HEALTH BENEFITS OF CUCUMBER
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Hydration
According to Ware, “Cucumbers are 95 percent
water." This makes cucumbers a great way to stay
hydrated, especially during the summer . A cup of
cucumber slices is “nearly as thirst-quenching as a
glass of water,” according to Eating Well magazine.
The anti-inflammatory compounds in cucumbers
help remove waste from the body and reduce skin
irritation, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Preliminary research also suggests
cucumbers promote anti-wrinkling and anti-aging
activity, according to an article in the journal
Filoterapia.
Cancer prevention
Cucumbers contain two phytonutrient compounds
associated with anti-cancer benefits: lignans and
cucurbitacins. In recent years, pharmaceutical
companies have been paying special attention to
cucurbitacins, hoping to use them in new cancer
drugs. According to a 2010 research review
published in Scientific World Journal , scientists have
found that cucurbitacins can help block the signaling
pathways that are important for cancer cell
proliferation and survival.
Cucurbitacins can also inhibits the growth of
pancreatic cancer cells, according to a 2009 study
published in the Journal of Cancer Research looked
at cucurbitacin B (which cucumber contains) on
human pancreatic cancer cells and found that
cucurbitacin supplements inhibited the growth of
seven pancreatic cancer cell lines by 50 percent, and
also increased apoptosis, or "death by suicide," of
pancreatic cancer cells.
According to World’s Healthiest Foods, lignans may
protect against cancer through working with the
bacteria in the digestive tract. The bacteria take the
lignans and convert them into compounds such as
enterodiol and enterolactone, which can bind onto
estrogen receptors and possibly reduce the risk of
estrogen-related cancers, such as ovarian, breast,
endometrial and prostate cancers. The research is
not yet clear on whether lignans actually assert
anti-cancer benefits.
A 2009 meta-analysis published in the British
Journal of Cancer found little or no association
between lignan intake and reduced breast cancer
risk. Similarly, most studies have not found
significant correlations between lignan intake and
reduced prostate cancer risk, according to the Linus
Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, though
one study of older Scottish men published in
the British Journal of Nutrition showed that
consuming an enterolactone-containing serum
reduced the risk of prostate cancer.
On the other hand, a Journal of Nutrition study of
nearly 800 American women found that those with
those with the highest lignan intake had the lowest
risk of ovarian cancer. Furthermore, a study
published in the Journal of the National Cancer
Institute looked at nearly 1,000 women in the San
Francisco area and found that postmenopausal
women with the highest lignan intakes had the
lowest risk of endometrial cancer.
Skin
You’ve probably seen pictures of people at a spa
relaxing with cucumber slices over their eyes. It
turns out there’s science behind this pampering
ritual. Ware explained, “Cucumbers have a cooling
and soothing effect that decreases swelling, irritation
and inflammation when used topically. Cucumber
slices can be placed on the eyes can decrease
morning puffiness or alleviate and treat sunburn
when placed on the affected areas.” She also noted
that high vegetable intake is associated with a
healthy complexion in general.
Bone health
According to the University of Maryland Medical
Center , in the past few decades, it has become clear
that vitamin K is important to bone health, and one
cup of cucumber contains about 19 percent of the
recommended daily intake of vitamin K. One review
published in Nutrition noted that vitamin K intake
might reduce fracture rates, work with vitamin D to
increase bone density and positively affect calcium
balance.
The human body uses vitamin K when building
bones, and the effects seem to be especially
important for women. A large 2003 American Journal
of Clinical Nutrition study showed that low vitamin K
levels were associated with low bone density in
women, but not in men. Another study published in
the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1999
found that low intakes of vitamin K were associated
with an increased risk of hip fractures in middle-age
women. This is especially interesting because the
women saw results from eating lettuce, showing
that dietary consumption of vitamin K via eating
vegetables (not supplements) is beneficial. When it
comes to men, the affects of vitamin K and bone
health may become more apparent as they age: A
2000 study saw reduced risk of hip fracture among
both elderly women and elderly men who consumed
more vitamin K.
Antioxidants
Cucumbers contain several antioxidants, including
vitamin C, beta-carotene and manganese, as well as
flavonoids, triterpenes and lignans that have anti-
inflammatory properties. Vitamin C is well known for
its immune system benefits, and beta-carotene has
been shown to be beneficial for vision, according to
the Mayo Clinic.
According to a 2010 animal study published in
the Journal of Young Pharmacists , fresh extracts
from cucumber showed increased scavenging of free
radicals. Free radicals are associated with a variety
of human diseases, but can sometimes be held in
check by antioxidants, according to
the Pharmacognosy Review .
Another study of cucumber extracts in animals,
published in the Archives of Dermatological
Research , found increased overall antioxidant
benefits. Though this study focused on the cosmetic
applications of this use of cucumbers, decreased
free radicals can improve your inside organs as well
as your skin.
An additional study published in Current
Pharmaceutical Design found a positive association
between the triterpene cucurbitacin and reduced
inflammation, particularly in cancer cells. A review of
triterpenes on the immune system, published in
the Journal of Ethnopharmacology , suggested that
they can help with inflammation and encouraged
future research.
Heart health
“Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables of all kinds
is associated with a reduced risk for many health
conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke
and obesity,” said Ware. Cucumbers’ potassium
content may be especially helpful in this regard. One
cup of sliced cukes contains only about 4 percent of
the body’s daily potassium needs, but it comes with
significantly fewer calories than most high-
potassium foods like bananas. Potassium is an
essential part of heart health, according to
the American Heart Association . Many studies have
linked it with lower blood pressure because it
promotes vasodiliation (widening of the blood
vessels), according to Today’s Dietitian . A study of
12,000 adults, published in Archives of Internal
Medicine , showed that those who consumed 4,069
mg of potassium each day lowered their risk of
cardiovascular disease and ischemic heart disease
by 37 percent and 49 percent, respectively,
compared to those who took 1,793 mg per day.
The vitamin K in cucumbers is also known to be
essential in the blood-clotting process, according to
the Harvard School of Public Health .
Risks of eating cucumbers
There can be a few risks from eating cukes.
Pesticide consumption is one concern. Ware
explained, “The Environmental Working Group
produces a list each year of fruits and vegetables
with the highest levels of pesticide residue, known
as the Dirty Dozen . Cucumbers are one of the fruits
and vegetables that the Environmental Working
Group has placed on its Dirty Dozen list, meaning
the exposure to pesticide residue is high.”
Additionally, cucumbers may be waxed to help
protect them during shipping. According to World’s
Healthiest Foods, both organic and conventionally
grown cukes may be waxed, but organic ones can
only use non-synthetic waxes with chemicals
approved under organic regulations. For this reason
and the pesticide concerns, World’s Healthiest Foods
encourages buying organic cucumbers. But Ware
stipulated, “This does not mean you should avoid
cucumbers altogether if you can’t find or afford
organic. The nutritional benefit of eating
conventionally grown produce outweighs the risk of
not eating produce at all.”
Pickles
Pickling is a method of preserving food — and not
only cucumbers — to prevent spoiling. There are two
basic types of pickles: fermented and non-
fermented, according to the World's Healthiest
Foods.
Fermented pickles have been soaked in brine, which
is water that has been saturated with salt. The word
"pickle" comes from the Dutch word pekel , which
means brine. Brines can also contain other
ingredients, such as vinegar, dill seed, garlic and
lime.
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