What is useful cucumber for the human body. What are the benefits of cucumbers (fresh) for women and men
Perhaps the most common vegetable on earth is the cucumber. They just don’t do anything with it: they salt it, pickle it, even fry it. And on the table we have it almost every day. But few people think about whether it is possible to eat it uncontrollably. Fresh cucumbers: benefits and harms - that's what we'll talk about today.
Benefits of fresh cucumbers
Since school, everyone knows that this vegetable consists of 97% water. But the remaining 3% have very interesting composition on vitamins and minerals. Of course, their number is too small to cover daily requirement human body. But as an addition to a full menu, it is very helpful.
We will not describe the properties of all vitamins and minerals contained in fresh cucumbers, we will simply describe the beneficial effects.
Potassium is recognized as the most valuable in fresh cucumbers. Laboratory research showed that this microelement is vital for correct operation heart and vascular system.
A large amount of water in the vegetable allows you to achieve a competent diuretic effect when consumed. At the same time, it should be recognized that fresh cucumbers do not wash out calcium and other nutrients from the body. useful material like chemicals do.
The same water is similar in composition to distilled liquid. Therefore fresh cucumber juice perfectly quenches thirst. At the same time, it removes harmful substances, toxins and slags from the body.
magic juice fresh cucumbers has one more amazing property. Thanks to the natural organic acid in the composition, it is able to:
- remove salt from the body and joints
- dissolve sand and kidney stones
- remove cholesterol plaques from blood vessels
- flush out free radicals
- improve blood properties
As you can see, it is not so simple, this ordinary fresh cucumber. For example, with gout, it greatly relieves general state and relieves some of the pain.
The pulp and skin of fresh cucumbers is a soft fiber. It cleanses the intestines well, and very correctly and without harm even for a weakened and childish organism.
Crispy green vegetables are rightfully recognized as one of the lowest calorie among pumpkin. Therefore, they are actively included in various diets and medical nutrition. True, it is worth limiting their use, especially in fasting days. Because the constant eating of cucumbers alone contributes to the stretching of the stomach. As a result, the effect may be directly opposite to the desired one.
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Who is harmful fresh cucumbers
Some people don't even think about what a simple fresh cucumber can bring. unpleasant surprises. No, of course, after eating a couple of greens, a person will not feel a problematic body response. But even this famous vegetable has its contraindications.
For example, it is known that the pulp contains a decent amount of iodine. healthy person it won't hurt. But for people suffering from thyroid dysfunction, this property can deliver a lot of unpleasant moments.
The same warning applies to people who know behind their bowels the habit of bringing surprises. In order not to aggravate the situation, it is better to refuse fresh cucumbers with their laxative properties.
Due to the strong diuretic effect, people with kidney disease should not get carried away with fresh cucumbers:
- urolithiasis disease
- kidney failure
- nephritis
It is already difficult for the organs to cope with the fluid in the body, and then there is the supplement from cucumbers. Therefore, it is better not to use them at all. Or at least only during an exacerbation. Because the least that the abuse of fresh cucumbers threatens is excessive swelling. And we won’t talk about more, there’s nothing bad about it.
More recently, it has become known that the juice of fresh cucumbers increases acidity. This means people with:
- stomach ulcer
- gastritis
- colitis
- ulcer duodenum
you should not even think about picking a young vegetable from the garden and eating it.
By the way, about the beds. The least harm to the body will bring seasonal vegetables grown on their own backyard.
No doubt, in winter or late autumn, the hand reaches for the counter for fresh cucumber. After all, I want to feel the smell of summer. But refrain. Think about where fresh cucumbers come from in winter? That's right, from industrial greenhouses. And it is unlikely that someone will lovingly nurture each fruit there. Most likely, such cucumbers are stuffed with pesticides and nitrates. So remember, there is a time for everything.
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Facts about fresh cucumbers
Women have known about the benefits of vegetables in cosmetology for several generations. The famous masks of fresh cucumber rings! Who hasn't seen or done them? The muzzle looks funny, that's a fact, but what an effect!
This mask is especially good after sunburn. The skin is whitened, tightened, looks young and elastic. And the reason for everything is vitamins A and E, which are part of the pulp, the well-known guardians of beauty.
By the way, fresh cucumber juice greatly lightens age spots during pregnancy. And it perfectly removes fine wrinkles on tired, aging skin. Plus deep hydration the inner layers of the epidermis is also a positive thing.
Interesting fact. Laboratory studies have shown that the highest concentration of minerals, trace elements and vitamins is in small fruits, up to 9 cm long. Those cucumbers that grow larger no longer have such a density of useful components. The most useless are old cucumbers, with a yellowed peel. They contain practically no vitamins, but they are full of seeds. And eating such vegetables is not very pleasant.
Well, now you know everything about fresh cucumbers. Their benefits and harms are also not a secret. Therefore, you already know how many crunchy vegetables you can afford per day. The main thing is to observe the measure. And don't get sick.
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Video: the benefits of cucumbers for humans
Cucumber - healthy vegetable with a subtle nature. For 97% it consists of water, the properties of which are successfully used by cosmetologists, culinary specialists and adherents of proper nutrition. A garden dweller is good for the body, but it can also harm human health.
Characteristics and composition
Cucumber is one of the world's most popular vegetables. It has been cultivated for food for more than 6 thousand years. Today, a member of the Pumpkin family is grown on almost all continents. Cucumber came to the territory of modern Russia around the 16th century. He did well in the climate. middle lane and southern regions. A light and tasty vegetable won culinary honor wherever it appeared.
There is an opinion that a fresh cucumber cannot be very useful, since it consists almost entirely of water. In fact, one 100-gram fruit contains approximately 15 kcal, 0.8 g of protein, 0.1 g of fat, 2.5-2.8 carbohydrates.
Cucumber is useful for both children and adults
In a fairly large amount, cucumbers contain potassium, phosphorus, chlorine, calcium, magnesium. There are other macro- and microelements, vitamins, saccharides. The remaining 97-98% is water. It is with her that the bulk of the useful properties of the vegetable are connected, but not all.
Attention! One of the characteristic properties of cucumber is its neutral interaction with allergens. It is suitable for almost all people who are allergic to a particular substance.
Useful properties of cucumber
Fresh cucumber has many beneficial properties for the human body.
- The fruit is an excellent moisturizer. The abundance of water in the composition is reinforced by the properties of potassium to positively influence the supply of moisture to organs and tissues.
- Cucumber has a mild and persistent diuretic effect, which helps to get rid of edema and excess fat in body tissues.
- Vegetable is a natural absorbent. It actively removes poisons and other harmful substances during intoxication.
- Tatronic acids, which are found in cucumber, process carbohydrates and prevent the accumulation of fat mass in the body. This property is actively used by nutritionists. In addition, with a minimum of calories, cucumber is able to stretch the walls of the abdomen and cause a feeling of fullness, which is very useful during diets.
- The salts in the composition of the cucumber align the acid-base balance and the metabolic process, neutralize and remove excess acidic compounds from the body. Therefore, the vegetable is an excellent remedy for kidney stones.
- The fruits contain a lot of fiber. According to this indicator, cucumbers are leading among vegetables. Therefore, they have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart, the circulatory system, and prevent the appearance of cholesterol plaques in the vessels.
- Iodine in the composition of the vegetable has a beneficial effect on the activity of the thyroid gland.
- The vegetable breaks down sucrose.
- gentle alimentary fiber cucumbers cleanse the intestines, favorably affecting its motility and peristalsis.
- Cucumber is rich in vitamin C. This helps to strengthen the immune system.
Attention! It has been scientifically proven that small vegetables contain the most vitamin C.
The use of cucumbers in cosmetology
The cosmetic properties of cucumber have long been proven and tested in practice. Women actively use the vegetable to maintain good skin condition, keep it young and fresh. Ladies use decoctions, infusions, masks. The latter are perhaps the most popular home cosmetology.
Cucumber is actively used in cosmetology
Fruits cut into rings have such an effect on the skin:
- moisturize;
- relieve swelling;
- smooth wrinkles;
- draw out harmful substances, clean dirt;
- fight inflammation;
- whiten and improve complexion;
- relieve puffiness from tired eyes.
Harmful properties of cucumbers
The watery base of the cucumber is very vulnerable at the same time as being useful. It can accumulate harmful substances. Growing early or out-of-season cucumbers most likely uses artificial stimulants or pesticides, so they can be harmful to the human body. Doctors categorically do not recommend buying such vegetables. Risks: poisoning, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and kidneys. Nitrates may not make themselves felt immediately, but they will be in your body for a long time, waiting for replenishment to a critical amount.
Other negative aspects of cucumber:
- Harmful for people who are advised not to drink too much water. For example, with pathologies of the kidneys, the vegetable is limited to 100 g per day.
- Dangerous by excessive stretching of the stomach. For those who want to lose weight, this can have the opposite effect: increasing appetite instead of dulling it.
- It has restrictions for people suffering from stomach ulcers or gastritis.
Pickles
Features of the impact on the body pickles
This vegetable is actively harvested and canned. As part of the pickles, the properties of the cucumber change somewhat:
- Pickled cucumbers are contraindicated in people suffering from atherosclerosis, hypertension and liver disorders. It is also undesirable for pregnant women to eat them.
- Pickled cucumbers are better to limit in the diet of people with diseases of cardio-vascular system.
- It is better not to eat cucumbers with any degree of salinity in case of kidney disease, hepatitis and other liver diseases, obesity and other metabolic disorders.
Pickled cucumbers are just as healthy as fresh ones. They contain a lot of water, the same trace elements and vitamins. However, pickles warm up the appetite. In general, a popular vegetable has a lot of useful properties, and the negative ones are mainly associated with growing technology.
The benefits and harms of cucumbers: video
There are few people on Earth who ignore this delicious product. fresh salad from cucumbers in summer, crispy pickled fruit in winter - what could be better than such an appetizer. At the same time, the vegetable is not only tasty and nutritious, but also healthy.
Description of cucumber
The light-loving annual culture produces a large number of green fruits that ripen fairly quickly. Cucumber varieties may differ in length and appearance vegetable fruits. But Special attention you should pay attention to the color of the pimples that cover the skin of the vegetable. It will depend on this which of them are good fresh, and which are more suitable for conservation.
White-thorned fruits have a thick skin, so they are difficult to pickle and pickle because of the poor permeability of salt through such a “shell”. As a result, during the preservation process, sugar is fermented in the fruits, and cucumbers become not only inedible, but also harmful to the body. But they are great in salads and fresh consumption.
Cucumbers with black spines are considered universal, as they are good to eat straight from the garden, and are also perfectly salted due to the thin delicate skin. But it should be borne in mind that these varieties have a fairly short period of "greenery", which should be eaten. Fully ripened fruits lose some of their properties, and such overripe cucumbers are best used in home cosmetology.
Chemical composition of fresh cucumber
If we consider the physiology of the fetus, then this set is not a large number dry components (3-5%), the rest is water. But that doesn't make the cucumber useless.
On the contrary, its chemical composition allows the product to become unique in its healing properties.
Health Benefits
Cucumbers contain mineral salts, which make it possible to consider the fruit medicinal in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
They also have a beneficial effect on kidney function. Cucumber enzymes help to more easily digest various protein foods eaten with cucumbers. Vitamins A, B1, B2, C and P are well nourished by the body.
The composition included in the structure of the cucumber has a lot of valuable properties.
- The vegetable is able to cleanse the vessels and organs of toxins, and also helps to eliminate cholesterol due to the fiber that is part of it.
- With the regular use of cucumbers, their body is expelling excess bile and urine, stones of small size are also dissolved.
- The fruit stimulates the production of gastric juice, which normalizes digestion. In this case, neutralization of increased acidity is observed.
- Cucumbers can lower blood sugar levels.
- A green vegetable is useful (due to potassium) as a preventive measure for the development of atherosclerosis, hypertension and heart rhythm failure.
- Cucumber juice can relieve cough and reduce swelling of the mucosa.
Another vegetable fruit is credited with antipyretic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, antibacterial properties.
Contraindications
There are also contraindications to the use of cucumbers and its juice for food. This is mainly due to problems in digestive system.
The risk group includes diseases such as:
- enterocolitis and gastritis of acute and chronic stages;
- exacerbation of ulcers of the duodenum and stomach.
Although fresh cucumber juice is useful for coughing, it should not be given to people in the early stages of measles.
Health Application
Cucumber fruits, which are eaten not only for pleasure, but also for the treatment of diseases, should be classified as "greens" (i.e. unripe). At the same time, at least 200 g of cucumbers should be present in the daily diet. If the digestive system allows, then you can bring this rate to 0.5 kg or more.
Therapy will give a greater effect if you eat a crushed product - finely chopped or grated. This will further contribute to the elimination of toxins and normalize the composition of the intestinal microflora. Crushed fruits have a beneficial effect on the exchange of water-salt and are the prevention of constipation.
It is necessary to regularly eat a green vegetable in any form for people who have problems with the thyroid gland. cucumber in this case reduces the risk of developing relevant diseases due to its iodine content.
For women
Women liked this product because on its basis it is possible to build a weight loss diet that is harmless to the body. Cucumbers - low calorie vegetable, the fresh fruits of which do an excellent job with obesity. This is facilitated by the ability of the cucumber to block the conversion of carbohydrates in the human body into fats.
By adding a fresh green vegetable to various salads, a woman ensures that all the components of the dish are digested much faster without slagging the body. Even high-calorie foods will be absorbed faster, without leaving extra pounds on the body.
A fresh cucumber on hand can be called an ambulance for the face, allowing you to quickly refresh the skin and relieve fatigue from it. The juice of the fruit acts as a tonic, so it is useful to drink it in the morning.
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For men
Physiologically, the male body is not much different from the female. Therefore, cucumbers have the same effect on men as they do on women, helping to cope with extra pounds and prevent the development of obesity.
Men, like women, are prone to many diseases, for the prevention of which cucumbers can be introduced into the diet. The fruits will be of particular benefit in cleansing the body - the male is more prone to slagging than the female.
But there is one point for which men respect the cucumber product - it affects the hormonal system, normalizing the production of testosterone. This will slow down the process of baldness and keep the lush hair for many years to come.
For children
Cucumbers are especially useful for a growing child's body.
- The fruit will eliminate the deficiency of silicon in the child's body, preventing the development of anemia.
- Iodine will protect the thyroid gland, preventing endocrine diseases from developing.
- Potassium will strengthen the nervous system and make the baby mentally balanced.
- Influencing digestion, cucumbers contribute to the normalization of metabolic processes.
The green vegetable is also good for strengthening the child's immune system. But do not get carried away with this product, remembering its laxative properties. The first acquaintance of the baby with the fetus should occur no earlier than a year, when the digestive tract is already sufficiently formed.
For pregnant and lactating mothers
All the properties of cucumber described above make it a suitable product for pregnant women. He will help fix water-salt exchange, which is so important with a predisposition to puffiness. By expelling excess fluid from the body, the vegetable facilitates the work of the kidneys, which, in turn, normalizes blood pressure.
Pregnant women and women in labor often face the problem of constipation, and cucumbers in this situation can be considered as a laxative with a gentle effect. But it is better for nursing mothers to refrain from this product so that, having got with milk, he did not provoke gas in the baby.
Carrot juice - useful properties
Benefits of cucumber juice
Cucumber juice has the same properties as whole fresh product but is better absorbed by the body. Therefore, it is worth eating it periodically. It is enough to drink a quarter or half a glass of juice squeezed from cucumber gruel 3-4 times a day, and it will be easier to cope with many diseases:
- gastrointestinal colic, constipation and dysbacteriosis;
- hypertension, arrhythmia, coronary heart disease;
- problems with the liver and kidneys;
- diabetes and obesity;
- Chronical bronchitis.
A greater effect will be achieved if other food components are added to fresh cucumber juice.
Mix with honey
Diluted in half a glass of cucumber juice 1 tsp. honey, you can treat catarrhs of the upper respiratory tract. It is enough to take the remedy 3 times a day for 2 tablespoons, and a debilitating cough will quickly recede.
With added vegetable juices
If you add 3 parts of carrot and beetroot to 10 parts of cucumber juice, you can treat not only hypertension, anemia, kidney and cholelithiasis, but also eliminate inflammation in the oral cavity. This composition is also useful for the prevention of development oncological diseases. It is enough to take a regular drink 1 glass 3-4 times a day before meals.
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The benefits and harms of pickled cucumber
Pickled cucumbers are not only a favorite addition to winter table. They may also provide health benefits. The importance of pickles for the normalization of the intestinal microflora is especially important - the vital activity of pathogenic microbes is blocked.
The lactic acid found in pickles helps lower blood fat levels. This, in turn, facilitates its microcirculation through the vessels, reducing the likelihood of heart disease and the development of hypertensive crises.
A month-old brine from under pickles is also useful. It is recommended to strain it and keep it separately in the refrigerator as a remedy:
- with constipation - half an hour after a meal, 1 dl;
- with abdominal dropsy - 2 glasses a day;
- with obesity - 3 times half a cup with a course of treatment of 2 weeks and breaks per month.
But we should not forget about the dangers of pickles. Although fresh vegetables useful in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, genitourinary system and liver, salted fruits (as well as brine) can have a negative effect in this case.
It is advisable to abandon their use in chronic and acute forms of nephritis, cholecystitis, hepatitis, serious diseases. gastrointestinal tract, biliary dyskinesia.
With heart defects, atherosclerosis and advanced stages of hypertension, you should also refuse to eat pickles.
It is advisable for a pregnant woman to limit the use of pickles to a minimum amount, and in the last trimesters to abandon them altogether.
When using brine for the treatment of obesity, you should not increase the rate. Moreover, one should not get carried away with pickles for this purpose - they are able to excite the appetite.
Pickled cucumbers - the benefits and harms
Everything that was said above about the benefits of pickles and the harm they cause can be attributed with absolute certainty to the pickled product. A couple more points should be added here.
If fresh cucumbers help fight obesity and are a good dietary product for weight loss, then pickled cucumbers, on the contrary, provoke a good appetite and contribute to weight gain. Therefore, the product is suitable for those who seek to get better.
Thanks to the spices included in the preservation, pickled cucumbers help to increase the immune properties of the body.
It is better for lactating women to temporarily exclude pickled (as, in fact, salted) cucumbers from the diet, taking care, first of all, of the reaction of a small organism.
Application in cosmetology
Official cosmetology actively uses the properties of cucumber, adding them to the compositions of some lotions, tonics and ointments for facial skin care. The B vitamins in this product stimulate the production of collagen, which rejuvenates the skin and helps to get rid of wrinkles.
They have cucumber-based preparations and tonic properties, refreshing the face and improving its color. An antibacterial effect also came in handy here, helping to relieve inflammation of the dermis, which is especially important when acne appears.
The smell of cosmetic preparations based on cucumber also enchants. They are even supplemented with some perfume products, using as an aphrodisiac. But a green vegetable is good, first of all, for its availability, so it is not necessary to spend money on buying cosmetics if you can use a fresh product at home.
Cucumber for the face
Women have long been used to using the gifts of nature to rejuvenate their appearance. As for cucumbers, it is not even necessary to use the whole fruit - the peel has all the necessary properties, making the skin lighter and more elastic.
Due to its moisturizing properties, cucumber is most suitable for dry skin. Therefore, it is actively used in the preparation of lotions and masks. For oily, the product acts as a cleanser for the epidermis.
To carry out a rejuvenating procedure, sometimes it is enough just to wipe your face with a slice of cucumber. Vegetable rings, laid for a few minutes on the eyelids, will help relieve swelling and redness from the eyes.
In addition to fresh cucumber, a dried product is also used in cosmetology, which is previously crushed. Infusion in a water bath (2 tablespoons of cucumber powder per 1 liter of boiling water) is filtered and cooled. Used as a lotion for various skin inflammations, rashes and acne.
homemade cucumber lotion recipe
Making cucumber lotion at home is not difficult. To begin with, fresh fruits need to be chopped (it is better to grate). For the recipe you will need 1 cup of chopped product. It is poured with the same amount of vodka and insisted in a dark place for 14 days. With a filtered composition, you can wipe oily skin daily.
But in order for the lotion to be suitable for the dry type, the resulting solution should be diluted with chilled boiled water in a ratio of 1:1 and add glycerin (per 100 ml of liquid 1 tsp).
Masks at home
Cucumber is good because it is available for home cosmetology. It is included in many recipes for masks for whitening, nourishing and toning the skin of the face.
Universal (suitable for any type) can be called a protein-egg mask. For dry skin, the yolk is taken, for oily skin - protein, which are mixed with 1 tbsp. grated vegetable. The mask is kept on the face for 20 minutes, then washed off warm water.
A clay mask will help get rid of freckles and refresh the skin. They take a white variety of a natural component and dilute it with cucumber juice. The proportions are determined by eye, but the composition should be the concentration of thick sour cream.
Soften the skin of the face kefir mask. Here you can take the peel from 1 medium-sized fruit and chop it, and then mix it with 1 tbsp. kefir. Wash off this mask after half an hour.
For sensitive skin you can try the berry version. I add 2-3 crushed blueberries to the grated cucumber. After 20 minutes, the mask is washed off with warm water, then the face is rinsed with cool water. This excellent tool deal with rosacea.
What are the benefits of cucumbers: video
Having waited for the summer period, one should not ignore such an opportunity as healing the body and rejuvenating it with the help of useful and delicious product from the vegetable garden.
Health Vegetables 23.09.2016
Cucumbers - it would seem that the product is so simple and familiar, with such a familiar taste, with an almost obligatory "registration" in the summer cottage. We are convinced that the cucumber is a vegetable that is mostly water, but it goes well on the table fresh in season and canned in winter. We also know that women always use the opportunity to make themselves a cucumber face mask. And what else do we know about the benefits and harms of cucumbers for the body?
A bit of history
Cucumbers are native to the tropics and subtropics of India and parts of China. Historians say that mankind has been eating cucumbers for six millennia. This annual representative of the flora from the gourd family is a longtime companion of man. Until now, at the foot of the Himalayan grows a wild relative of cucumbers, small and too bitter to be eaten.
The most juicy and less bitter species began to be cultivated. Apparently, the cucumber was already well known in ancient Egypt. From there, it came to the Greeks and Romans, who used it in the same way as we do today, including salting it.
From the Roman Empire, the path of the cucumber reached Byzantium, including methods of cultivation in greenhouses. A popular vegetable came to our Slavic ancestors from Byzantium, and then conquered the rest of the countries of what was then Europe. In Russian cuisine cucumber pickle was used very widely.
Now, in the form of many varieties, cucumbers have settled around the world. The pimply fruit with many seeds is eaten immature. This is different from pumpkin and melon.
ABOUT useful qualities cucumbers have been known to people since time immemorial. The ancient Greeks used the peel, seeds, and cucumber juice for medicinal purposes.
The chemical composition of cucumbers and calorie content
All the benefits of cucumbers for the human body come from their composition, given by nature. Emerald and juicy cucumber boasts a low calorie content. Indeed, it is 90-97% water. It contains very few proteins, fats, carbohydrates. But the cucumber has a diverse, rich and valuable chemical composition:
- Vitamin complex B1, B2, B9, C, PP, H, and to a lesser extent A, E;
- Mineral series: magnesium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iodine, etc.;
- Sahara;
- Chlorophyll;
- Essential oils;
- Alimentary fiber;
- Starch;
- A small amount of organic acids.
All valuable elements of the composition of cucumbers are present in its juice. Read more about it in the article Benefits of Cucumber Juice.
As already mentioned, cucumbers are a low-calorie product. They have only 14 kcal 100g. That is why a green vegetable can be present in a variety of diets. It will give the body its vitamins and minerals and will not allow you to gain excess weight.
Useful properties of fresh cucumbers. Green color of health
Let's look at the benefits of cucumbers and their beneficial effect on different systems of our body.
The action of cucumbers
Cucumbers are rich in water, and water is the source of life. It helps to moisturize the skin, remove toxic compounds from the body. Thanks to potassium in the composition, water enters the tissues more easily. Cucumbers exhibit a diuretic effect. This helps to remove excess fluid, eliminate puffiness.
Among the useful properties of fresh cucumbers is their ability to neutralize harmful acids. This improves metabolism and allows the kidneys to function normally. Cucumbers help acidic compounds leave the body.
It is known that cucumbers are natural antioxidants, they also help to reduce acidity in the stomach. This is a remedy for fat accumulation, against the accumulation of cholesterol (sterols in the vegetable are responsible for this).
Cucumbers benefit the digestive system, exhibit a mild laxative and choleretic action. Cucumber juice improves peristalsis. Fiber helps the intestines work, and enzymes help break down carbohydrates. Fresh cucumber helps to absorb protein, so it is recommended for meat dishes.
Potassium in the composition of cucumbers normalizes the function of the heart and kidneys. Magnesium and vitamins are beneficial for blood vessels. It is known that the cucumber diet allows you to strengthen the walls of blood vessels. Cucumbers normalize blood pressure, help with ischemia and atherosclerosis. The entire circulatory system regular use cucumber starts to work better.
Iodine, which is abundant in cucumber composition, is the key to a healthy thyroid gland. It also exhibits an anti-sclerotic effect. With cucumbers in our diet, the work of the entire endocrine system improves.
The benefits of fresh cucumbers and in strengthening the immune system. Responsible for this ascorbic acid, and we can take the maximum amount of it from young and small cucumbers.
Studies have shown that cucumbers, and especially the juice from them, remove harmful uric acid.
The magnesium and phosphorus in cucumbers support the nervous system. Together with vitamin B-series, they normalize processes in nervous tissues, which gives relief from fatigue and anxiety, strengthens sleep.
Everyone knows about the bitterness in cucumbers. These are the steroidal saponins cucurbitacins, which experts speak of as compounds with antitumor activity.
The vitamins and antioxidants in cucumbers are good for the female reproductive system. And fresh cucumbers have an excellent cosmetic effect.
Cucumbers for our beauty
What else is the use of cucumber for us women? Many of us know about the cosmetic effect of cucumber. It is a well-known remedy for skin and hair. Cucumber adds freshness and elasticity to the skin, cleanses, tones, rejuvenates the skin of the face and eyelids. It is used for whitening and smoothing wrinkles.
Cucumber B-vitamins help in the production of collagen. Cucumbers will help get rid of acne and rashes, remove excess fat and relieve inflammation. It is also a remedy for freckles and age spots. cucumbers in cosmetic purposes suitable for any type of skin.
Cucumbers have long been used as a remedy for burns, including sunburn. For various burns, diaper rash, rashes, the peel of the bitter parts of the cucumber is used.
Cucumber juice has long been used in lotions, various masks and infusions are made from cucumbers. Cucumber pulp and juice stimulate hair growth and strengthen them.
Cucumbers are wonderful because, in addition to being a component of cosmetics and perfumes, they can help your skin every day, simply being cut into slices or circles.
For those who love simple self-care, I invite you to read the article Cucumber masks for healthy skin faces.
I invite you to watch a video about the power and benefits of cucumber, including for skin and hair.
What problems can cucumbers help with?
The benefits of cucumbers are obvious, and these delicious juicy vegetables not only enrich our diet, but also support us in the fight against a number of ailments. Regular intake of cucumbers in food will help with diseases such as:
- Urolithiasis disease;
- Gout;
- Thyroid disease, goiter;
- Liver disease, hepatitis (a decoction is used overripe cucumbers with whips);
- Diseases of the gallbladder;
- Colitis;
- constipation;
- Skin diseases, inflammation, burns;
- Hypertension;
- Atherosclerosis, ischemia;
- Obesity;
- Diabetes;
- Bronchitis.
Cucumbers on our table
Even without knowing about the beneficial properties of cucumbers, we all use them in salads in summer season. They go to pickles, sandwiches, they're easy to get healthiest juice or make a cocktail and even cucumber lemonade. Cucumber will go in a vegetable smoothie, in a cold summer soup, you can even fry it. Excellent sauce and original jam are made from cucumbers.
And this is a video about a cleansing detox cocktail with cucumber.
Cucumbers have a strong refreshing and nice smell. It is an essential oil that can help us with migraines and depression. The aroma of fresh cucumber awakens appetite, gives a feeling of lightness.
If cucumbers are grown on their own plot, it is not necessary to peel the peel. It contains many useful substances. You can just get rid of the part that is bitter.
Everyone knows salted and pickled cucumbers. These are the most popular snacks and a reminder of summer in the cold season. In pickles, however, vitamins are not preserved, but trace elements are present. Pickled cucumbers will increase appetite and promote digestion. They have a less pronounced laxative effect than fresh ones.
It is worth remembering that salted and lightly salted cucumbers are not useful for everyone. They are not recommended to eat in diseases of the kidneys, liver, blood vessels and heart. Pickles should also be avoided in case of obesity and impaired metabolism.
Otherwise, it is better to have fresh, organic cucumbers on the table. They will give their special pleasant taste and smell, and for the body will benefit. After all, for this valuable plant there are not so many contraindications.
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Harm of cucumbers and contraindications for them
The benefits and harms of cucumbers for the body are well known. Moreover, they still have more benefits than harm. You just need to know about the harm and a few contraindications so as not to harm yourself.
As with most herbal products, individual intolerance may appear here. Although these are very rare cases. There is an allergic reaction to cucumbers, most often it manifests itself from childhood.
Cucumbers can cause harm with cholelithiasis and urolithiasis. They are also not recommended for certain kidney diseases. If there are problems with the kidneys, cucumbers, with the permission of a doctor, can be eaten no more than 100 g per day. You should not eat cucumbers for liver diseases, especially in pickled form.
Another contraindication is increased acidity in the stomach. This also includes gastric and duodenal ulcers. Cucumbers and their juice can cause painful reactions in gastritis.
With some heart diseases, as well as during pregnancy, cucumbers can have undesirable effects, so a specialist consultation is necessary.
It should be remembered that when breastfeeding, cucumber can weaken the baby.
Pickled cucumbers should not be eaten by those who have atherosclerosis or hypertension.
Harmful for everyone will be cucumbers, which contain pesticides, nitrates and other modern chemicals to accelerate growth. This is fraught with poisoning and damage to a number of internal organs.
Otherwise, the benefits of cucumbers for the human body are obvious and tangible. This fresh, green and crunchy vegetable (actually a berry) gives everyone taste and aroma, health, beauty and good mood.
And for the soul, we will listen today Ernesto Cortazar The wonderful sounds of the composer Ernesto Cortazar in a beautiful video sequence are unlikely to leave you indifferent.
I wish you all good health and good mood. Eat cucumbers for the benefit of your health and beauty. But remember and contraindications.
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And on the table we have it almost every day. But few people think about whether it is possible to eat it uncontrollably. Fresh cucumbers: benefits and harms - that's what we'll talk about today.
Benefits of fresh cucumbers
Since school, everyone knows that this vegetable consists of 97% water. But the remaining 3% have a very interesting composition for vitamins and minerals. Of course, their number is too small to cover the daily requirement of the human body. But as an addition to a full menu, it is very helpful.
We will not describe the properties of all the vitamins and minerals contained in fresh cucumbers, we will simply describe the beneficial effects.
Potassium is recognized as the most valuable in fresh cucumbers. Laboratory studies have shown that this trace element is vital for the proper functioning of the heart and vascular system.
A large amount of water in the vegetable allows you to achieve a competent diuretic effect when consumed. At the same time, it should be recognized that fresh cucumbers do not wash out calcium and other useful substances from the body, as chemical preparations do.
The same water is similar in composition to distilled liquid. Therefore, fresh cucumber juice perfectly quenches thirst. At the same time, it removes harmful substances, toxins and slags from the body.
The magical juice of fresh cucumbers has another amazing property. Thanks to the natural organic acid in the composition, it is able to:
- remove salt from the body and joints
- dissolve sand and kidney stones
- remove cholesterol plaques from blood vessels
- flush out free radicals
- improve blood properties
As you can see, it is not so simple, this ordinary fresh cucumber. For example, with gout, it greatly alleviates the general condition and somewhat relieves pain.
The pulp and skin of fresh cucumbers is soft fiber. It cleanses the intestines well, and very correctly and without harm even for a weakened and childish organism.
Crispy green vegetables are rightfully recognized as one of the lowest calorie among pumpkin. Therefore, they are actively included in various diets and medical nutrition. True, it is worth limiting their use, especially on fasting days. Because the constant eating of cucumbers alone contributes to the stretching of the stomach. As a result, the effect may be directly opposite to the desired one.
Who is harmful fresh cucumbers
Some people do not even think about the fact that a simple fresh cucumber can bring unpleasant surprises. No, of course, after eating a couple of greens, a person will not feel a problematic body response. But even this famous vegetable has its contraindications.
For example, it is known that the pulp contains a decent amount of iodine. It won't hurt a healthy person. But for people suffering from thyroid dysfunction, this property can deliver a lot of unpleasant moments.
The same warning applies to people who know behind their bowels the habit of bringing surprises. In order not to aggravate the situation, it is better to refuse fresh cucumbers with their laxative properties.
Due to the strong diuretic effect, people with kidney disease should not get carried away with fresh cucumbers:
- urolithiasis disease
- kidney failure
- nephritis
It is already difficult for the organs to cope with the fluid in the body, and then there is the supplement from cucumbers. Therefore, it is better not to use them at all. Or at least only during an exacerbation. Because the least that the abuse of fresh cucumbers threatens is excessive swelling. And we won’t talk about more, there’s nothing bad about it.
More recently, it has become known that the juice of fresh cucumbers increases acidity. This means people with:
- stomach ulcer
- gastritis
- colitis
- duodenal ulcer
you should not even think about picking a young vegetable from the garden and eating it.
By the way, about the beds. The least harm to the body will bring seasonal vegetables grown in their own backyard.
No doubt, in winter or late autumn, the hand reaches for the counter for a fresh cucumber. After all, I want to feel the smell of summer. But refrain. Think about where fresh cucumbers come from in winter? That's right, from industrial greenhouses. And it is unlikely that someone will lovingly nurture each fruit there. Most likely, such cucumbers are stuffed with pesticides and nitrates. So remember, there is a time for everything.
This is a close relative of zucchini, watermelon and melon, belongs to the family pumpkin. His scientific name « cucumis sativus" is translated from Latin as " cucumber seed". According to information from botanical reference books, the fruit of this plant is classified as a berry. True, with a caveat - to false berries. In terms of culinary and taste characteristics, cucumber is still considered a vegetable crop, which, by the way, ranks 4th in the world in terms of cultivation among vegetables.
Story
Cucumber is considered one of the oldest representatives vegetable crops that appeared four millennia ago. Although there are bold assumptions that the cucumber is already more than 6 thousand years old. There is no unequivocal information about the homeland of this vegetable, but most likely it was the tropical and subtropical regions of Ancient India and China. We can definitely say that initially the cucumber grew wild. Only in the second millennium BC. the ancient Indians cultivated it and gradually introduced it into their diet.
Thanks to the increase in cultivation volumes and established trade relations, the cucumber went to conquer the world from India and China. That is how he got to Egypt, Ancient Greece, and much later to the Roman Empire. There are reasons to believe that it is from Greek name this green vegetable "ἄγουρος" (goes back to "ἄωρος" - unripe) and the word "cucumber" originated. By the way, the English name "cucumber" comes from the French word "concombre", which, in turn, was borrowed from the Latin language ("cucumis").
The fact that in ancient times the cucumber was an important part of the diet of people is evidenced by its images on frescoes in Greek and Egyptian temples. In addition, the beneficial properties of this crunchy vegetable were described by Aristotle and Hippocrates. In ancient Rome, cucumbers were eaten by both the elite classes and the lower classes. And the emperor Tiberius ordered to serve him one cucumber every day of the year. Then cucumbers began to be grown in boxes on wheels in order to be able to move them after sunlight. It is believed that the first salting recipes appeared at the same time.
From the Roman Empire, the cucumber spread throughout Europe (in France - from the 9th century, in England - from the 14th century). In the 15th century, thanks to Columbus, the cucumber reached the shores of the New World, where it also quickly gained popularity among the locals. However, at the beginning of the XVII century. in America there was information about what to eat raw vegetables and fruits are dangerous to health, so the cucumber for some time lost its position and received a mocking nickname "cowcumber" (eng. cucumber for feeding cows). Only about a hundred years later, the green vegetable returned to the tables of Americans.
It is not known for certain when and how the cucumber came to Rus'. There is a theory that this vegetable came to us from Europe after the baptism of Rus'. Although some scholars believe that our merchants bought cucumbers in East Asia back in the ninth century. In any case, one of the first written references to this vegetable dates back to the first half of the 17th century. (Notes of the German traveler Elschleger). At the same time, Peter I issued a decree on the cultivation of this crop in the royal garden. It was then that the first greenhouses began to appear.
Varieties
Despite the fact that cucumbers need a set of certain conditions for normal ripening, thanks to the efforts of breeders, they are now cultivated in different climatic zones and on soils of different composition. The main thing is to choose the right variety.
Depending on the ripening time, cucumbers are divided into early-ripening, ripening up to 45 days (cupid, artist, Hector, Masha), mid-ripening, ripening up to 50 days (competitor, non-female, table, mother-in-law), and late ripening, ripening more than 50 days (phoenix , Aquarius, Alice). There is also a division of cucumber varieties according to their intended use: for fresh consumption, for pickling or preservation, and universal, suitable for both purposes.
Interestingly, the oblong green vegetable known to us has many exotic relatives that are considered its varieties. For example, African cucumber Kiwano has a yellow skin with thorns and juicy green flesh, a bit like our traditional cucumber. The dragon egg is distinguished by its smoothness and light color of the shell, rounded shape and sweetish taste. And Red Hmong cucumbers turn red when ripe, and taste a bit like melon.
A cucumber called Gak or Spring Bitter has an orange-red skin and soft red flesh. It contains a high amount of antioxidants, which makes it very useful, however, it does not tolerate transportation well, so it can only be found in places where it is grown. There are also decorative wild cucumbers, which are also popularly called hedgehogs. They braid hedges and fences, and their fruits are covered with needles. The peculiarity of these cucumbers is that at the time of ripening, the peel on the fruit stretches as much as possible and bursts. At the same time, seeds and a little mucus fly out of two small holes under pressure.
Growing features
Cucumber is a vine-like plant with a creeping stem that can reach two or more meters in length. Lateral shoots and tendrils depart from the main stem, with the help of which the plant can be fixed on supports, taking a vertical position. Thanks to this, it is possible to grow cucumbers on trellises (usually this method is used in greenhouses and on balconies), although, if space in the garden / bed allows, then the stem is allowed to spread along the ground. The length and degree of branching depends on the variety.
During flowering, male (with stamens) and female (with pistils) yellow flowers are formed on the plant. Female flowers differ in that there is an ovary under them and they are located singly or in 2-3 pieces on lateral shoots, while male flowers (empty flowers) form inflorescences of 5-7 pieces mainly on the main stem. Fertilization occurs mainly during the opening of flowers (1-2 days). The pollen is carried by bees and other insects, which are attracted by the bright yellow color and the presence of nectar.
In the case of cold weather or in greenhouse growing conditions, the pollination process becomes more complicated - it is done manually, so breeders began to breed hybrids. They are obtained by artificial pollination of flowers of different varieties. In its name, the hybrid must have a distinctive symbol - F (filli - Italian children) and a number that indicates the generation number. Moreover, in our time, cucumbers have appeared that do not require pollination at all - parthenocarpic, as well as self-pollinated - their flowers have both a stamen and a pistil at the same time.
Cucumbers usually begin to be harvested when the fruits are not yet biologically ripe, which is why they are called greens. To ripen and acquire a yellow-brown hue is given only to those cucumbers from which seed material is taken for planting or for selection.
Planting cucumbers can be carried out both seedlings and seeds. Usually seedlings provide an earlier harvest, but also require more attention. After planting on the beds, young plants need to be wrapped in case of a drop in temperature. In general, cucumber is a heat-loving, moisture-loving and light-loving plant that does not tolerate drafts (note to those who grow vegetables at home on windowsills). It is recommended to plant cucumbers at a distance of at least 20 cm from each other to a depth of 2-2.5 cm in the second or third decade of May (at a temperature of 18 to 25 ° C).
Among the main cucumber pests, a spider mite stands out, which settles on the underside of the leaves and feeds on their juice, which leads to the appearance of white dots on the leaves, and then, braided with cobwebs, they dry out. Cucumbers are also afraid of melon aphids, which live on all parts of the plant and suck out its juices. After that, the leaves begin to turn yellow and die. The cucumber mosquito is also dangerous, whose translucent larva with a black head is introduced into the stem and root of a weakened plant, after which it dies.
Chemicals are commonly used to control pests. However, in order to prevent harmful insects from entering the plant, regular weeding should be done to remove weeds.
How to choose
IN summer time years, it is better to buy cucumbers in the morning, before they lose their freshness, lying in the sun. If the cucumbers have already faded a little, then you can “revive” them by leaving them in cool water for 2-3 hours. By the way, soaking in cold water(about 30 minutes) promotes the elimination of nitrates. To heighten the effect, put the cucumbers in a transparent bowl and leave in a bright place (the sun's rays help accelerate the removal of harmful substances).
Buy cucumbers should be dense, without visible damage and yellow spots. When buying cucumbers out of season, you should pay attention to the unnatural shine. Imported vegetables are often covered with a thin layer of paraffin during transportation for better preservation. In this case, before eating the vegetable, it is necessary to cut the peel. And if there are no seeds inside at all, then it is better to throw away such a cucumber, due to the presence of a large amount of hazardous substances in it.
In general, the choice of cucumbers depends on your purpose. Almost all cucumbers can be used for salad, but specially bred smooth fruits with a thick skin, about 13 cm long, are considered the most suitable. They have rich aroma. You can take cucumbers with white spikes.
The best pickled cucumbers are obtained from fruits 9-12 cm long with dark spikes (they are easily removed when washed, which allows the brine to intensively soak the cucumber). For pickling, it is recommended to take cucumbers up to 9 cm in size (short-fruited gherkins) of a dark green color with light tips or light stripes on the side. Fruits with dark thorns are also suitable.
How to store
As for the storage of fresh cucumbers, they can usually be stored in the refrigerator for about 3-5 days. It is important to keep them well ventilated and not store them near ripe fruits and vegetables. To increase the shelf life up to 10 days, they are placed in plastic bag, covered with wet gauze on top and sent to the refrigerator. Cucumbers wrapped in paper towels and placed in an open bag can be stored in the refrigerator for about two weeks. In order for the vegetables to remain fresh for 3-4 weeks, they are dipped in tails in cool water by 1-2 cm and put in the refrigerator. The water in the tank must be changed every day.
Useful properties of cucumbers
Chemical composition and presence of nutrients
| Main substances (mg/100 g): | Fresh with skin | Fresh without peel | Pickled |
| Water | 95,23 | 96,73 | 94,08 |
| Squirrels | 0,65 | 0,59 | 0,33 |
| Fats | 0,11 | 0,16 | 0,20 |
| Carbohydrates | 3,63 | 2,16 | 2,26 |
| Sugar | 1,67 | 1,38 | 1,06 |
| Alimentary fiber | 0,5 | 0,7 | 1,2 |
| Calories (Kcal) | 15 | 10 | 11 |
| Minerals | |||
| Potassium | 147 | 136 | 23 |
| Phosphorus | 24 | 21 | 14 |
| Calcium | 16 | 14 | - |
| Magnesium | 13 | 12 | 4 |
| Sodium | 2 | 2 | 1208 |
| Iron | 0,28 | 0,22 | 0,40 |
| Zinc | 0,20 | 0,17 | 0,02 |
| vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 2,8 | 3,2 | 1 |
| Vitamin PP | 0,098 | 0,037 | - |
| Vitamin B6 | 0,040 | 0,051 | 0,009 |
| Vitamin B2 | 0,033 | 0,025 | 0,010 |
| Vitamin E | 0,030 | 0,03 | 0,09 |
| Vitamin B1 | 0,027 | 0,031 | - |
| Vitamin K | 0,016 | 0,007 | 0,047 |
| Vitamin B9 | 0,007 | 0,014 | 0,001 |
| Vitamin A | 0,005 | 0,004 | 0,01 |
Based on the above tables, we can conclude that it is most useful to eat cucumbers along with the peel, which contains many useful substances. However, both peeled and pickled, cucumbers retain some useful properties. True, it should be borne in mind that in a salted or pickled form, the level of sodium in them jumps sharply, which can adversely affect the health of people suffering from kidney failure. At the same time, the proportion of vitamins decreases, the level of potassium, magnesium, zinc and calcium decreases. And too much salt can lead to the destruction of tooth enamel, fluid retention in the body and disruption of the digestive tract.
Medicinal properties
Cucumber is inferior to many vegetables in vitamin content, since it consists almost entirely of water. However, cucumber water is rich in mineral salts and biologically active substances. For example, cucumber fruits contain enzymes that promote the absorption of proteins and B vitamins, as well as maintaining a normal blood reaction. What's more, cucumbers contain an insulin-like enzyme, making them an important staple in the diet of diabetics.
In addition, cucumber water helps to cleanse the body by dissolving toxins. That is, the cucumber should not be used as a standalone food, but it plays a significant role in the absorption of other food, such as meat. Due to their low calorie content, cucumbers are recommended for people prone to obesity.
Even though in a small amount, but cucumbers contain phosphorus, potassium, calcium, sulfur, magnesium, sodium, iron, zinc and iodine (in an easily digestible form). Due to this, they have choleretic and diuretic properties, help improve the activity of the cardiovascular system, and are recommended for people suffering from thyroid diseases. In addition, such a set of trace elements improves the condition of nails, hair, human teeth and reduces the acidity of gastric juice. By the way, fiber, which is part of cucumbers, has the best effect on the digestion process. A light laxative effect helps to get rid of constipation.
As for vitamins, cucumbers boast the presence of carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, folates, etc. in their composition. The latter are actively involved in regulating the level of homocysteine, an amino acid that is formed in the body during metabolism, and increases the risk of atherosclerotic vascular damage and thrombosis.
Another useful component of cucumber is phytosterol (phytosterol) - a steroidal alcohol that does not dissolve in water. In fact, we are talking about a vegetable counterpart of cholesterol. Its advantage is that it is safe for humans and does not provoke the development of atherosclerosis. Once in the body, phytosterol inhibits up to 10% of cholesterol absorption and instead enters the blood without causing any harm to the body.
Use in medicine
In traditional medicine, cucumber, despite the presence of useful elements and properties, is not used and is not considered a pharmacopoeial plant. However, green fruits are already for a long time actively and successfully used in folk medicine and cosmetology.
First, the simplest folk application cucumber - external. When receiving small burns, abrasions or wounds, it is recommended to attach a cut cucumber to the damaged area or lubricate this place with fresh cucumber juice. This guarantees a powerful antimicrobial effect (even in case of suppuration). Secondly, various decoctions, infusions are prepared on the basis of cucumber, compresses are made from them. Moreover, not only the fruits themselves and the juice are put into circulation, but also the flowers, leaves and lashes of the plant (usually in dried form).
Decoctions and infusions
A decoction of fresh cucumbers can help get rid of edema that has appeared due to heart pathologies or varicose veins. To do this, finely chop 100 g of washed cucumber, pour 200 ml of boiling water over it and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Half a cup of this decoction should be drunk before meals three times a day for 7-10 days.
Beverages
Cucumber juice has a lot of useful properties, so it is recommended to drink it in pure form. However, due to the refreshing effect that cucumber has, it is often added to various summer drinks. For example, a lime and watermelon smoothie (200 g watermelon pulp, 1/2 lime, 1/2 cucumber, a bunch of mint and water) or a spinach and celery smoothie (grind in a blender: 100 g spinach, 1 green apple, 1 cucumber, 1 stalk of celery, 1 piece of ginger, 2 tbsp. lemon juice). Cucumber water is also popular (1 cucumber, 1 bunch of mint, half a lemon, 1 liter of water).
Use in cosmetology
Cucumber is considered a good cosmetic product that has a refreshing and rejuvenating effect on the skin. Thanks to phytosterol, moisture is retained and there is a slight lifting effect. And alkaline salts provide nutrition to the skin and have a whitening effect, removing plaque.
Now there is a huge selection of all kinds of masks, lotions, tonics, cucumber-based gels, but in the summer you can prepare a cosmetic product at home.
In order to refresh the skin of the face after overwork, lack of sleep or stress, you need to take 1 cucumber and 1 chicken protein. Grate the cucumber fine grater and take 2 tbsp. gruel, combining them with whipped to foam egg white. Then apply the mask on the face for 15 minutes and rinse with water. And for the skin around the eyes, it is recommended to mix 2 tbsp. grated cucumber with chopped parsley.
To achieve a rejuvenating effect, you need to mix 1 tbsp. grated cucumber with 1 tsp. white clay. A moisturizing effect is given by a mask prepared from 1 tbsp. grated cucumber, 1 tsp chopped mint and 1 tsp. chopped basil.
One of the first countries where the cucumber was cultivated and began to be eaten was China. There is a legend according to which it was the Chinese who introduced Turkey to this vegetable. Among other gifts, they sent the Turkish Sultan Magomed II as a gift several exotic fruits- cucumbers. The Sultan took a liking to the outlandish vegetable, and he called on seven of the best court guards to guard it. However, one cucumber disappeared, and all the guards denied any involvement in the theft. Then the enraged Sultan decided to arrange a kind of search, giving the order to rip open the stomachs of all seven.
Perhaps that is why the saying appeared in the Turkish language "Look after the cucumber with an ax." True, now such words are usually addressed to a person who commits stupidity. In English and Russian, proverbs about cucumbers have a rather positive meaning. So the English say as cool as a cucumber", which literally translates as " calm as a cucumber” and means absolute equanimity. In Russia, you can often hear the expression " be like a cucumber”, which means to be cheerful and look good. And the Brazilians even use the word " chuchuzinho"(Port. chayote or Mexican cucumber) for an affectionate appeal to loved ones.
By the way, about love. In 2011, a series called Cucumber Love was filmed in Russia, which tells about life in the small village of Gorelkovo, famous for its cucumber fields. In addition, back in 1985, in the Soviet Union, based on the fairy tale of Galina Lebedeva, the cartoon "Cucumber Horse" was created. Green crispy vegetables also play a plot-forming role in the instructive story "Cucumbers" by the children's prose writer Nikolai Nosov. The writers Vladimir Klimenko (the story "Mad Cucumbers") and Vsevolod Ivanov (the story "Nezhinsky Cucumbers") also turned to the topic of cucumbers.
This green vegetable was not spared by the great painters. The still lifes “Cucumbers” by Kondrat Maksimov and Mikhail Makhalov (1), as well as the painting “Still Life with Vegetables” by Ivan Khrutsky, became famous. Moreover, the artists of the Middle Ages began to depict cucumbers on their canvases. So, the Spaniard Luis Mendelez painted a still life "Cucumbers, tomatoes and dishes." And the Italian Giuseppe Arcimboldo used a cucumber to depict the character's nose in the painting "Summer" (2).
And Carlo Crivelli distinguished himself by inscribing cucumbers in the Christian subjects of his paintings. Until now, scientists do not agree on the symbolism of cucumbers on a series of paintings by Crivelli "Madonna and Child" (3) and "Annunciation". Since the cucumber is often located next to the apple on them, it is sometimes interpreted by analogy as a symbol of temptation and original sin. Although some researchers believe that the cucumber, on the contrary, symbolized the Resurrection and vitality.
Apparently, the modern inhabitants of the island of Fiji also believe in the vitality that the cucumber gives. They not only consume cucumbers, but also prepare their stocks in case of crop failure or natural disaster. As a rule, vegetables are wrapped with banana leaves and buried in the ground. In addition, the size of the cucumber supply may help a man to marry, since the parents of girls are usually more willing to marry their daughters to "cucumber magnates."
By the way, in Fiji, as well as in Asia, not only cucumbers are popular in the form in which we are used to seeing them, but also the so-called sea cucumbers. In fact, we are talking about holothurians - invertebrate animals such as echinoderms. The species eaten are usually collectively referred to as "trepangs". These oriental seafood considered extremely healthy delicacies, so they are often caught illegally and sold on the black market. There, the price for 1 kg of sea cucumbers can reach up to $500.
True, quite legally, our traditional green vegetables. In the UK, two pensioners independently grew 1.2 m long fruit in their beds. However, the longest cucumber is considered to be a vegetable that has ripened in one of the greenhouses in Hungary. A record 1.83 m is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
In different parts of the world, people immortalized the cucumber by erecting monuments to it. For example, there is such a monument in Poznan, Poland. Also in Ukrainian Nizhyn there is a monument to a non-female cucumber, and in Belarusian Shklov there is a bronze cucumber "Napoleon". This vegetable is revered in Austria - in Salzburg there is a whole installation "Cucumbers". They are also respected in Russia, because in addition to the monument, in Lukhovitsy near Moscow there is a whole museum dedicated to the cucumber.
But in London, the cucumber was honored on a grand scale. There is no monument here, but in 2004 a high-rise building 30 St Mary Ax (Saint Mary Ax 30) appeared, which the British themselves call “The Gherkin” (English cucumber) because of the external similarity and greenish illumination. Interestingly, in fact, the creation of this architectural project was inspired by the creators of the bump.
Dangerous properties of cucumbers and contraindications
Cucumbers - dietary product, but even they can sometimes harm the body. It is recommended to refuse their use in such cases:
- exacerbation of stomach ulcers;
- acute and chronic gastritis and enterocolitis;
- acute and chronic nephritis and pyelonephritis, as well as hepatitis and cholecystitis (you should avoid eating pickles);
- feeding the baby (may cause indigestion and colic in the baby).
One of the most useful and common foods available to everyone is cucumber. Most people believe that since it consists of almost only water, then needed by the body there are no substances in it. But despite popular belief, this product is very useful. What so easily quenches thirst and cleanses the body of toxins? Of course, its harm is constantly being investigated by scientists around the world.
The fact that it is a very low calorie product makes it the best food for those who want to lose weight. Special cucumber diets not only help to lose weight, but also cleanse the body, remove swelling and improve metabolism. The water contained in cucumbers perfectly quenches thirst and rejuvenates the body.
It is also recommended for skin health to eat cucumber. The benefits and harms of it are explained by the fact that it consists of 90 percent structured water, which is quickly absorbed, saturating the skin with moisture. It also gets rid of acne and inflammation and improves the condition of the gums and teeth. Cucumber is an excellent bleaching agent that removes freckles and age spots. In addition, it contains a lot of potassium and silicon, which improve the condition of the hair and keep the skin in good shape. But not all people normally tolerate such an amount of liquid, so you need to monitor your condition.
Eating cucumber is also important for cardiovascular health. Its benefits and harms are considered by many doctors. It turned out that when using this product, the work of the heart and blood pressure normalize, swelling disappears, and the intestines are gently cleansed. removes excess cholesterol from the body and prevents
The benefits of fresh cucumbers are great. After all, they contain many minerals: iron, chromium, manganese and others. And also there is a lot of silver in cucumbers. Therefore, they have a strong anti-inflammatory effect. These vegetables are rich in vitamins B, C and carotene, so they can increase immunity and vitality. Cucumbers also contain glucose and fructose, which are essential for normal brain function.
They can be used as a mild laxative, diuretic, pain reliever, and antipyretic. Cucumbers are useful for thyroid diseases and metabolic disorders. They help in the digestion of proteins and fats, and prevent the conversion of carbohydrates into fats. This is because they contain a unique substance - tartronic acid. Fresh cucumbers also neutralize acids in the body, which lead to the deposition of salts. And the optimal content of potassium and sodium normalizes water metabolism.
This vegetable is very unusual - cucumber. Its benefits and harms have long been controversial among doctors and cosmetologists. It is believed that a healthy vegetable is safe. But the dangers of cucumbers are also worth mentioning. It is undesirable to eat a lot of them for people with peptic ulcer or gastritis. After all, they can increase the acidity of the stomach. In addition, early cucumbers, which are grown with the use of large amounts of nitrates and other fertilizers, can be dangerous.
Perhaps the most common vegetable on earth is the cucumber. They just don’t do anything with it: they salt it, pickle it, even fry it. And on the table we have it almost every day. But few people think about whether it is possible to eat it uncontrollably. Fresh cucumbers: benefits and harms - that's what we'll talk about today.
Benefits of fresh cucumbers
Since school, everyone knows that this vegetable consists of 97% water. But the remaining 3% have a very interesting composition for vitamins and minerals. Of course, their number is too small to cover the daily requirement of the human body. But as an addition to a full menu, it is very helpful.
We will not describe the properties of all the vitamins and minerals contained in fresh cucumbers, we will simply describe the beneficial effects.
Potassium is recognized as the most valuable in fresh cucumbers. Laboratory studies have shown that this trace element is vital for the proper functioning of the heart and vascular system.
A large amount of water in the vegetable allows you to achieve a competent diuretic effect when consumed. At the same time, it should be recognized that fresh cucumbers do not wash out calcium and other useful substances from the body, as chemical preparations do.
The same water is similar in composition to distilled liquid. Therefore, fresh cucumber juice perfectly quenches thirst. At the same time, it removes harmful substances, toxins and slags from the body.
The magical juice of fresh cucumbers has another amazing property. Thanks to the natural organic acid in the composition, it is able to:
- remove salt from the body and joints
- dissolve sand and kidney stones
- remove cholesterol plaques from blood vessels
- flush out free radicals
- improve blood properties
As you can see, it is not so simple, this ordinary fresh cucumber. For example, with gout, it greatly alleviates the general condition and somewhat relieves pain.
The pulp and skin of fresh cucumbers is a soft fiber. It cleanses the intestines well, and very correctly and without harm even for a weakened and childish organism.
Crispy green vegetables are rightfully recognized as one of the lowest calorie among pumpkin. Therefore, they are actively included in various diets and medical nutrition. True, it is worth limiting their use, especially on fasting days. Because the constant eating of cucumbers alone contributes to the stretching of the stomach. As a result, the effect may be directly opposite to the desired one.
Some people do not even think about the fact that a simple fresh cucumber can bring unpleasant surprises. No, of course, after eating a couple of greens, a person will not feel a problematic body response. But even this famous vegetable has its contraindications.
For example, it is known that the pulp contains a decent amount of iodine. It won't hurt a healthy person. But for people suffering from thyroid dysfunction, this property can deliver a lot of unpleasant moments.
The same warning applies to people who know behind their bowels the habit of bringing surprises. In order not to aggravate the situation, it is better to refuse fresh cucumbers with their laxative properties.
Due to the strong diuretic effect, people with kidney disease should not get carried away with fresh cucumbers:
- urolithiasis disease
- kidney failure
- nephritis
It is already difficult for the organs to cope with the fluid in the body, and then there is the supplement from cucumbers. Therefore, it is better not to use them at all. Or at least only during an exacerbation. Because the least that the abuse of fresh cucumbers threatens is excessive swelling. And we won’t talk about more, there’s nothing bad about it.
More recently, it has become known that the juice of fresh cucumbers increases acidity. This means people with:
- stomach ulcer
- gastritis
- colitis
- duodenal ulcer
you should not even think about picking a young vegetable from the garden and eating it.
By the way, about the beds. The least harm to the body will bring seasonal vegetables grown in their own backyard.
No doubt, in winter or late autumn, the hand reaches for the counter for a fresh cucumber. After all, I want to feel the smell of summer. But refrain. Think about where fresh cucumbers come from in winter? That's right, from industrial greenhouses. And it is unlikely that someone will lovingly nurture each fruit there. Most likely, such cucumbers are stuffed with pesticides and nitrates. So remember, there is a time for everything.
Facts about fresh cucumbers
Women have known about the benefits of vegetables in cosmetology for several generations. The famous masks of fresh cucumber rings! Who hasn't seen or done them? The muzzle looks funny, that's a fact, but what an effect!
This mask is especially good after sunburn. The skin is whitened, tightened, looks young and elastic. And the reason for everything is vitamins A and E, which are part of the pulp, the well-known guardians of beauty.
By the way, fresh cucumber juice greatly lightens age spots during pregnancy. And it perfectly removes fine wrinkles on tired, aging skin. Plus, deep hydration of the inner layers of the epidermis is also a positive thing.Interesting fact. Laboratory studies have shown that the highest concentration of minerals, trace elements and vitamins is in small fruits, up to 9 cm long. Those cucumbers that grow larger no longer have such a density of useful components. The most useless are old cucumbers, with a yellowed peel. They contain practically no vitamins, but they are full of seeds. And eating such vegetables is not very pleasant.
Well, now you know everything about fresh cucumbers. Their benefits and harms are also not a secret. Therefore, you already know how many crunchy vegetables you can afford per day. The main thing is to observe the measure. And don't get sick.
Video: the benefits of cucumbers for humans
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