Natural Cook Studio of Bend

If you want to be “cool as a cucumber” add them to your menus during the warm summer months. The inner temperature of a cucumber can be up to 20 degrees cooler than the outside air. No wonder these are such a summertime favorite! I was given my first cucumber from a girls friends garden a couple of days ago when it was 100 degrees and it was so refreshing!
Cucumbers have a particularly high water content 96.4 percent, no wonder they are so refreshing. They are a cooling food that clears heat, quenches thirst, relieves edema, is an effective diuretic and is low in calories. Not one of the highest in nutritional number value but still highly valued. Cucumbers are considered an alterative, that is, a food that tends to restore normal health because of its ability to cleanse and purify the blood and gradually alter the excretory process to restore normal body functions. Cucumbers contain a digestive enzyme, erepsin, that breaks down protein, cleanses the intestines, and helps expel intestinal parasites. The flesh also contains caffeic acid, both of which help soothe skin irritations and reduce swelling.  The hard skin is rich in fiber and contains a variety of beneficial minerals including silica, potassium and magnesium. The silica in cucumber is an essential component of healthy connective tissue, which includes muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and bone. Cucumber juice is often recommended as a source of silica to improve the complexion and health of the skin, plus cucumber’s high water content makes it naturally hydrating—a must for glowing skin.
Cucumbers are also used topically for various types of skin problems, including swelling under the eyes and sunburn. Two compounds in cucumbers, ascorbic acid and caffeic acid, prevent water retention, which may explain why cucumbers applied topically are often helpful for swollen eyes, burns and dermatitis.

Caution: For those with a sluggish digestion, use cucumbers in moderation or seeded or cooked with warming spices.

In Health,

Lisa