The Cool Cucumber

Have you ever noticed that the more fresh fruits and vegetables you eat, the more you want? In Bible times, fresh vegetables were consumed regularly; unlike America today where processed foods filled with additives and hydrogenised fats are the norm. This is a concern of the medical field and should be a concern of ours as well.

How often do you eat whole, fresh foods? In our age of microwave and fast food eating, some might say they've even forgotten what natural foods taste like.

Fresh cucumbers are an excellent source of many nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium. Cucumbers also provide dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin B6, thiamine, foliate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, and manganese.

Adding a crisp, crunchy, cool cucumber to your salad is one good way to increase fiber intake. How's that so? The extra fluid you need when increasing fiber occurs naturally in the cucumber. You'll also receive the ever-important beta-carotene and folic acid. As a green vegetable, cucumbers also help lower the chances of coronary heart disease. It's best to eat fresh cucumbers, as pickling removes much of the nutrient content, especially vitamin C.

Proper vegetable preparation is key to preserving the maximum nutrients the vegetable offers. Heavily cooked greens lose many of the vitamins and nutrients readily available by eating them raw. Eating greens in a salad, or lightly cooked by steaming, in as small amount of water as possible, will preserve the folic acid, chlorophyll, and plant enzymes present that offer amazing life-giving benefits. A good rule of thumb for vegetable preparation is to look for color intensification. When your vegetables are bright and vivid in color, yet still crisp, they're ready to enjoy.

Many people, especially women, turn to the cucumber for a more radiant, glowing complexion. Cucumber juice is a recommended source of silicon. Due to the cucumber's silica components, cucumber juice can have a healthy, connective tissue, effect on the skin.

Cucumbers are also used topically for sunburn. Ascorbic and caffeine acids help prevent water retention, which may be the reason cucumbers help relieve swollen eyes and aid with sunburns. It's a common belief that this vegetable reduces swelling around the eyes. While it is true that cucumbers can reduce swelling, the majority of the cooling effect is from the cucumber's high water makeup.