Health Benefits of Cucumber and How to Incorporate It This Summer
Cucumber is the perfect fresh summer snack. Learn more about the health benefits of cucumber and how to incorporate it this summer.
Key Takeaways:
- Find out more about the health benefits of cucumber and how to incorporate it this summer to improve your well-being.
- Learn about creative uses for cucumber for skin health, hydration, and more.
- Learn how cucumber helps round out a healthy summer diet.
Use cucumber in your snacks, meals, and self-care hacks this summer for better health!
Table of Contents:
- Cucumber: Summer’s Best Fresh Fruit
- Beneficial Nutrients In Cucumbers
- Infuse Your Water With Cucumber
- Make Fresh Cucumber Salads
- Soothe Your Eyes After a Day In the Sun
- Make Your Own Cucumber Face Mask
- Enjoy a Hydrating Summer With These Cucumber Hacks
Cucumber: Summer’s Best Fresh Fruit
You’ve probably had a dish that involved cucumber before. When it comes to summer snacks, cucumber is one of the best options to include in your diet.
Cucumber has extremely high water content. These fruits are made up of 95% water, making them a wonderful low-calorie snack.
Not only are cucumbers great for your health, but they’re also delicious and have a delightful crunchy texture. They’re versatile and work in many different recipes.
Many people use cucumbers as alternatives to tortilla chips and other less-healthy dippers for various sauces, like salsa and cheese dip.
You can also dice cucumbers up and use them for salads, which will increase the volume of the dish and keep you fuller for longer periods.
As you spend time at summer cookouts and make fresh lunches this season, consider adding more cucumber to your plate. You won’t regret it.
Beneficial Nutrients in Cucumbers
Every food has macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are the “big three” — protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals.
Cucumber is full of healthy vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which have natural anti-aging effects. They don’t contain any fat and have very few carbs.
One average-sized cucumber offers 10% of your daily value of vitamin C. You need vitamin C to keep your immune system healthy and strong.
Along with vitamin C, the same serving of cucumber offers 57% of your daily value of vitamin K, 12% of your daily value of potassium, and 9% of your daily magnesium level.
Vitamin K is important for bone health and proper blood clotting. Without it, you’d be susceptible to bleeding problems.
Potassium is important for the fluid balance in your body. You need proper ratios of sodium and potassium to thrive.
Magnesium offers many benefits for your body, including relaxation, sleep support, heart health, and blood sugar regulation.
Cucumber is high in fiber, which helps keep your digestion regular. Fiber also regulates the impact of food on your blood sugar levels, which is key to managing your hunger.
Overall, cucumbers offer an abundance of health benefits for your mind and body, making them the perfect addition to your summer diet.
Infuse Your Water With Cucumber
You can add cucumber and other summer fruits to your water bottle to infuse those flavors into your drink! This is a great way to incentivize yourself to stay hydrated.
You can also buy special water bottles that have an infusion compartment for fruits and vegetables. These slowly leach the flavors into the water.
As you drink your water, you’ll be taking in the beneficial micronutrients found in the cucumber’s skin. Vitamin C, magnesium, and vitamin K will be your new best friends!
Feel free to add whatever fruits tickle your fancy — the important thing is that you drink enough water each day. It’s easier to become dehydrated in the summer.
Make Fresh Cucumber Salads
Salads add lots of delicious flavors and textures to your summertime adventures. Bulk up the volume of your favorite salads by adding diced or sliced cucumbers this season.
Some recipes use cucumber as the base of the entire salad, but you can also use it as a garnish. You can still enjoy salads full of leafy greens and other ingredients.
One easy, healthy cucumber salad hack is to dice up cucumbers and tomatoes and toss them in a dressing of your choice. Italian dressing complements these flavors well.
This simple cucumber salad provides extra hydration, nutrients, and fiber to your summer diet.
No matter what cucumber salads you choose, you can enjoy this low-calorie, high-volume fruit to your heart’s content. Cucumber will keep you satisfied.
Soothe Your Eyes After a Day in the Sun
Being outside for hours can leave your skin warm to the touch, red, and peeling. If your eyes are simply tired of the bright outdoors, try soothing them with cucumber slices.
Many spas and massage parlors use cucumber slices to soothe and hydrate the surface of your skin. You can do this at home using a freshly washed cucumber.
Cut two medium-thick slices of cucumber and save the rest for meals, snacks, or later skin-soothing sessions. Place one slice over each eye and relax.
If you want to amp up your self-care during this process, put on a sheet mask and let your skin soak up all the wonderful ingredients.
Make Your Own Cucumber Face Mask
What screams “summer” more than blending up your favorite ingredients and slathering them on your skin? You can create the perfect cucumber face mask at home this year.
There are thousands of DIY face mask recipes online, but one popular combination is avocado and cucumber.
These two ingredients help calm your skin’s inflammatory response. Cucumber may remove some skin impurities and infuse hydration into your skin barrier.
Other ingredients you can use in cucumber face masks include:
- Yogurt
- Egg whites
- Honey
- Cocoa powder
- Pineapple
- Cinnamon
- Turmeric
- Olive oil
- Oatmeal
- Milk (liquid or powdered)
Always test these ingredients on a small patch of skin first to make sure you don’t have any sensitivities.
Enjoy a Hydrating Summer With These Cucumber Hacks
Summer is the time to enjoy yourself and care for your health. You can accomplish these goals by incorporating more cucumber into your lifestyle.
Spend some time creating cucumber dishes and using these self-care hacks to improve the flavor and nutrition of your meals and boost your health this summer.
