Summer is coming. Nine health benefits of cucumbers

Cucumbers are extremely popular vegetables. They are ideal for hot summer days, are low in calories and have plenty of nutritional benefits. Here are nine health benefits of cucumbers, in case you needed to be further convinced of how good this vegetable is for you.

Cancer prevention

Recent studies have proven that cucurbitacins, a phytonutrient compound that can be found in cucumbers, can help block the signaling pathways that are important for cancer cell proliferation and survival, while also inhibiting the growth of pancreatic cancer cells.

Another compound, lignan, might protect against cancer by working with bacteria in the digestive track and reducing the risk of estrogen-related cancers, such as ovarian, breast, endometrial and prostate cancers.

Hydration

Cucumbers are a great way to stay hydrated during the summer months, as a cup of cucumber slices is nearly as thirst-quenching as a glass of water.

“They say we can get 20-30 percent of our fluid needs through our diet alone, and foods like these certainly help,” Angela Lemond, a Plano, Texas-based registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics declared.

“Not only are they high in water content, they also contain important nutrients that play a part in hydration like magnesium and potassium,” Lemond added.

Bone health

The past few decades of research have shown that vitamin K is an important compound in maintaining bone health, and one cup of cucumber contains about 19 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin K. The effects are especially beneficial for women.

Skin

“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,” according to Megan Ware, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Orlando, Florida.

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,” according to Ware. The potassium content in the cucumbers is especially helpful in this regard, while the vitamin K is also known to be essential in the blood-clotting process.

Antioxidants

“Foods that are high in antioxidants allow your body to function optimally. Antioxidants help prevent damage and cancer,” Angela Lemond declared. Cucumbers contain vitamin C, beta-carotene and manganese, as well as flavonoids, triterpenes and lignans that have anti-inflammatory properties.

Weight loss

2011 study in the journal Obesity found that greater water consumption correlated with more weight loss in middle-age and older adults, and this makes cucumbers an extremely popular vegetable choice in diet meals, as they contain 95% water.

Digestion

As they provide both water and fiber, cucumbers could turn out to relieve constipation. If they are turned into pickles during a home-fermentation process, they can prove to be even more of a digestive punch, as they contain probiotic bacteria and beneficial gut flora.

Memory and brain health

The flavonoid fisetin that is contained in the cucumbers is associated with protecting nerve cells, improves memory and decreases the risk of Alzheimer’s in mice, with a 2013 study also showing a promising result regarding the relationship between fisetin and cancer prevention.