Cucumbers are well-known long, lean and green garden vegetables. These are nutritious and highly refreshing foods which contain high amounts of water in them. Cucumber basically belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. Its other members include squash and different kinds of melons, like bitter melon etc. There are a lot of health benefits of cucumber, as they provide various nutrients, vitamins and minerals required by our body and are also low in fat, cholesterol, sodium and calories. People in India have grown cucumbers for medicinal and food purposes for decades now, and they have been a part of the Mediterranean diet as well. But still there are many people who are not aware about the benefits of eating cucumbers. So help them find it out, we got everything covered in this article. 

As you scroll down, you will find out complete details about cucumbers, such as what are its health benefits, some easy recipes to add cucumbers in a regular diet, how to consume cucumbers the right way and much more. So just keep reading below to check out all the info.

What are the health benefits of cucumber?

1. Lower level odf blood sugar- It has been found in many test-tube and animal studies that cucumbers are a great source which can help you reduce the blood sugar levels and prevent you from some of the complications of diabetes. 
2. Helps in weight loss- They are considered to be very low in calories as 300 grams of cucumber contains 45 calories only, which is very less as compared to other food options. So this simply means that a person who wants to lose weight can easily eat a lot of cucumbers without worrying about the extra calories which can lead to weight gain.
3. Cucumbers are good for digestion- They also help in easy digestion as they act as a coolant for our stomach. Cucumbers contain a soluble fibre which helps in slowing the digestion. And the high content of water in it makes our stools soft, which prevents us from constipation and keeps the bowel movements regular.
4. Promotes Hydration- Water is a very essential thing which is required for the proper functioning of our body. And so cucumbers are a great source to stay hydrated as they are known to contain 95% of water which can help you fulfil your daily needs of fluid. Thus, it is also one of the major health benefits of cucumber.
5. Lead to better skin- Cucumbers are also great beauty enhancers. They are known to show some amazing effects on the skin. Applying the cucumber juice on skin makes it very soft, as well as glowy. And anti-inflammatory effects of the cucumber lighten the skin naturally and so reduce tanning too.

Nutritional facts of Cucumber

1. As you just read above the health benefits of cucumber, you know they are a good food option for our body. But these also contain 96% of water, which is ideal for detoxification and prevents hydration. 
2. They are rich in vitamin K and Phytonbutients.
3. They contain potassium, manganese, vitamin C, magnesium, vitamin B1, copper and phosphorus.
4. They are also an excellent source of molybdenum and pantothenic acid.

Some easy recipes to get the best health benefits of cucumber

Now that we have read above about the health benefits of cucumber, you might be curious to know about the ways through which you can incorporate it in your regular diet. So to help you out with it, we got you covered with some easy recipes below to add cucumber in your diet-

1. Juice or Smoothie- You can mix up the cucumbers into a pulp with some ingredients such as coconut water, honey and mango using a juicer or a blender. This drink is definitely refreshing, and has almost all the benefits of cucumber along with coconut water.
2. Rolled Cucumber- You can make yourself a lot of super-thin sheets of cucumber using a vegetable slicer. Wrap these around with other vegetables, or fill it up with your choice of veggies and create some neat and healthy appetisers.
3. Pickled- Pickled cucumbers are loved in places like North America. They are also called dill pickles, which have similar preparations and are being made around the world, especially in Japan, a pickled preparation which is called as Zuke calls for the cucumber to be added up in the mixture. So you can definitely try this one at home to get the health benefits of cucumber, and to make the simplest version of it, you just need water, vinegar, salt, fresh cucumbers and sugar (if you prefer).
4. Salads- Salad is one of the best ways to eat cucumbers and add it to your diet. Here, you need not do any specific preparation, and you can go extremely simple by just having sliced cucumbers with a hit of lemon and some seasoning. You can add it to a vegetable salad with your preferred dressing.
5. Sushi- If you like sushi, then you can also try some inventive sushi dishes, just like an avocado-cucumber sushi preparation. And so you can simply make your own vegetable sushi dishes at home to save some money.

So what is the right way to consume cucumbers?

1. Well, the right way to eat cucumbers is unpeeled, as it will prevent the loss of vitamins, minerals and some fibre.
2. Raw cucumbers can also be consumed by tossing them in sandwiches, salads and curd for a tasty crunchy taste.
3. You can also make soups and sabzi out of cucumbers.

Conclusion

Cucumbers could be a very nutritious and refreshing add on to your everyday diet. These are very low in calories, but contain many essential minerals, vitamins and high content of water. There are also a lot of health benefits of cucumber, such as it helps to manage the weight as it is low in calories, digestive regularity, lower levels of blood sugar and balanced hydration throughout the day. So if you haven't started to eat cucumbers yet, it’s the right time for you to add it in your diet and enjoy its benefits!