Cucumber is a healthy vegetable to eat. An annual herbaceous vegetable plant of the pumpkin family - moisture-, heat- and photophilous. Fruits have a size of 10-15 centimeters, some varieties reach a length of 50 cm or more, oblong shape. It is known that cucumbers are rich in vitamins, minerals and healthy water, for which they have gained great popularity among the inhabitants of Russia.
What does a cucumber consist of?
No doubt this vegetable is very juicy, but how much percent of the water is in the cucumber? The answer is somewhat discouraging - 95%. But this is not ordinary water, but structured, able to nourish all cells of the body with moisture. The only condition is that there should be no nitrates and harmful substances. A person needs to consume about 3 liters of fluid per day. Therefore, knowing how much water is in the cucumber, you can eat these vegetables and make up for the need for fluids.
The remaining 5% are proteins, carbohydrates (fructose and glucose), fiber and flavonoids. Also included are vitamins: B1 (even more than in beets), B2 (more than in radishes), C (especially a lot at the first harvest). Gherkin pulp contains iodine, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus. All the vitamins in the cucumber are in an amount sufficient for normal metabolism. The folic and ascorbic acids present in the composition improve digestion and stimulate appetite. Carotene and chlorophyll protect cells from free radicals.
What is cucumber valuable for?
By drinking coffee and tea, people risk getting dehydrated; instead, you can quench your thirst by eating a cucumber. How much water can a person drink at a time? Probably a little, but crunching with gherkins is more pleasant and more useful. This vegetable is almost entirely composed of water, therefore, the benefit of it is to saturate the body with useful moisture. What is it for? It is no secret that dehydration is very harmful to humans. The liver suffers from a lack of fluid (the load on it increases), the urinary system clogs up with slag, mucous membranes dry out, the skin becomes loose, joints lose lubrication, nutrients from the blood are poorly transported to the cells by increasing blood viscosity.
It is amazing how much water in the cucumber is easily absorbed by the body, helps to eliminate toxins, prevents constipation, cleanses the liver and kidneys, reduces the load on them, moisturizes the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, eyes, lubricates the joints, ensures the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to all cells of a living creature.
Due to the content of salts in the vegetable, the body is freed from harmful acids, leading to metabolic disorders and sand in the kidneys. The acidification of the body is the scourge of modernity, which must be fought. Iodine and fiber help the endocrine and circulatory systems, normalize cholesterol levels. B vitamins reduce the conversion of carbohydrates to fats, promote the breakdown of sugar, thereby establishing metabolic processes. Vitamin C present in cucumbers enhances immunity. It must be borne in mind that ascorbic acid is found only in fresh, small fruits. Potassium is good for the heart.
The nutritional value
The question arises: how many calories are in 100 grams of cucumber? It is easy to guess that this is a low-calorie product, it is very well suited for dietary nutrition and contributes to weight loss. You can safely add it to the menu without fear of gaining extra pounds, because the calorie content is only 15 kcal per 100 grams.
There is another argument in favor of gherkins - the presence of tartronic acid, which reduces the transformation of carbohydrates into fats. Those wishing to lose weight can arrange fasting days when 1.5-2 kg of fresh cucumbers are eaten. In this case, pickled and pickled cucumbers are not suitable. The blanks contain a lot of salt, sugar, vinegar, which are able to retain water in the body (cause swelling). Nutritionists do not recommend consuming a lot of pickles for people with high blood pressure, patients with ulcers, gastritis, suffering from cardiovascular and urolithiasis.
What are the best fruits to choose?
It is clear that the most useful gherkins are those collected from their beds, but this is not always available. Then, when choosing, you should pay attention to density - depending on how much water is in the cucumber, the hardness of the fetus and weight are felt. The skin should not be spotty, damaged, wrinkled. Color - green, uniform, from light to dark shade, depending on the variety.