Cucumber Types and Health Benefits are discussed in this article as Cucumbers is a salad vegetable that has lot of nutrition and health benefits.
Cucumbers are popular long, lean, and green garden vegetables. Precisely, they’re fruits from the same family as watermelons and pumpkins, but most people consider them vegetables.
Cucumbers have a slight melon-like taste, and sometimes can be slightly bitter however due to its high nutrition value, these are very good for heart.
Cucumber Types
There are two main types of cucumbers:
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Slicing cucumbers
These are eaten fresh, often in a salad. They can be 12 inches or longer and usually have smooth skin. There are “burpless” varieties that have less of a plant compound called cucurbitacin.
That gives them a milder taste and may make you burp less after you eat them. They may also be called “seedless cucumbers” or “European cucumbers.”
Pickling cucumbers
These are much smaller and are the type used to make pickles. They can be 3-7 inches long, and they typically have bumps or spines on their skin. Types of Cucumbers and their benefits to Health.
Nutritional Value of Cucumber
A serving of cucumber – half a cup – is about 8 calories. They have small amounts of vitamin K and vitamin A and are about 95% water. They also have several phytonutrients (plant chemicals) called lignans.
One medium unpeeled, raw cucumber has the following:
| Nutrient | Quantity |
| Calories | 30 |
| Fat | 0 grams |
| Carbs | 6 grams |
| Proteins | 3 grams |
| Fiber | 2 grams |
| Vitamin C | 10% of the recommended daily value (DV) |
| Vitamin K | 57% of the DV |
| Magnesium | 9% of the DV |
| Potassium | 12% of the DV |
| Manganese | 9% of the DV |
Health Benefits of Cucumber
All the water in cucumbers can help keep you hydrated. Plus, their fiber helps you stay regular and avoid constipation.
Vitamin K helps blood clot and keep your bones healthy. Vitamin A has various benefits, like helping with vision, the immune system, and reproduction. It also makes sure organs like your heart, lungs, and kidneys work the way they should.
The lignans may help prevent osteoporosis, heart disease, and some cancers. Types of Cucumbers and their benefits to Health. Types of Cucumbers and their benefits to Health.
Antioxidants such as beta carotene in cucumbers can help fight free radicals in your body, and unpaired electrons that damage cells and can lead to disease.
Cucumbers may also have health benefits outside your body. Putting them on your skin may help ease sunburn pain, swelling, and damaged skin. That’s why people sometimes put a slice or two under their eyes, hoping to shrink bags and ease puffiness.
Risks of Cucumber
There are a few risks of eating cucumbers. One concern may be the pesticides growers use on them. Before you eat them, peel the skin off or wash it in warm running water. That’ll make sure your cucumber is safe to enjoy. Types of Cucumbers and their benefits to Health.
Cucumbers come with natural wax on their skin. Washing cucumbers after picking them takes away that wax, so producers add a synthetic wax back on before sending them to grocery stores.
The wax helps them stay shelf-stable longer, but it also holds onto germs. Cucumber Types and Health Benefits are discussed here.
The wax itself isn’t harmful, but peeling the skin before you eat the cucumber can lower the risk of contamination. However, the skin is where most of the nutrients live. A better option may be to buy organic and wash your cukes well before enjoying them.
