‘Cool as a cucumber’ often means a person who is relaxed, laid back and un-phased by the stresses of life. Wouldn’t that be a good place to be?
If only the constant bombardment and attack of daily life was as water off a duck’s back.
Maybe the cool cucumber could actually play that role after all.
Check it out
(1) In Vivo Antioxidant Properties of Lotus Root and Cucumber: A Pilot Comparative Study in Aged Subjects. PUBMED https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26193861
(2) Protective role of three vegetable peels in alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus in male mice. PUBMED https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20614191
(3) Evaluation of the Effects of Cucumis sativus Seed Extracts on Serum Lipids in Adult Hyperlipidemic Patients: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. PUBMED https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27886382
(4) Protective mechanisms of Cucumis sativus in diabetes-related models of oxidative stress and carbonyl stress. PUBMED https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27340622
Cucumber Health Benefits
Anti-aging
One study showed that cucumber has antiaging, antioxidant effects. Hemolysis (blood cell death) was significantly reduced in both groups and the DNA injury rate of blood cells also declined significantly after using cucumber. (1)
Blood protection
Polyphenols, flavonoids and ascorbic acid contents of cucumber peel appear to be associated with observed anti-diabetic and anti-oxidative potentials. In one 15 day study alterations in serum glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, very low-density lipoprotein, liver fat oxidation were studied. The peel extract nearly reversed most of the negative changes. (2)
Cholesterol
The consumption of Cucumber seed extract with a daily dose of 500 mg results in desirable effects on serum lipid profile in adult high cholesterol patients. Therefore, cucumber seed could be considered as a food supplement for the treatment of dyslipidemia. (3)
Diabetes
Another study concluded that Cucumber has protective effects in diabetes complications and can be considered a safe and suitable candidate for decreasing the oxidative stress that is typically observed in diabetes mellitus. (4)
Conclusion
Anti-aging, blood protection, cholesterol and blood sugar lowering all sounds pretty cool. Many of the antioxidant benefits are found in the cucumber skin, so it’s better to chop the cucumber into your salad with the skin on.
Try these recipes:
