They're good for a lot more than just adding crunch to your salad.
Cucumbers are one of the most
underrated fruits on the planet—yes, you read that right. Cucumbers are
technical—and botanically—a fruit, not a vegetable because they develop from
flowers and contain seeds. Cucumbers are frequently marketed as a beauty superfood
due to their high water content (they're 95% water!) and superior hydration
ability. In addition to eating cucumbers, this fruit includes vitamin K and
anti-inflammatory plant compounds that can help de-puff eyes and treat dark
circles when sliced and applied topically.
Cucumbers have a tremendous impact
on your heart health, more essential than their cosmetic benefits. Cukes, it
turns out, can help your cardiovascular system in several ways. Here's how.
1. They help control blood sugar.
Low-carb diets have long been
recognized to help control blood sugar levels, and now several animal studies suggest that cucumbers, in particular, may help lower blood sugar levels. Lower
blood sugar levels mean less harm to your blood vessels and the nerves that control
your heart. Cucumber peel (which contains minerals and fibre) was shown in
another study to cure many diabetes-related indicators, including blood sugar
levels. Therefore, do not peel the peel!
2. They can assist in lowering
blood pressure.
Cucumbers help
enlarge blood vessels (vaso), which can help to lower blood pressure and
minimize the risk of heart disease. Cucumber juice, when consumed for 12 days,
was proven to help reduce blood pressure in older persons, according to a 2017 study. Doctors advise patients with high blood pressure to eat low-sodium
foods, and cucumbers are a great option (as long as you don't salt them!). They
also include magnesium and potassium, which can help reduce blood pressure by
promoting sodium excretion through the urine.
3. They protect your heart.
Cucumbers can't protect you from
emotional heartbreak (which is unfortunate), but they can safeguard your heart
in other ways. Because their antioxidant capabilities effectively scavenge
damaging free radicals in studies (they contain flavonoids, those plant
compounds). What effect does this have on your ticker? Antioxidants fight
oxidative stress, a chemical process that produces damaging free radicals and
has been linked to cancer and heart disease.
4. They help prevent clogged
arteries.
According to studies, Cucurbitacins
(plant chemicals) is a natural therapy for atherosclerosis, the harmful
build-up of fatty substances on artery walls.