The humble cucumber hardly gets any glory, yet it is one of the most widely cultivated vegetables in the world, well technically it is a fruit. It is also among the oldest foods on the planet, associated with the legend of Gilgamesh and listed as one of the foods of ancient Ur.
Cucumbers are the one ingredient you can easily combine in all juicing recipes. Its mild taste goes well with everything without adding any overpowering flavor or aroma of its own. Cucumbers yield plenty of juice making it the ultimate compliment to fruits and vegetables that don’t yield a lot of juice. The whole thing can be juiced, seeds, flesh and skin, thus eliminating the trouble of peeling. As a matter of fact the skin and seeds contain more nutrients than the flesh.
Quick Hydrating Cucumber Juice
Ingredients:
- 1 large cucumber
- 1 pear
- 1 handful fresh mint
Directions: Thoroughly wash all ingredients and cut the cucumber and pear into pieces small enough to fit your juicer with ease. There is no need to remove the peel. Juice the mint first followed by the cucumber and pears.
Add-ons
- Apple
- ginger
Nutritional Information
Cucumber is a rich source of the clotting vitamin, otherwise known as vitamin K with a half a cup serving delivering almost 10 per cent of the requirement of an adult. A half cup of sliced cucumbers also provides significant amounts of vitamins A, C, folate, riboflavin, iron, manganese, magnesium, pantothenic acid, phosphorus and potassium. It contains no saturated fats, cholesterol or sugar and is low in sodium. Furthermore, cucumbers are loaded with Phyto-nutrients caroteneß, xanthin-ß, Lutein.
Health Benefits of Cucumber
Cucumber juice is frequently recommended as a source of silica if improving skin complexion, hair and nail health is the goal; its high water content makes it a good hydrating drink. Silica is also a vital part of healthy connective tissue inclusive of muscles, ligaments, cartilage, tendons and bone. Applied to the skin topically it takes care of a host of skin problems like swelling under the eyes and sunburn. The ascorsbic acid and caffeic acid in cucumbers averts water retention.
Cucumbers contain plant lignans, in the digestive tract these bind with bacteria converting them into enterolignans for estrogenic effects. This reduces the risks of estrogen linked cancers like ovary, breast, prostate and uterus. The cucurbitacins in cucumbers block cancer cell development.