Nine Reasons to Have a Daily Cucumber Drink
Have you heard about the benefits of having a daily cucumber drink? This fruit is healthy, low-calorie, and contributes to your physical and mental well-being when included in a balanced and healthy diet.
Generally, people use cucumbers in salads and soups, but you can also make drinks with them. One thing though, you must know it’s neither “healing,” “detoxifying” or “magical.” Thus, it’s simply a hydrating drink that’s low in calories that’s a great adjunct to your overall wellbeing.
How to make a cucumber drink
You can drink it daily basis, it’s easy to make and you can mix it with other ingredients such as lime and lemon to enjoy a stronger flavor. Let’s see how to make it.
You may not know it but making a cucumber drink takes just a few minutes and is really quick, simple, and economical.
Ingredients
- ½ c. water
- ½ cucumber
- The juice of one lemon
- 3 mint leaves
- Ice
Directions
- Firstly, blend all the ingredients together and process for a minute or two.
You should also read The Truth about Cucumbers
Having a cucumber drink hydrates the body
One of the main reasons to have a cucumber drink every day is it’s a good hydrating alternative. As some may already know, a dehydrated body leads to the kind of problems that deteriorate the quality of life.
Furthermore, the American Academy of Family Physicians recommends consuming about 6 to 8 glasses of water a day. You can increase the amount if you do too a lot of physical activity, practice sports, or live in a hot climate.
Information published in NutritionValue states that cucumbers are mostly composed of water — approximately 96%. In addition, they make a modest contribution of minerals, such as potassium and sodium, which also intervene in the regulation of fluids in the body.
Nine reasons to have a daily cucumber drink
As we mentioned above, a cucumber drink isn’t magical and doesn’t cure diseases so it isn’t a treatment. However, this fruit is wholesome and good for your health when added to a well-balanced diet.
- Constipation. A 2013 review in Phytotherapy determined that the water and fiber content of cucumbers can help prevent constipation.
- Weight loss. A 2011 study in Obesity journal states that higher water intake correlates with higher weight loss in middle-aged and older adults. Having a cucumber drink is a good way to ensure optimal fluid intake.
- Nervous system and brain protection. Cucumbers are a good source of fisetin. According to a 2013 review in the Antioxidants & Redox Signaling journal, this substance has a protective effect on nerve cells. In addition, it showed positive effects by improving memory and decreasing the risk of Alzheimer’s in mice.
- Antioxidant activity. According to a 2010 animal study published in the Young Pharmacists journal, fresh cucumber extracts have a significant effect on free radical scavenging thanks to their antioxidant properties.
- Healthy skin. In research published in the Archives of Dermatological Research, cucumber had positive effects on the skin. In general, its antioxidants help prevent premature aging associated with oxidative stress.
- Anti-inflammatory activity. The triterpene cucurbitacin contained in cucumber could help fight inflammation according to the findings of a study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology.
- Cardiovascular health. The potassium contained in cucumber not only contributes to the balance of fluids in the body. In general, an adequate supply of this mineral contributes to good cardiovascular health, as suggested by the findings of research published in Archives of Internal Medicine.
- Blood pressure. A 2017 study published in Public Health of Indonesia observed that elderly participants with hypertension had a significant drop in blood pressure after having a cucumber drink for 12 days.
- Kidney health. Finally, a study published in the medical journal Nutrition Reviews on the importance of drinking water shows that proper hydration is key to supporting kidney functions.
Check out this article 6 Reasons Why You Could Be Experiencing Tooth Pain
Having a daily cucumber drink is good for your wellbeing
Finally, it should be clear that a cucumber drink doesn’t have magical properties. However, it’s good to know that its regular intake is a way to ensure proper hydration. In addition, due to its modest contribution of nutrients, it’s a good addition to your diet for maintaining proper health.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Mukherjee, P. K., Nema, N. K., Maity, N., & Sarkar, B. K. (2013, January). Phytochemical and therapeutic potential of cucumber. Fitoterapia. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2012.10.003
- Dennis EA, Dengo AL, Comber DL, et al. Water consumption increases weight loss during a hypocaloric diet intervention in middle-aged and older adults. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2010;18(2):300–307. doi:10.1038/oby.2009.235
- Kumar, D., Kumar, S., Singh, J., Narender, Rashmi, Vashistha, B. D., & Singh, N. (2010). Free radical scavenging and analgesic activities of Cucumis sativus L. fruit extract. Journal of Young Pharmacists, 2(4), 365–368. https://doi.org/10.4103/0975-1483.71627
- Khan N, Syed DN, Ahmad N, Mukhtar H. Fisetin: a dietary antioxidant for health promotion. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2013;19(2):151–162. doi:10.1089/ars.2012.4901
- Nema, N. K., Maity, N., Sarkar, B., & Mukherjee, P. K. (2011). Cucumis sativus fruit-potential antioxidant, anti-hyaluronidase, and anti-elastase agent. Archives of Dermatological Research, 303(4), 247–252. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-010-1103-y
- Ríos, J. L. (2010, March). Effects of triterpenes on the immune system. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2009.12.045
- Pertami, S. B., Rahayu, D. Y. S., & Budiono, B. (2017). EFFECT OF CUCUMBER (CUCUMIS SATIVUS) JUICE ON LOWERING BLOOD PRESSURE IN ELDERLY. Public Health of Indonesia, 3(1), 30–36. https://doi.org/10.36685/phi.v3i1.93
- Popkin BM, D’Anci KE, Rosenberg IH. Water, hydration, and health. Nutr Rev. 2010;68(8):439–458. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00304.x
