Ever wonder how to beat the scorching summer heat? Remember humble crunchy cucumber! This wonderful, low calorie vegetable indeed has more nutrients to offer than just water and electrolytes.
The vegetable is one of the oldest cultivated crops and believed to be originating in the northern plains of India. The plant is a creeper (vine) just like other same cucurbita family members, for example gourds, squashes, melons, zucchini etc. Botanically, it belongs to the cucurbitaceous family; and is known scientifically as Cucumis sativus.

 Cucumber is easy to grow. Different varieties, varying in size, shape, and colour, are cultivated all around the world. In general, the fruit features dark green skin, crispy moisture rich flesh, and small edible seeds concentrated at its centre. Like other squash members, cucumbers are best-harvested young, tender and just short of reaching maturity, at a stage when they taste sweet and have unique flavour. If left alone, the fruit continues to grow in size, its skin become tough and turns yellow, and seeds become hard and inedible. Fresh cucumbers are available throughout the season and can be eaten raw as is or in vegetable salads or in the form of juice.

Health benefits

It is one of the very low calories vegetable; provides just 15 calories per 100 g. It contains no saturated fats or cholesterol. Cucumber peel is a good source of dietary fibre that helps reduce constipation, and offers some protection against colon cancers by eliminating toxic compounds from the gut.

It is a very good source of potassium, an important intracellular electrolyte. Potassium is a heart friendly electrolyte; helps reduce blood pressure and heart rates by countering effects of sodium.

It contains unique anti-oxidants in good ratios such as ß-carotene and α-carotene, vitamin-C, vitamin-A, zea-xanthin and lutein. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease processes.

Cucumbers have mild diuretic property probably due to their high water and potassium content, which helps in checking weight gain and high blood pressure.

They are surprisingly have high amount of vitamin K, provides about 17 µg of this vitamin per 100 g. Vitamin-K has been found to have potential role in bone strength by promoting osteotrophic (bone mass building) activity. It also has established role in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in their brain.

A Bright and Glowing Complexion:  Cucumber is rich in silica, which is the essential component that aids in developing strong and healthy connective tissues in the muscles, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and bone. Doctors often recommend cucumber juice because of the silica content to create healthier and brighter skin. Cucumber’s high water content makes it naturally hydrating, and it is well known that moisture is the best friend to healthy skin, so why not acquire the hydration naturally? The extract of cucumbers is often used topically for treating various types of skin ailments, including sunburn and swelling under the eyes. Ascorbic acid and caffeic acid are the two vital compounds in cucumbers that prevent water loss from the body. These are some of the reasons why cucumbers are applied topically for various skin problems.

Prevents Constipation and Keeps Kidneys Healthy:  Cucumbers are a perfect blend of both fibre and water. Therefore, it helps to protect your body from both constipation and kidney stones. By drinking cucumber juice, you can consume both fibre and water at the same time. Reports say that the majority of Americans prefer to have a cucumber rich salad regularly as it is a great way to increase your fibre intake. Cucumber is also a good source of vitamin C, silica, potassium and magnesium; which all have their own health benefits. Cucumbers have an extraordinary amount of water (about 96%) that is naturally purified, thus making the water content much higher in quality than ordinary water. Cucumber skin contains high levels of vitamin A, so you will gain more nutrition if you eat the entire thing, skin and all.

Controls Blood Pressure:  The studies done at DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) consisted of people consuming foods high in magnesium, potassium, and fibre. The results were clear; their blood pressure lowered to normal levels. The group eating a diet rich in these complexes along with the other foods on the diet like seafood, low fat dairy items, lean meat and poultry saw that their blood pressure fell by 5.5 points (systolic) over 3.0 points (diastolic).

Manage Diabetes:  Cucumbers have been useful for diabetic patients for many years. Cucumbers possess a hormone required by the beta cells during insulin production. The Glycaemic Index of cucumbers is actually zero. The presence of carbohydrates and their result on the body is measured by the quantity Glycaemic Index. Every food item contains essential nutrients in different percentages. The carbohydrates contribute in raising the glucose level, however the carbohydrates present in the cucumber can be easily digested by diabetic patients. Thus, consumption of cucumbers keeps the glucose level in check. Nowadays, most commercial stores have cucumber supplements as spiny sea cucumber extract powder, which is very effective in combating the effects of diabetes.

Keeps the Body Healthy and Functioning:  Cucumbers have excellent cleaning properties, and actively remove accumulated waste and toxins from your body. In many cases, cucumbers have been shown to be an effective treatment for arthritis since it removes uric acid. Since it aids in urine secretion, cucumber is considered a natural diuretic. Cucumbers are very good for optimizing urinary bladder, kidney, liver and pancreatic functions. Cucumber juice along with carrot juice is extremely effective for rheumatic conditions caused by excessive uric acid in the body. It is good for digestion, especially of proteins, and it controls blood pressure and diabetes mellitus. Drinking cucumber juice on a regular basis also helps to cure gout and eczema. If you are having lung or stomach problems, be sure to add cucumber to your diet. It also promotes muscle flexibility, while the magnesium content of cucumbers ensures proper blood circulation and relaxed nerves. Since cucumbers are so rich in minerals, it even prevents splitting of the nails on the fingers and toes