The Incredible Health Benefits of Cucumbers

A Quick Background on Cucumbers

When you think of the cucumber, many think of it as a vegetable, but in reality, a cucumber is a fruit and related to the melon and the squash families- (1). It’s mild in flavor and is good when sliced and dropped in water (after all, cucumbers are 90% water- (2) or paired with certain adult beverages and is often added to salads of varying kinds for added crunch, a bit of flavor, and its incredible health benefits.

Much like celery, cucumbers originated around the Mediterranean and were brought to the “New World” but colonialists during the 16th century- (3). Varieties of cucumbers grow in both warm and cool climates. In the United States, Florida and California provide the country with most of its cucumbers for much of the year, roughly March through November- (4). However, Mexico is the largest provider of cucumbers to the U.S. during the cold, winter months.

Cucumbers are often broken up into two categories: pickling cucumbers, which are on the smaller side and have thinner skin, and slicing cucumbers, which are a bit larger and have thicker skin. When picking a cucumber, it often involves slicing (though, cucumbers can and often are pickled whole) and then soaking in brine (water that contains a great deal of salt) and vinegar- (5).

Seedless cucumbers exist and are cultivated to grow without pollination. Seedless cucumbers happen to be popular with consumers, however, it should be noted that the seeds contain powerful nutrients that are otherwise unavailable in the rest of the cucumber- (6).

Cultivating and Cooking with Cucumbers

Cucumbers can be prepared in many different ways. They’re always an easy and delicious part of any crudité plate. You can slice them and put them in various kinds of salads. They’re good sliced or quarters and sprinkled with a little sea salt or certain kinds of chili powders. You can dice or chop a cucumber and mix with chopped sweet onion. Then toss in apple cider vinegar and sprinkle with salt and pepper for taste.

Historical Uses for Cucumbers

Romans during the height of the Roman Empire were known to have used cucumbers to treat bad eyesight and scorpion bites and to scare away mice- (7). Women who wanted children wore cucumbers around their waists- (8). During the 15th century, Spanish conquerors brought cucumbers with them to Haiti. Throughout the 16th century, European explorers bartered for cucumbers with First Nations Peoples in North America- (9). In 2010 worldwide cucumber production was nearly 60 million tons, the majority of the world’s production and being located in China (nearly 41 million tons)- (10).

Health Benefits

Cucumbers are grown wild throughout India and used as a traditional Ayurveda medicine to treat conditions like headaches- (11). Cucumber slices can be used to soothe tired and puffy eyes, the juice as an acne cream, and the seeds even have used as a diuretic. Cucumbers’ high silica content promotes healthy and strong hair and nails- (12).

Cucumbers are an excellent source of vitamins, including vitamin C (which fights infections), vitamin K (which has anti-inflammatory properties), and pantothenic acid, aka vitamin B5 (which helps the body produce energy). Cucumbers contain minerals such as potassium and magnesium, which are both good for your heart, and manganese which helps build up bones- (13).

Cucumbers are also full of antioxidants and enzymes, one in particular, erepsin, helps digest proteins and destroy tapeworms and parasites. Eating cucumbers benefits the teeth and gums as well because they are jam-packed with fiber and nutrients that help remove bad bacteria from the teeth and massage the gums as well- (14).

Recent studies show that cucumbers contain powerful lignans which lower the risk of heart disease and also bind with estrogen-related bacteria in the digestive tract, which then help reduce the risk of cancers like uterus, ovarian, breast, and prostate cancers- (15). Fresh cucumber juice has been known to be a great remedy for bringing down a fever in children and those recovering or recuperating from illness or surgery- (16).

Scientific Studies Showing the Health Benefits of Cucumbers

Traditional folk uses for cucumbers sparked an interest in the researchers of one study that showed that cucumber extracts had signs of free radical scavenging (which help protect from tissue damage) and analgesics (can prevent inflammation and serve as a pain reliever). Their extracts were found to provide phytonutrients (which have anti-inflammatory properties). Several other valuable compounds were found as well, including glycosides carbohydrates, terpenoids, steroids, tannins, and flavonoids- (17).

Cucurbitacins (a biochemical that had at times been used as a medicine during ancient times) in plants have been identified as having biological and pharmacological benefits, one being that they prevent cancer cells from forming- (18).