Cucumber water is not just a spa thing anymore. This delicious and nutritious drink is becoming increasingly popular. Healthy and refreshing and, most interestingly, easy to make.
For those who want to kick the habit of drinking alcohol and trade a drink for a healthy alternative, this may be the one, especially in warm seasons like spring and summer.
Benefits of cucumber water with lemon
Cucumber water has many potential benefits for your health. Some of these benefits include hydration, inflammation reduction, lowering blood pressure, and healthy skin.
It’s easy to prepare and is a great substitute for popular sugary vitamin drinks. Cucumber water is an inexpensive, quick, and tasty way to increase your water intake.
1. Provides vitamins and minerals
Cucumber water is not only a great way to stay hydrated throughout the day, but it is also a great way to introduce more vitamins and micronutrients into your diet.
Cucumis sativus, or better known as cucumber, is a plant from the Cucurbitaceae family. Most of its content is water (up to 97%).
Cucumbers are a great food, with few boasting their low calorie count and so many micronutrients all at once.
Naturally low in calories, carbohydrates, sodium, fat, and cholesterol, cucumber only provides 16 calories per cup.
A cup of cucumber will provide you with approximately 4% of the daily requirement of potassium, 3% of the daily requirement of dietary fiber and 4% of the daily requirement of vitamin C.
And as if all that were not enough, the cucumber will provide you with vitamin K, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, manganese and vitamin A (in lesser measures).
2. It is a great source of antioxidants
Cucumber is a good source of phytonutrients (substances with disease-preventing properties). It is rich in flavonoid antioxidants.
Flavonoid antioxidants protect us from damage from oxidants, such as UV rays from the sun, environmental pollution, some chemicals present in food (especially dyes and preservatives).
Since our body does not have the ability to synthesize these substances, it obtains them from the food it eats.
Various investigations have shown that antioxidants can reverse or stop the damage caused by free radicals (biological reactions that occur in cells).
For this reason, we must consume fruits and vegetables that provide us with antioxidants and cucumbers are not far behind.
3. Reduces the risk of heart, lung and autoimmune diseases
A recent study published in the Pharmacognosy Review found that cucurbitacins (chemical compounds produced in cucumbers) present in cucumbers may help prevent atherosclerosis.
A cup of cucumber provides 193 mg of potassium and 17 mg of magnesium. Nutrition experts recommend a daily intake of 4,700 mg of potassium and between 310 and 410 mg of magnesium per day for adults.
According to the medical journal, Web MD, potassium plays an important role in both heartbeat and the stimuli that make muscles move, in the kidneys, and even in the kidneys.
4. Regulates blood pressure
Just as potassium, present in cucumber, promotes the health of our heart, it also helps regulate blood pressure.
Potassium is crucial to balance with sodium, as it acts as a positively charged ion that regulates cell functions.
5. Reduces and controls blood sugar
According to a study published in the journal Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, patients with type 2 diabetes lowered their blood sugar levels by eating cucumber.
This is due, in large part, to the fact that cucumbers are high in fiber. Fiber is key to lowering blood sugar levels.
Additionally, fiber helps slow down the digestion of carbohydrates and sugar, which can further lower sugar levels by giving your body more time to metabolize them.
6. Improves the digestive system
As you know by now, cucumber is an excellent source of fiber. But why exactly?
Fiber attracts water and therefore slows down the digestive process. This is a very good thing, as it will not only help you visit the bathroom more often, but it will also make your bowel movements healthy.
According to an article from the prestigious Mayo Clinic, fiber increases the weight and size of stool and also softens it. This is beneficial, since a bulky stool is easier to evacuate, reducing constipation.
7. Helps lose weight
Cucumber is undoubtedly one of the most voluminous, nutritious and low-calorie foods on the planet. In addition, its high volume of water will help you stay hydrated, while its fresh flavor will help you control your appetite.
Being a food rich in water and fiber, this makes it a perfect candidate to add to your diet if you are looking to lose weight. Foods rich in fiber are beneficial for burning fat, since they require more energy than other foods to be digested.
Also, being so low in calories and, at the same time, being so bulky, cucumbers can help you stay satiated and avoid overeating.
8. Prevents kidney stones
Regular consumption of cucumbers has been linked to lower levels of uric acid present in the body. Uric acid is a chemical that dissolves in the blood and is excreted in the urine. High levels of uric acid in the blood can cause kidney stones, among other conditions.
According to a recent study published in The Journal of Food And Function, cucumber helps the kidneys remove uric acid from the blood. This indicates that eating cucumber can also help dissolve small kidney stones, as well as get rid of toxins present in the body.
9. Avoid anemia
According to an article published by the NHS (United Kingdom National Health Service), tables of folic acid (popularly known as vitamin B) are suggested for people suffering from anemia.
Folic acid, or B vitamins, is essential for the production of red blood cells. Low folic acid levels can contribute to certain types of anemia or low red blood cell count.
A low red blood cell count significantly decreases the oxygen supply to cells and can even worsen pre-existing conditions.
In addition, anemia can cause fatigue and weakness, chest pains, and frequent dizziness. 100 grams of cucumber contains 7 mg of vitamin B.
10. Moisturizes and improves the skin
Cucumber contains enough water to promote better hydration, which is key to maintaining healthy skin, preventing wrinkles, and improving its elasticity and tone.
In addition, cucumber has vitamin A, which is important for skin maintenance, as it helps keep cell membranes moist and resistant to cell damage.
Vitamin A inhibits possible infections and also protects the body against some cancers, since it inhibits the production of DNA in cancer cells.
Most of the vitamin A in cucumbers is found in the skin, so to get the full benefits of vitamin A, leave the skin on.
How to prepare cucumber water with lemon?
Cucumber lemon water is really very easy to prepare, you just have to cut the cucumber and lemon. It only takes 5 minutes to prepare plus an hour to infuse in the fridge.
Ingredients:
- 1 Cucumber
- 1 lemon
- 8 cups of water
Preparation:
- Cut the lemon and cucumber into thin slices. Then put them in a jar.
- With a wooden spoon, lightly mash the cucumber and lemon to release their juice.
- Add 8 cups of cold water and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving so that it takes on the flavor of the cucumber and lemon.
Tip: to give it extra flavor, you can add some mint leaves and a little honey to taste, it will be delicious and with an extra touch of freshness and sweetness.
Another combination that will go well with your basic water (with cucumber and lemon) is to add raspberries and blueberries and a little ice before serving.
You can experiment with various ingredients that you like, the important thing is to just try!
University Professional in the area of Human Resources, Postgraduate in Occupational Health and Hygiene of the Work Environment, 14 years of experience in the area of health. Interested in topics of Psychology, Occupational Health, and General Medicine.