CUCUMBERS
A Bountiful Fruit Bursting with AllNaturWell Goodness
Consume Cucumbers Daily
This is a bountiful fruit that you definitely want to keep in your crisper drawer at all times. Not just because they are delicious but because they are filled with such good stuff for the body that you need to be consuming them daily. And seriously, anyone who is dedicated to self care wouldn’t be caught without them.
Here’s a few things to know though when you are buying your cucumbers. First and foremost, avoid the fruits with shriveled or withered ends! Secondly, understand that some cucumbers are treated with wax after they are harvested and should be washed thoroughly, like with a veggie brush, before eating them. Cucumbers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week and are perfectly fine to eat with the flesh in tact – you don’t have to peel them. This is soluble fiber and you want and need that.
(You can watch this video to understand waxing of vegetables.)
Let’s Talk Cucumbers
First, these fruits are low in fat, cholesterol and sodium. (and that’s a pretty good start.) They are are composed of about 96% water, (great for promoting hydration) and are low in calories. And by golly you can buy them year round. And, while we are talking about buying stuff, remember that you want your fruits and veggies, and darn near everything else, as fresh as possible. That’s important! So create a routine of going to the market at least three times a week. – And yes, I know that sounds like a pain in the butt, but so is being unhealthy all the time! And if getting a bit healthier is as simple as creating a habit of walking into the grocers or farmers market three times a week to gather fresh produce for the next two days, well let it be done!
A Few Benefits of Cucumbers
Anyway, cucumbers are so beneficial that in India, for example, they have been grown for a trillion years now not only for food but for medicines as well. Because the cucumber is mostly water and contains an abundance of powerful electrolytes, using them for hydration is a no brainer.
Remember that hydrating doesn’t necessarily mean drinking just water. Eating fruits and vegetables that are high in water content are great too. And staying hydrated should really be a constant throughout the day. One of those mindless acts that you just do without really thinking about it. Your body needs water all the time. Without it, awful things begin to happen. Like constipation, kidney stones, and gut problems, to mention just a few, that you don’t really want to have! But the source of water does not always have to be taken in liquid form and cucumbers are an easy way to stay hydrated.
Ease Pain Naturally with Cucumbers
As well, cucumbers are believed to have anti-inflammatory benefits and when used directly on the skin produce a rather cooling effect that decreases inflammation and swelling, which in turn reduces pain! And, I am certain it goes without saying, that cooled cucumber slices rested across the eyes reduces under-eye puffiness. And by the way, you can use a cooled cucumber to sooth a sun burn.
Cucumbers contain antioxidants, including flavonoids and tannins, which is believed to prevent the accumulation of harmful free radicals and may reduce the risk of chronic disease.
Cucumbers also stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin that helps fight diabetes, while promoting healthy kidney function by reducing the level of uric acid.
Muscle and joint pain is lessened because of the amounts of vitamins and minerals cucumbers contain and it’s anti-inflammatory properties.
They are said to also lower your blood pressure, reduce your chances of developing certain kinds of cancers, promotes weight loss, eliminate toxins from the body and reduce cholesterol. (Heck, that alone is worth a few servings a day!)
And it’s so easy to do
Wash your fresh cucumbers well. (If you didn’t watch the ‘waxing process‘, you might want to. It’s important to understand that a lot of fruits and vegetables go through this process and once you see it, you will realize that even when choosing to eat fresh, you really need to know what is taking place in the whole food manufacturing process. You don’t want to consume this wax!)
Cut your cucumbers into bite size cubes – skin on – or slice them. Put them in small, well sealing containers and refrigerate, ideally for the next two or three days. Keep them in front of you and munch away.
I personally create two or three of these small containers every few evenings before going to bed and put them in the frig overnight to be added to my lunch break and with my evening meal. (Or the snack I eat when I binge watch Netflix instead of doing laundry – but that’s another post.) Here’s how I prepare mine.
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An Easy Recipe
The small containers I use hold about a cup of veggies and will compliment any dish you may have for a lunch break, salad topper, side dish or snack.
I thinly slice up some cucumbers, red onions, a few cherry tomatoes, that I tend to leave whole, and some celery, if I have any on hand. In a small bowl I combine 1/4 cup cider vinegar, 2 tablespoon olive oil – I use extra virgin but that’s just my preference – 1/2 teaspoon each sugar, salt and fresh dill weed. Add a bit of pepper to taste. Whisk the ingredients to combine well and pour it into the jars over the cucumbers. Seal them up and put them in the frig! Whala. You are done.
Or Do It Dian’s Way
My girlfriend Dian, who uses the same recipe and set up for her cucumber snack jars, save but for the fact that she de-seeds and cubes her cucumbers, also packs a bit of her favorite lettuce variety in a larger salad container. When she’s ready to eat her lunch, she pours the cucumber snack, dressing and all, across the lettuce leaves! (add a little crumbled Blue Cheese, a hard boiled egg and some of last nights tuna steak and this chick instantly creates a healthy, filling salad to die for.)
Bottom line? Cucumbers are AllNaturWell goodness. Eat ’em up!
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