HEALTH BENEFIT OF CUCUMBER

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.