Cucumbers: benefits and harm for the human body

Few people know that the crunchy and refreshing cucumbers we love are members of the pumpkin family. An annual plant with an oval shape, some varieties with pimples, others smooth - frequent and welcome guests on our table. While crunching on delicious cucumbers, it’s time to think about the benefits and harms of vegetables, what beneficial properties can improve our health, and whether it’s possible to lose weight on a cucumber diet. Let's talk about everything in order.

A little history of the cucumber

Elastic to the touch and juicy inside, with a characteristic green color on the outside and light green, almost white inside, the cucumber contains many seeds. If it is overripe, it resembles pumpkin and melon in appearance, but we use it as if in an unripe state. But in a fresh cucumber you can’t feel the seeds, but let you enjoy the barely perceptible compacts.

As it turned out, the vegetable that is familiar to us, which we include in food in fresh, canned and other forms, has been present in human life for more than 6 thousand years. The wild plant was first domesticated in India, then the vegetable migrated to Asian countries, Egypt and Europe. Thus, the cucumber took a victorious step to all parts of the planet. Some will argue that it does not grow in Antarctica and the Arctic. If you install a greenhouse, bring in soil and grow it using modern technologies, the cucumber will grow there too. After all, the technology of growing in greenhouse conditions arose in ancient times, so in the cold seasons the inhabitants of Byzantium received a harvest, from where the tasty fruit came to the tables of our Russian ancestors.

The fact that cucumber is very good for health was already known in those days. Therefore, everything was used - pulp, peel, juice of the plant.

What is a cucumber berry or vegetable

Cucumbers are considered to be a vegetable because they taste well with potatoes, onions, and tomatoes. But can it be considered a vegetable, or maybe a cucumber is a berry or a fruit? Let's consider the plant from a botany point of view. It is known that cucumber fruits are formed after the flower is fertilized. The generative organ of the flower forms the seeds, the fruit is formed from the ovary of the pistil.

Vegetables are formed through the process of plant synthesis, which produces nutrients. First, at the embryonic stage, a seed is laid on the mother plant, germination takes place and then the fruit is formed. Therefore, according to biology, a cucumber is suitable for a berry because it grows from a flower. In everyday life, cucumbers are usually considered a vegetable.

Useful composition of cucumber

The product we are describing is a low calorie champion. 100 grams of cucumber contain only 14 kcal, which is the reason for its inclusion in the diet during fasting days for weight loss. But we'll talk about this later. Now about the beneficial composition of cucumber, which includes substances such as vitamins B, A, C, PP.

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95 percent of it consists of structured water that is very beneficial for the human body. This liquid, like a brush, washes our kidneys and removes toxins, waste, heavy metal salts and decay products from the body. It is for this reason that cucumbers are recommended for people working in radioactive and chemical plants. The list of beneficial substances includes chlorophylls, sugars, organic acids, essential oils and starch.
The vegetable also contains magnesium, potassium, copper, manganese, iodine, chromium, zinc, phosphorus, beta-carotene, folic acid, etc.
Cucumbers are record holders for the content of coarse fiber, fiber, which gently and gently cleanses the intestines of fecal stones and toxins, stimulates peristalsis, and regulates metabolism.
Inclusion in a regular diet can improve the functioning of the thyroid gland, which naturally affects the regulation of the body’s hormonal levels.
Cucumbers and cucumber juice easily neutralize harmful acids and normalize the acid-base balance.
Antioxidants in vegetables help reduce acidity, the level of fat deposits, and prevent the accumulation of harmful cholesterol due to sterols.
Cucumber juice and its pulp are a choleretic and laxative with a mild, gentle effect. Vegetable enzymes quickly break down carbohydrates and help digest protein - for this reason, cucumber salad is recommended as a side dish for fatty dishes.
Potassium has a beneficial effect on the function of the heart, blood vessels and kidneys.
Magnesium calms the nervous system, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, regulates blood flow and pressure, and helps prevent ischemia and atherosclerosis.
Iodine is responsible for the functions of the thyroid gland and has anti-sclerotic properties, stimulates the functioning of the entire endocrine system of our body.
A colossal amount of ascorbic acid strengthens the immune system; in this case, it is better to choose small cucumbers.
Cucumber juice helps with gout, as it effectively removes uric acid from the body.
Phosphorus, like magnesium, calms the nerves, relieves depression, stress, irritability, anxiety, fatigue, normalizes sleep and eliminates insomnia.
Potassium helps the structural fluid of the vegetable enter and be cleansed by the cells and relieves swelling.
Cucumbers are indicated for urolithiasis, they remove sand and improve the process of urination.

Important: scientists strongly recommend that you love cucumbers with a bitter taste. Saponin substances called steroidal cucurbitacin are an excellent prevention of cancer.

Conclusion

Cucumber is an annual vegetable grown in almost all countries of the world. The culture is valued for its aromatic unripe fruits (greens), used in cooking, diet therapy, folk medicine and cosmetology. In the food industry, cucumber is used as an independent snack and as part of summer salads, cold soups, and various pickles. Considering that the pulp of the fruit consists of 95% water, cucumber is an integral component of cleansing and detoxifying weight loss programs. Along with liquid, it contains vitamins, minerals, organic acids, tannins, flavonoids, dietary fiber, and adsorbents. The fruits of this crop perfectly satisfy hunger, potentiate the synthesis of thyroid hormones, help reduce swelling, stimulate intestinal contractility, increase the elasticity of blood vessels, and improve the appearance of the dermis.

Source

Cucumbers for the beauty of the female body

Is it worth spending a lot of money to improve the condition of the skin, its elasticity and velvety? After all, vegetables growing under your feet are an excellent medicine, in all respects. Among the leaders, cucumbers occupy a respectable place.

Since ancient times, women have used the vegetable not only as a food product, but also as a cosmetic product. The substances it contains and structured water tones the skin, tightens it, cleanses it of blackheads, relieves inflammation and rejuvenates it, removing fine wrinkles.

Vitamin B – natural collagen – removes excess subcutaneous fat, inflammation, treats rashes and removes acne.
Acids with a gentle effect even out skin color and level out pigmentation, freckles and are great for any skin type - dry, oily and mixed.
Cucumber infusions and lotions stimulate hair growth, restore its structure, silkiness and thickness.

Important: cucumber juice is a great help for thermal and sunburn. To do this, you need to apply lotions with juice or cut peel to the body.

The use of cucumbers in cosmetology

People have been eating green fruit for a long time. Women have learned to use it as a component of home cosmetics. The vitamins in cucumbers are indispensable assistants in cosmetology. Who among us is not familiar with cleansing lotions, masks and tonics based on cucumber extract? The beneficial properties of cucumbers in cosmetology have long been known - scientists have isolated carotenoids, flavonoids and isothiocyanates in the vegetable.

These are phytonutrients (phytochemicals) that help get rid of certain skin diseases. These substances have a range of actions aimed at relieving inflammation and normalizing hormonal levels. Scientists have discovered that cucurbitacin in fresh vegetables has an antimicrobial agent.

It is cucurbitacin that gives the vegetable its bitterness during ripening. If your crop is “unedible”, use it for cosmetic purposes.

Cucumber for the face is a vegetable that gives freshness to the skin, thanks to the phytosterols in the fruit. The use of masks, lotions and tonics containing extracts will bring a lifting effect to your skin and smooth out fine wrinkles.

A mask consisting of: 1 tsp will give a rejuvenating effect. white clay mixed with 1 tbsp. grated vegetable. Keep for 20 minutes.

To add whiteness, thinly cut slices can be applied to the skin of the face. Or make a mask: beat 1 egg white into foam and add finely grated cucumber. Keep the mask for 15 minutes, rinse with water.

The green vegetable effectively cleanses the skin of the face: gets rid of acne and blackheads. Organic acids give the skin freshness and lighten age spots.

What diseases do cucumbers treat?

To summarize the benefits of cucumbers as a vegetable with a colossal amount of useful substances, we suggest memorizing the list of diseases for which it is recommended to include the vegetable in the diet. It will help with:

gout;
urolithiasis;
thyroid diseases – hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, goiter;
gallbladder diseases;
liver diseases - hepatitis, cirrhosis, etc.;
colitis;
skin diseases, rashes, burns, inflammatory processes;
constipation;
elevated blood pressure – hypertension;
ischemia, atherosclerosis;
obesity;
bronchitis;
diabetes, etc.

Hero of buffets and banquets

Cucumber can become not only an integral part of a fresh vegetable salad, but also an excellent basis for exquisite banquet appetizers. For example, cut it into slices using a vegetable peeler, add any cream cheese with spices, roll the rolls and secure them with skewers.

Another option is mini cucumber barrels. To do this, you need to cut the “hemp” and remove the core-seeds from them. Before this, the skin of the cucumbers can be completely removed or grooves can be made along the fruit with a vegetable peeler - then the snacks will resemble gears. Use shrimp, crab or chicken salad as a filling. By the way, if you make kegs from pickled cucumbers, you can pour vodka into the resulting “stack” - the guest will drink the alcohol and immediately snack on it.

Can cucumbers be eaten by pregnant women?

Due to its low calorie content, this vegetable is not only possible, but should be included in the diet of the expectant mother. But you should never forget that medicine differs from poison in dose.

A high percentage of structural water content allows pregnant women to get rid of swelling that torments them.
Due to the presence of fiber, cucumber skin relieves constipation and hemorrhoids, which is a frequent companion for the expectant mother.
Potassium electrolyte normalizes water balance and regulates blood pressure.
The substances zeaxanthin, lutein and ascorbic acid strengthen the immune system and protect against colds, infectious diseases and inflammation.
Vitamin K strengthens the bone structure and helps build a strong skeleton for the baby.
Folic acid - vitamin B9 is the best prevention of embryonic developmental defects, strengthens the neural tube and protects against pathologies.
Every useful substance in cucumbers is involved in hematopoiesis, protects against anemia, and ensures the full development and growth of the baby.

Table of vitamins and minerals

Cucumber is included in many diets.
With a low calorie content, it provides the body with almost all the vitamins and minerals the body needs. You can find out what vitamins are contained in cucumbers from the following table. Vitamins, macro- and microelements in cucumber

Nutrient	Quantity per 100 g of product
Vitamin A	0.06 mg
Vitamin B1	0.03 mg
Vitamin B2	0.04 mg
Vitamin B3	0.3 mg
Vitamin B6	0.04 mg
Vitamin B9	4 mcg
Vitamin C	10 mg
Vitamin E	0.1 mg
Potassium	141 mg
Phosphorus	42 mg
Chlorine	25 mg
Calcium	23 mg
Magnesium	14 mg
Sodium	8 mg
Iron	0.6 mg

The amount of biologically active substances in 100 g of vegetable is moderate, but it can be consumed in large quantities without harm to the figure. Therefore, replenishing the balance of vitamins, micro- and macroelements with its help is not at all difficult.

Can children eat cucumbers?

As soon as the summer days arrive and beautiful cucumber fruits form in the beds, the children themselves are ready to pick them and eat them right away. But before you feed your child, you should find out what the benefits and harms of cucumbers are for children.

So, let's start with the main thing - is it possible and at what age to include cucumbers in a baby's diet ? Young mothers should not rush to feed their baby green vegetables for up to one year. As soon as the child is one year old, you can serve cucumbers in a minimum portion as an addition to the main food.

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Important: premature introduction of cucumbers into feeding can cause colic in the baby.

In what form should it be given? Children are strictly not allowed to eat pickled cucumbers, even if they are made with their own hands, in compliance with technology and sterility. They contain a lot of salt, vinegar, and minimal nutrients. You should choose a fresh vegetable grown in open ground. The fruit should be elastic, with a bright color and a non-shiny, matte skin. It is not recommended to purchase cucumbers with dents, grown in a greenhouse and sold near roads and highways.

How to feed. Rinse the fresh cucumber thoroughly and cut off a small piece for your baby. Carefully monitor the reaction of the child’s body and if there are complaints of abdominal pain, moodiness and symptoms of colic, postpone the introduction of vegetables into the diet to a later date.

The benefits of consuming cucumbers for children:

Silicon, iodine, potassium, sulfur, fructose, essential oils, carotene, vitamin C and essential oils help regulate metabolism, stimulate peristalsis and improve blood flow.
Beneficial substances and antioxidants destroy putrefactive and pathogenic microbes, including staphylococcus, which is common among children.
The vegetable is hypoallergenic and practically does not cause adverse reactions: redness, rash, swelling, etc.

There are also situations in which cucumbers should not be included in a child’s diet:

· inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract, digestive disorders;
· Store-bought vegetables may contain nitrates and pesticides - real poison not only for children, but also for adults.

Important: you need to carefully monitor how the child chews and swallows the cucumber. Vegetables, especially pickled and salted ones, are smooth and may cause the baby to choke. For this reason, it should be cut into small pieces and given under supervision.

Features of care

Usually there is nothing difficult about growing cucumbers. But if you want to grow a healthy, high-quality and tasty crop, the crop needs a little help.

Sowing cucumbers

Cucumbers, as a garden crop, can be grown by seedlings or seeds - there are no strict requirements. The main condition to which the plant is especially sensitive is heat. Moreover, both the air (from +16С) and the soil (from +14С) should have a fairly high temperature.

IMPORTANT! The place for growing cucumbers should be changed every 3-5 years.

It is optimal to choose places where the cucumbers will be least bothered by the wind. That’s why, by the way, quite often cucumbers are planted in closed greenhouses.

In a climate that is not the most favorable for cucumbers, namely in the temperate zone, it is better to germinate the crop first with seedlings and then transplant it to a permanent place. This will allow you to properly harden the plant and prepare it for rapid growth, and also expect a harvest 2-3 weeks earlier than with the seed planting method directly in the open ground or in a greenhouse.

Cucumbers in a greenhouse

REFERENCE. Ideal predecessors of cucumbers on the site: cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, radishes), nightshades (tomatoes, peppers).

The soil should be dug up before winter. In early spring, dig up the area again, remove all debris, and apply mineral or organic fertilizers within 2-3 weeks.

It is permissible to make beds at a distance of 6-10 cm between rows. It is advisable to plant cucumbers in an elevated place, and also to additionally protect the plants in open areas from the wind until they grow, by building an earthen rampart or artificial shield on the leeward side.

Growing in a greenhouse

Greenhouse cultivation of cucumbers is used very often, because this crop requires heat and humidity throughout its growth. It is much more difficult to create the highest quality conditions in the open ground with such requirements.

You can plant cucumber seeds or seedlings in a greenhouse as early as mid-April. If the region is cold, then not earlier than May.

As usual, the rule applies: you need to focus on the air and ground temperature. The soil in the greenhouse should be heated to +15-16С, and the air should be consistently heated above +20С.

Garter of cucumbers in a greenhouse

Growing in open ground

As a rule, for cultivation in open ground in Russia, hybrid varieties of cucumbers are needed - especially resistant to temperature changes and wind.

It is recommended to plant only seedlings. The optimal time is the end of May or June, when frosts are almost certain to occur.

REFERENCE. For the first time, you will need to cover the area with film to protect it from the cold.

It may be necessary to make so-called “warm” beds. For this purpose, tops, leaves and similar plant debris or sawdust have been collected since last season. They are mixed with the soil, and only after that beds for cucumbers are formed on the site.

Top dressing

Feeding cucumbers is one of the most important stages that cannot be excluded from the process of growing the crop.

Greenhouse cucumbers are not much different from those grown in open ground in terms of fertilizer application tactics. So, during the season you should try to feed the plants 4-5 times.

The very first fertilizer is applied a few weeks before sowing seeds or planting seedlings. Preference: mineral mixtures (optional: urea, potassium sulfate, superphosphate).
Next, fertilizing begins as the cucumbers bear fruit. They need to be done at least 2 times from the moment the first cucumber is collected until the last fruit is removed. Preference should be given to organic mixtures.

Fertilizer application

Watering

With any method of growing cucumbers (greenhouse or open), normal and frequent watering is the basis for a good harvest .

You need to water strictly the soil under the cucumbers, but not the plants themselves, using, if possible, only warm water. For better penetration of moisture deep into the soil, it is a good idea to make careful punctures with a pitchfork.

The approximate frequency should be as follows:

during flowering - once a week;
during fruiting - 2 times a week.

IMPORTANT! In extreme heat, the frequency of watering can and should be increased. In wet weather, on the contrary, reduce it.

In greenhouses, you can give preference to more technically complex, but high-quality drip irrigation.

Young cucumbers require about 10 liters of water per square meter of plot. Adult fruiting shoots need 10 liters of water for each individual plant.

Watering

What are the benefits of cucumbers for men?

The cleansing, restorative and tonic effect stimulates metabolic processes and strengthens a man’s immune system. Scientists point to the antirheumatic properties of the vegetable and strongly recommend consuming it fresh at any time of the year.

A serious problem in men's health is visceral fat, which accumulates in the abdominal area. Due to the inhibition of metabolic processes, cleansing processes, a state of stagnation and impaired blood flow, negative processes arise in the genitourinary system, oncological diseases develop, etc. Consumption of cucumbers allows you to lose excess weight, burn visceral fats and protect yourself from male diseases.
When mixed with carrots, cucumbers cope well with gout, and are also used to prevent the disease due to the accumulation of uric acid.
Consumption of the vegetable allows you to maintain the thickness and fluffiness of your hair longer and nourish the hair follicles with useful substances.

I recommend reading: Baldness (alopecia) in men.

Important: you should not overuse cucumber juices; taking 100 grams of juice at a time or exceeding the daily dose (1 liter) disrupts the body’s water balance, and dangerous consequences arise.

Treatment

To combat diseases or pests on cucumbers, standard methods are used.

Solutions:

Novosil (powdery mildew);
Extraol (powdery mildew);
Phytospirin (powdery mildew, anthracnose);
Trichoderma (fusarium);
Boric acid, copper sulfate, ammonia (whitefly, spider mites, aphids);
Aktellik, Aktara (whitefly, spider mite, aphid);
Metarizin (root-knot nematode);
Raptor, Ant (ants).

Most of the products are quite mild, which is why the fruits can be collected and eaten within 48 hours after the treatments.

ATTENTION ! Exact recommendations are given only by the manufacturer on the packaging!

Harm and contraindications when consuming cucumbers

Whatever we say about some of the harmful properties of green vegetables, there are still many more benefits from it. But let's talk about in what cases it brings unpleasant sensations.

Individual intolerance. No matter how strange it may sound, there are still a small number of people who have an allergic reaction to cucumbers. If, after consumption, a rash occurs, skin redness, itchy eyes, sore throat, swelling, discard this wonderful product and consult a doctor for adequate allergy treatment.
Gallstone and urolithiasis in the acute phase is also a contraindication for eating cucumbers.
If you have liver disease, you should not include salted or pickled cucumbers in your diet.
Increased acidity, gastritis, duodenal and stomach ulcers - cucumber juice can cause pain and nausea.
Nursing mothers should be careful with the consumption of cucumbers - if they enter the baby's body through milk, they can cause diarrhea and colic.
If you have high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, tendencies toward Alzheimer's disease, or memory and thinking problems, it is not recommended to eat pickled cucumbers.

Cucumber juice

Cucumber juice contains less fiber, but more biologically active substances. The ratio of salts and minerals in the drink has an alkalizing effect on the body. This is especially valuable for diseases of the cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract, and disorders of the potassium-sodium balance.

Cucumber juice helps eliminate excess sodium in the urine. It is also recommended for periodontal disease, skin diseases, split nails and hair loss, heart and vascular diseases, and unstable blood pressure. The juice is useful for cholelithiasis.

How to grow, select and store cucumbers

Gardeners who dream of a good harvest of cucumbers should prepare the soil in advance. It is advisable to enrich it with fertilizers and ash. You need to plant in warm weather, about 2 weeks after the onset of warm nights and a month after the last frost. Before planting, water the holes with warm, almost hot water. Now there are a lot of varieties that are not susceptible to bitterness, barren flowers: Nezhinsky, Muromsky, Nosovsky, Aist, Era, Arina, Voyage, etc.

Important: if you want to use seeds from your own harvest next year, choose packages marked F1.

You need to plant the seeds with their nose pointing up so that the sprouts do not cling to the ground and are not disturbed by the peel. The soil of cucumbers should always be almost moist. With a lack of water, the fruits curl, turn yellow and are unfit for consumption. Collect as desired - it all depends on the preferred size. But the healthiest and tastiest fruits are small and medium-sized ones.

Storing cucumbers

This product, unfortunately, cannot be stored for a long time. Maximum 7 days in the top section of the refrigerator. For this reason, cucumbers grown in Asian countries or in greenhouses are sold on market shelves in spring, late autumn and winter. When choosing, you should pay attention to external characteristics and aroma. The strong, elastic fruits with a characteristic odor can be eaten, but it is not advisable to give them to children. It is important to ensure that the product contains a minimum of pesticides and nitrates.

Varieties of cucumbers

More than 1,500 varieties of green vegetables are registered in the Russian State Register of Breeding Achievements. There are several types of fruits according to their purpose:

Salad cucumbers are varieties of fresh cucumbers that are grown only for food. The most famous: Makar, Orlik, Athlete.
Pickling varieties are varieties intended for pickling and canning. The most famous: Nezhinsky, Muromsky, Far Eastern, Magnificent, Crispy.
Universal varieties are hybrid varieties suitable for both nutrition and pickling. The most famous: Zozulya, Baby, Little Thumb, Prestige, Zyatek.

In addition to the classification of purpose, varieties are divided into types. They differ from each other in terms of ripening:

Early cucumbers - ripening time is 35-45 days (Amur, Altai early, April, Orpheus).
Mid-season cucumbers - ripening time 45-55 days (Athlete, Evita, Delicatessen, Pickling).
Late cucumbers - ripening time 65-70 days (Courage, Izobilny, Cascade, Regal).

Losing weight with cucumbers

If anyone has forgotten, we hasten to remind you that 100 grams of fresh cucumber contains only 14 kcal. As they say, nature itself ordered you to lose weight on a cucumber diet.

Sassi - fat burning drink

Before you go on a cucumber diet, you should understand that in addition to the main ingredient, the list includes ginger, lemon, mint and other products. You need to make sure that there is no allergic reaction to the additional composition.

So, for the Sassi drink, thanks to which the body is perfectly cleansed of waste, toxins and heavy salts, improves blood circulation and burns excess fat, you need:

fresh cucumber; half a tablespoon of chopped ginger;
fresh mint leaves - 5 pieces;
one lemon.

Peel the cucumber and cut it into slices together with the lemon and fill it all with 10 glasses of cold water, add ginger and hand-chopped mint. Place the mixture in the refrigerator overnight and start drinking in the morning. For those who have a sweet tooth, you can add 2 tablespoons of honey. The components of the cocktail “shatter” the stagnant state of the body and turn on energy consumption to the fullest. And this requires the connection of reserves - fats and carbohydrates. Accelerated metabolism makes all cells work and removes excess fluid from us, relieves swelling and makes us lose weight “before our eyes.”

Important: prepared Sassi water should be drunk during the day and the next portion should be prepared in the evening.

In a month, thanks to the liquid, you can burn 10 kilograms of excess weight. But you can’t abuse the diet, you need to drink for about 4-5 days, then take a break and consume low-calorie cereals and soups.

Diseases and pests

Any garden crop is susceptible to diseases or insect pests. Cucumbers can most often suffer from:

Powdery mildew is a whitish coating caused by a fungus (by the way, it overwinters on plant debris). The leaves dry out from this disease and the fruits acquire a bitter taste.
Anthracnose is a fungus that causes cankers on cucumber leaves. The foliage dries out and the vegetables become inedible.
Fusarium is a fungus that attacks the root system, causing the death of the entire bush. The fungus is so tenacious that it may be necessary to replace the entire top layer of soil with a new one if the cucumbers become sick in a greenhouse and not in an open area.

Anthracnose
Read about diseases of cucumbers and their external manifestations in our article “5 reasons why cucumber leaves turn yellow, we’ll tell you what to do?”

Pests include:

Whiteflies are small white insects that feed on the juice of cucumbers.
Spider mites are pests that entangle the leaves and fruits of cucumbers in webs. They feed on plant sap.
Root-knot nematodes are dangerous worms that attack the root system, which can lead to the death of entire cucumber bushes.
Aphids are plant sap-feeding pests that settle on cucumbers in entire colonies.
Ants not only harm cucumbers themselves, but also breed aphids on them.

Whitefly on cucumbers

Aphids on cucumbers

The best recipes with cucumbers

As soon as you wash and cut the elastic green vegetable, a stunning, refreshing and appetizing aroma immediately spreads throughout the house. We are happy to crumble it into a salad, marinated and salted to complement the exquisite taste of cold meat appetizers. Even better - just cut a fresh cucumber into two parts, add a little salt and rub against each other until light foam and crunch, crunch. I wonder if there was at least one reader whose mouth wasn't watering? Hardly! Let's look at the best dishes with cucumbers that can be prepared quickly and help improve your health and lose extra pounds.

Salad with fresh vegetables

If anyone is expecting the “discovery of America,” then don’t. We'll just make our favorite summer salad again, for which you need to cut washed fresh cucumbers, tomatoes and sweet peppers into half rings. Add chopped green onions, dill, parsley. For dressing, mix a tablespoon of soy sauce, a teaspoon of honey and wine vinegar. Mix and eat with spoons!

Okroshka is healthy

This dish should be prepared with fresh, medium-fat kefir. We will need:

400 grams of boiled chicken fillet;
6 boiled eggs;
3 medium potatoes;
6-7 fresh cucumbers;
a bunch of green onions;
a bunch of dill;
salt, pepper, sour cream and kefir to taste.

If you decide to replace it with boiled sausage, then you should use doctor’s sausage, which must first be boiled for about 10 minutes. Cut all ingredients into small cubes, chop the greens and pour kefir, add salt and pepper to taste, chop the greens. The described composition is very beneficial for the body and is an excellent detox dish. If you remove potatoes from the list or reduce them to a minimum, you can lose up to 3 kilograms per week on such a tasty diet. Of course, you should eat without bread and not an ounce of salt.

Lightly salted cucumbers in 5 minutes

Prepare a food plastic bag, a kilogram of fresh small cucumbers, a bunch of parsley, dill, 4-5 cloves of garlic, salt and pepper.

Wash the cucumbers and cut into slices (slices), add chopped herbs, garlic, salt and pepper. Place everything in a bag and put it in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.

It is impossible to list all the beneficial properties and culinary masterpieces of your favorite vegetable. There is no need to be sophisticated - it is important that the product is fresh and coexists in the dish with healthy ingredients - tomatoes, herbs, peppers and vegetable oil. And the best part is that you can eat without any restrictions in quantity and without any marks on your figure!

Bye everyone. Best regards, Vyacheslav.

Peel and cut!

If you do not grow cucumbers in your own garden, but buy them in a store or market, pay attention to their color. The main danger that awaits city residents is nitrate vegetables. In this regard, cucumbers, of course, are not leaders in the accumulation of harmful substances (these are greens, leafy salads and white cabbage), but vigilance is still worth showing. For example, if a vegetable does not have a classic herbal tint, but has a dark green skin, it means that it has definitely been overfed with nitrates. Fertilizers enter the fruit through the stalk, as a result, the largest amount accumulates next to it. Therefore, before cooking, do not hesitate to cut off the dark “cap” and remove the skin. If you grew cucumbers yourself and are confident in their safety, you don’t need to do the latter, because it is in the skin that the maximum vitamin C, chlorophyll, carotene and xanthophyll is concentrated.

Fried cucumber?!

It is not customary to fry, stew or bake a tender and juicy cucumber, however, hot dishes made from this vegetable are found in world cuisine. For example, you can cut the fruit in half, remove the core and fill it with minced meat - after baking you will get stuffed cucumbers. The vegetable is also used as a stuffing for chicken breast or added to a vegetable sauté. However, more often cucumber is used to make spicy sauces for hot dishes of meat and fish. Let's say, salsa is very popular in Mexico, for which you just need to peel and seeds the fruit, grind it in a blender, add hot chili pepper, freshly ground black pepper and salt. If desired, add avocado pulp and unsweetened yogurt to the sauce. This salsa is perfect for steaks, fried chicken, salmon and kebabs of any type of meat.

Stars about cucumbers
Nadezhda Babkina
I love making refreshing cucumber soup. To make it, I first peel a large cucumber (preferably smooth), cut it into small cubes and grind it in a blender along with a glass of unsweetened yogurt, a spoonful of sour cream and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. I cool the resulting cucumber puree in the refrigerator, pour it into a plate, and put pieces of fried salmon fillet on top (fish can be replaced with shrimp).
Anton Makarsky
It seems to me that fresh cucumbers go best with boiled eggs (they can be either chicken or quail). You just need to cut these two products into small cubes, add more fresh dill, season with thick sour cream or mayonnaise, add salt and pepper - and it will be impossible to tear yourself away from this salad. In general, I associate cucumbers with freshness, juiciness, summer and hot weather. In a word, a wonderful vegetable!
Nonna Grishaeva
I once tried wonderful canapés that were made from fresh cucumbers. On one stick were cubes of this green vegetable, olives and cheese. On another there was ham next to cucumbers, on the third there were king prawns, on the fourth there were multi-colored bell peppers and amazing jamon. It seems to me that cucumber can revive and refresh almost any food next to it, and besides, it has very few calories.

Pickled cucumbers - health benefits and harms

Although to a lesser extent than fresh ones, pickled cucumbers also benefit the body.

As for the vitamin composition, it almost completely disappears after heat treatment. The salty product perfectly increases appetite, enhances digestion, and has a slight laxative effect. In addition, cucumber preparations are very tasty.

Processed vegetables have more contraindications than benefits:

If you have cardiovascular diseases, you should not overindulge in such vegetables.
For people with kidney pathology, pickled greens can be harmful because they cause extra stress on diseased organs.
It is not recommended to get carried away with salty vegetables if there are metabolic disorders or obesity.
For hepatitis and gallstones, pickles are contraindicated.

If you consume the vegetable in moderation, it will not cause harm to the body. It is best to eat your own product to ensure its purity.

Read more in the article: Quick-cooking lightly salted cucumbers with garlic and herbs