8 Health Benefits of Eating Cucumbers + Cucumber Dill Salad Recipe

Summer weather means that many fresh vegetables are in season and one of my favorite summer vegetables are cucumbers. These versatile cukes are used to make pickles, dips, salads, and have graced many a crudité. As a natural and holistic application, cucumbers have been used for ages to soothe puffy eyes, moisturize the face, condition hair, and more. But if you're like me, you'd rather know the health benefits of eating cucumbers rather than learning how to whip up a cucumber facial mask.

8 Health Benefits of Eating Cucumbers

Natural News has a great article on the health benefits of eating cucumbers. You can read the full article here.

"1. Quick pick me-up- Cucumbers are a good source of B vitamins. Put down your sodas and coffee and eat a cucumber slice.

2. Rehydrates body and replenishes daily vitamins- Cucumbers are 95 percent water, keeping the body hydrated while helping the body eliminate toxins. Cucumbers have most of the vitamins the body needs in a single day. Don't forget to leave the skin on because the skin contains a good amount of vitamin C, about 10 percent of the daily-recommended allowance.

3. Fight cancers- Cucumber are known to contain lariciresinol, pinoresinol, and secoisolariciresinol. These three lignans have a strong history of research in connection with reduced risk of several cancer types, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer and prostate cancer.

4. Relieves Bad Breath- Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

5. Hangover Cure- To avoid a morning hangover or headache; eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish many essential nutrients, reducing the intensity of both hangover and headache.

6. Aids in weight loss and digestion- Due to its low calorie and high water content, cucumber is an ideal diet for people who are looking for weight loss. The high water content and dietary fiber in cucumbers are very effective in ridding the body of toxins from the digestive system, aiding digestion. Daily consumption of cucumbers can be regarded as a remedy for chronic constipation.

7. Cures diabetes, reduces cholesterol and controls blood pressure- Cucumber juice contains a hormone which is needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin which has been found to be beneficial to diabetic patients. Researchers found that a compound called sterols in cucumbers may help reduce cholesterol levels. Cucumbers contain a lot of potassium, magnesium and fiber. These work effectively for regulating blood pressure. This makes cucumbers good for treating both low blood pressure and high blood pressure.

8. Promotes joint health, relieves gout and arthritis pain- Cucumber is an excellent source of silica, which is known to help promotes joint health by strengthening the connective tissues. They are also rich in vitamin A, B1, B6, C & D, Folate, Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium. When mixed with carrot juice, they can relieve gout and arthritis pain by lowering the uric acid levels."

Now that you can feel extra good about eating such a healthy food, here's one of my favorite ways to enjoy cucumbers. A simple mix of cold, crisp cucumber, spicy red onion, fresh dill, and a sweet and sour vinegar dressing is the perfect side dish next to any sandwich or grilled meat.

Cucumber Dill Salad Recipe

Ingredients

2 hothouse cucumbers, skins on or 4 regular cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 medium red onion sliced thin

1 Tbls kosher salt

1/2 cup white or cider vinegar

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill

2 Tbls honey

1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions

Mix cucumbers and red onion with salt in a colander which will draw some of the water out of the vegetables. Mix vinegar, dill, honey, and black pepper in a small bowl. After the cucumber and onions have set for 15 to 30 minutes, drain well and pat dry. Pour vinegar mixture over the vegetables and let marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Serve cold or room temperature.

Serves 6 to 8

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