collagen synthesis.
and is also important for the skin. Also because it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substances, that neutralize cell damage caused by free radicals. Also because of its high water content, which helps to hydrate the skin from the inside.
Also because of some of the minerals it contains, for example silica, which helps to make the skin more elastic and firm. Who is this useful for? For all people who want to have a healthy skin, to delay premature aging, as well as to prevent dehydration and is also useful for people who may have skin irritation.
or mild inflammation. That one of the uses is not only to eat and drink cucumber, but also sometimes put it locally on the skin. Cucumber is beneficial for weight control.
And why? First, because it is low in kilocalories. Secondly, because it is rich in fiber and thirdly, because it is rich in water.
All of this, taken together, means that we have a food under in calories, but which is satiating. And this makes it ideal to add it to meals, but also as a snack, it's as a snack, which you can take between meals, because it is satiating. and does not provide you with much caloric content.
A dose of 100 grams of cucumber will have about 14 kilocalories. and a medium-sized cucumber, which is the amount that can be consumed per day or what can be consumed per day. recommended, it would have about 32 kilocalories.
In other words, it is ideal for this type of weight loss strategy. Cucumber is beneficial for the eyes and also for the surrounding area. The first reason for this is that it contains provitamin A, which contributes to visual health, but also because it has antioxidants, due to its amount of water, which all together aids visual health.
It also has some antioxidants, such as caffeic acid, which at the local level sometimes serves to reduce fluid retention in the eyelid area around the eyes, relieve eyestrain, because by applying it in the form of slices fresh with eyes closed, it has been found to relieve in situations of this type. So, for whom will this be useful for people who want to delay the effects in the vision of aging, i. e.
, age-related problems, and also for problems that have to do with eyestrain or problems related to of fluid retention around the eyes, dark circles or puffiness under the eyes. In all these situations it can help. It can help both when ingested in the form of slices or in the form of juices, but also locally.
Cucumber is also beneficial for fresh breath. and for oral health. This is less talked about, but because it is rich in water, it helps to increase saliva production and this washes away bacteria and helps bad breath.
In addition, it has some chemical compounds that have mild antibacterial effects that can also help us in this regard. This would be beneficial for all these people who have bad breath. In some cases, this may help or assist them.
And also for the person who wants to have an oral hygiene, in general, This is an interesting addition. Cucumber has anti-inflammatory or antioxidant properties, and we have been discussing this in the different benefits. We have talked about flavonoids, tannins, caffeic acid.
This is important to emphasize because behind many diseases that are and that are prolonged in time, there is a chronic inflammation. And then, foods of this type help us to prevent or delay the occurrence of these problems, which may be related to diseases cardiovascular diseases, with diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, neurodegenerative and similar diseases. This is not to say that this is a solution, but rather that within of a varied diet and a healthy lifestyle, with physical activity, is a food that we can add and that will have beneficial effects.
Can cucumber help lower blood sugar? Indirectly, it can help us because of its low index glycemic, for its water content, for its fiber content, so that sugar does not enter so quickly from the intestine. Directly, there are some studies with laboratory animals.
that are promising, but further studies in humans are needed. But it is interesting to introduce cucumber if you have prediabetes. or type 2 diabetes mellitus, within your overall diet.
Of course, always in consultation with your nurse, physician or with the nutritionist. How is cucumber consumed and in what quantity? The way of consumption is unpeeled, you have to make sure it is well cleaned, but it is not peeled because it preserves the fiber and also vitamins and minerals.
that would be lost when peeled. The most frequent form of consumption is in salads. It is used in slices.
Then, it can also be used in smoothies and green juices. Another way is in cold soups or gazpachos, which I like very much. It can also be used as a snack or as a tempee to eat.
between meals, sometimes to satiate people who are on diets. to lose weight. And sometimes it is interesting to add a few drops of lemon juice or to use a little hummus to give it more flavor and it's really good.
The amount usually recommended is one medium-sized cucumber per day. It would be what could be consumed, although it is always best to make a varied diet. And this in grams would be between 150 to 300 grams of cucumber.
You may wonder what to do to preserve cucumber. It should be stored in the refrigerator, but away from temperatures excessively cold. If it is stored whole, which is recommended, you can consume it before The product is stored for five to seven days and thus retains more of its texture and freshness.
If you keep it in the refrigerator, but in slices, then in one to three days at most it should be consumed. You may also wonder if there are cucumber supplements, which there are, but they are less popular than other types of supplements that are most frequently used. In this case, in the case of cucumber, the type of supplementation most commonly used is topical.
That is, on the skin they are facial masks, gels or creams that are used for dehydrated skin, dry skin, inflamed skin, sometimes for the area of the skin of the face, for example, dark circles around the eyes. Then we can already find some supplements that are, for example, in the form of dehydrated cucumber powders, which are used in the form of for juices or cucumber smoothies. And then we can also find it in the form of capsules, tablets, and even liquid supplements.
There are also collagen supplements that are enriched with cucumber. because it has some components that can be helpful to health for the skin, hair and nails. Although in this case I believe that the most advisable thing to do is to consume cucumber in its natural form, instead of using supplements extracted in laboratories.
What are the risks or adverse effects of cucumber? and what can we do to avoid them? In general, I have already said that it is safe, that it is advisable and healthy, and that it does not there should be no problem, especially if we stick to a cucumber.
between 200, 300 grams per day and it does not have There should be no problem. But you may ask: What problems could there be? Firstly, digestive problems, such as bloating or gas.
And this can occur in people who are more sensitive to fever. insoluble, the cellulose, the hemicellulose that cucumber carries, and these people may be more likely to have these types of symptoms. Then also in people who consume it excessively, i.
e. , more amount of the recommended daily amount. Or you should also take into account some substances contained in cucumber, which are cucurbitacins, which are substances that are also present in in zucchini or pumpkin, and which increase in concentration when The cucumber begins to be more mature and has a slightly more bitter taste.
This should then be taken into account. What can we do? If you are a sensitive person, you will have to peel the cucumber, which will lose properties, but will retain some of its so you can benefit without having these side effects.
Consuming no more than one medium-sized cucumber per day. and to consume cucumbers when they are fresh. and that they are not too ripe.
You may also have an allergy to cucumber and in this case you will not be able to consume it, but there is a situation which is the oral allergy syndrome, which consists of a situation of itching, swelling in the mouth and throat after consuming raw cucumber. And in these cases, what you could do is to consume the cucumber. but cooked, that is to say, cooked, but it would lose properties.
In this case, it is best to consult a physician or allergist. Contaminants or pesticides that may be present on the skin of the cucumber are likely to be a problem. also, especially if they have not been grown organically.
In this case, what is always done and what needs to be done, is to clean the cucumber well under running water, even with a brush. In case you have problems with this or you buy the cucumbers. that are organically grown, of course, equally clean or what you have to do is peel them.
What happens is that they will lose beneficial properties. Can cucumber have interactions with medications? In general, there should not be any problems, although as it has a small amount of vitamin K, there may be some interaction with anticoagulants.
What happens is that this, normally, could be a problem if you consume exaggerated amounts of cucumber. Under normal conditions there should be no problem, but if you are concerned about this, it is best to consult with your physician. As I am explaining, in general, the problems come from a consumption excessive, exaggerated cucumber, but under normal conditions it does not have to give a lot of trouble, unless you have an allergy.
Here is a video about celery and its health benefits. Thank you very much, take care and see you in the next video.
