What’s better than a refreshing cucumber lemonade to quench your thirst after a long day in the summer?
I don’t know about you but cucumber a.k.a kheera is my absolute favorite. This super refreshing fruit (yes, cucumber is a fruit) doesn’t only make the hottest weather bearable but brings some amazing health benefits. Yes, there are many cucumber benefits that can blow your mind.
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What Makes Cucumber Super Healthy?
100g of kheera (with peel) only contains 15 calories!
A cucumber salad, a healthy snack, or a cucumber face pack… there are many ways you can use cucumber. Before we move towards the benefits of cucumber, let’s know about its nutritional value.
Cucumber contains good amounts of potassium, vitamin C and dietary fiber. This low-calorie fruit contains vitamin K, manganese, vitamin E and magnesium etc. According to research, cucumber contains phytochemicals that are responsible for many of its health benefits.
Had enough of the cucumber nutrition… Let’s look at potential cucumber benefits!
Health Benefits of Cucumber Juice, Cucumber Salad and Much More
Ever wondered why there is so much hype about cucumber benefits? Well, here is all you need to know about this amazing fruit.
1- Cucumber for Dehydration
Did you know that cucumber is 95% water!
Water requirements can vary from person to person. Drinking water is the primary source of keeping yourself hydrated. However, water rich-fruits and vegetables are other preferable options when it comes to fulfilling your water intake.
Cucumber is one such fruit. Regular use of cucumber can keep you hydrated. Not only this, but it also contains some minerals that also regulate the electrolyte balance in your body.
2- A Natural Detox
Body detox – there has been a lot of buzz around this word recently.
Every day we see many detox products available online. What if I tell you that you can use cucumber to detox your body naturally?
Well, that’s definitely possible. Cucumber can remove all the harmful toxins from your body and give a boost to your health.
How to Prepare Detox Water?
To pare this you need 10-15 mint leaves, one cucumber and one lemon. Cut cucumber and lemon into slices and these to a water bottle alongside mint leaves. Your refreshing detox water is ready, drink it throughout the day.
3- Cucumber Benefits for Skin
Keeping cucumber slices on your skin… I always wanted to do this as a little child. Little did I know about the other cucumber benefits for skin.
Kheera is good for our skin due to many reasons. Not only is it super hydrating but contains some of the skin’s healthy nutrients such as vitamin B and C. Further, anti-inflammatory compounds in cucumber also make it a good addition to your existing skincare routine. Here is all it does for your skin:
- With a cucumber you don’t have to worry about the acne-breakouts as it keeps your skin pores clean
- Being rich in water, cucumber keeps your skin hydrated
- The cooling effect of cucumber enables it to soothe the skin irritation
- Fight premature skin aging with cucumber as it is loaded with skin-healthy vitamins B and C that promotes the growth of new skin cells
- Chilled cucumber slices can help you with facial swelling.
I am sure all of these cucumber skin health benefits give you enough reasons to add a cucumber mask or toner to your next grocery list.
4- Cucumber for Better Hair Growth
Are you looking for ways to grow longer hair?
No worries, cucumber has got your back. There are many hair-healthy components present in cucumber such as silicon and sulfur that enable it to be healthy. Minerals and nutrients in cucumber are there to fight the damage to your hair. Other than this, by keeping your body hydrated, cucumber can be an effective hair fall solution.
How to Use Cucumber for Hair Growth?
There are several ways in which you can cause cucumber for better hair growth. Cucumber oil, cucumber juice or even a cucumber hair mask are some of the most common uses of cucumber for better hair health.
5- Cucumber for Heart Health
Potassium for lower blood pressure, magnesium for improved circulation and so on!
Next in the list of cucumber benefits comes its role towards better heart health. Nutritionally speaking, cucumber is super low in calories and fat-free that makes it a heart-healthy food. Moreover, cucumber is rich in antioxidants that reduce the damage due to oxidative stress which can take a toll on your heart health.
6- Cucumber Makes you Lose Weight
Are you struggling to lose weight?
Well, cucumber can be one of the best weight loss foods that you can add to your diet. Kheera keeps you full for a longer period of time and is a good replacement for high-calorie snacks. It also helps you lose weight by keeping you hydrated and detoxifying your body which is good for your overall metabolism.
Add it to your salads, take it as a midday snack and see how it makes you achieve your weight goals (clean eating and weight loss workouts are a must though).
7- Improved Digestion
Another kheera is that it is good for your stomach. It has a soothing impact on your stomach. Alongside this, the high water content of cucumber regulates your bowel movement and you don’t have to worry about problems like constipation.
8- Fights Bad Breath
A stinging mouth is something no one wants to have.
Other than clove and parsley, cucumber is also among powerful remedies for bad breath. Kheera contains the phytochemicals that can fight off the odor-causing bacteria from your mouth. Just keep a cucumber slice in your mouth for a few seconds and enjoy a refreshing breath.
9- No More Cellulite
Cellulite on our skin can be one of the worst things to experience. However, now you can get rid of this cellulite by using cucumber. Many kheera components let it cure the problem of cellulite by tightening the collagen. While using it be mindful that home remedies alone are not enough, a proper workout routine and wise dietary choices can play a crucial role.
Read more on cellulite and stretch marks.
10- Other Cucumber Benefits
Other than the health benefits of cucumber, there are many other ways in which you can use cucumber. These include:
- Placing cucumber in an aluminum tin can keep garden slugs away
- Cucumber helps to treat the hangover
- It is good for stain removal from your skin
- You can prevent mirror fog by using cucumber
- Get rid of whistling doors with cucumber.
Side Effects of Cucumbers
Generally, there are no side effects of eating cucumber daily; however, some people may exhibit certain side effects after they consume too much cucumber at once. Some of the side effects include:
- It can result in gas production as your digestive system may find it hard to digest
- Though cucumber allergies are rare but some people can get it
- As it contains vitamin C and potassium so one should not exceed too much of these minerals.
It’s Time to Reap Cucumber Benefits!
This summer season gives your health a boost by adding this healthy and refreshing fruit to your diet.
All these raw cucumber or cucumber juice benefits give you enough reason to make it a part of your summer salads or enjoy a cucumber smoothie. The good part about cucumbers is that they are the easiest to grow and you can even manage to grow them in your kitchen garden.
So, what are you waiting for? It’s your high time to enjoy countless cucumber benefits. Though people who tend to experience any side effects after the sudden inclusion of cucumber in their diet should talk to the physician.You can now book an appointment with the top certified general physicians in Karachi via Healthwire.pk to make wise decisions regarding their health.
