By GreenMedInfo Research Group

Cucumbers may not seem as special as other items on the health savvy’s checklist. Yet it’s more than just a cooling cruncher—cucumber is actually a superfood in its own right.

A 142-gram (about 0.6 cups) serving of chopped, unpeeled, raw cucumber offers 10.2 micrograms of vitamin K. The same serving of cucumbers also provides 19.9 milligrams of calcium.¹ Vitamin K assists in calcium absorption, and together they can help optimize bone health.

A one-half cup serving of cucumber slices also supplies two percent of your magnesium and potassium needs every day.² Let’s dive deeper into the benefits of cucumber.

Cucumbers for Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is an age-related condition caused by wear and tear to the joints. There is currently no known cure, but managing it conventionally often entails using high doses of painkillers and anti-inflammatories that have a number of side effects and dependency risks.³

Cucumis sativus extract from cucumbers has been found to work even better than glucosamine-chondroitin in managing OA. A 2017 study involving 122 patients diagnosed with moderate knee osteoarthritis divided the subjects into two groups: those who orally received glucosamine-chondroitin twice every day and those who orally received the cucumber extract twice daily.

The cucumber extract group score on the osteoarthritis index dropped by 22.44 percent on day 30 and 70.29 percent by day 180, compared to a 14.8 percent and 32.81 percent decrease in the glucosamine-chondroitin group on the same days. The researchers recorded similar trends for all other pain scores.⁴

According to the study, cucumber was “effective in reducing pain related to moderate knee OA and can be potentially used in the management of knee pain, stiffness, and physical functions related to OA.”

Cucumber Seed Extract for Balanced Cholesterol

Cucumber seed has traditionally been used as a lipid-lowering supplement and was recently found to be effective in a study on adult patients with mild cases of hyperlipidemia (a high level of cholesterol) triglycerides, or both.⁵

In the randomized trial, the patients were assigned to take either cucumber or placebo capsule once every day with food for six weeks. Their body mass index (BMI), fasting levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol were then measured at different points in time.

The conclusion: consuming cucumber seed extract at a 500-mg daily dose led to positive effects on serum lipid profile in the adult patients, ultimately providing a sound option for improving dyslipidemia.

Diabetes Complications

Cucumber is an ideal candidate for controlling glucose levels and reducing diabetes-related complications.

In a recent study, researchers investigated the effects of cucumber in both oxidative and carbonyl stress—mechanisms that play a role in the development of diabetes and related complications. The study author concluded, “C. sativus has protective effects in diabetes complications and can be considered a safe and suitable candidate for decreasing the oxidative stress and carbonyl stress that is typically observed in diabetes mellitus.”⁶

In the animal model used, extracts of cucumber were able to prevent oxidative stress and carbonyl stress. They were deemed “a safe and suitable candidate” to reduce these stress models typically observed in cases of diabetes.

Stroke

A Dutch study found that white fruits and vegetables may lower stroke risk.⁷ Cucumbers were considered a white fruit due to their white flesh interior. According to previous studies, high consumption of fruits and vegetables generally decreased the risk, but this was the first time that vegetable color was assessed in relation to stroke risk.

In the study, the effect of eating white fruits or veggies was dose-dependent, meaning the more people consumed them, the lower their risk. For instance, each 25 g per day increase was linked to a 9 percent lower risk of stroke.

The white group, of which 55 percent were apples and pears, included bananas, cauliflower, chicory, and the mighty cucumber.

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This article is featured in the Summer 2022 edition of Well Being Journal.

Well Being Journal adapted this article from the previously published original article at greenmedinfo.com titled “Top Four Health Benefits of Cucumbers,” November 25, 2020.

References

1. NCCMed.com https://nccmed.com/health-benefits-of-cucumber/
2. NutritionData https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2439/2
3. Nash R, et al “Effectiveness of Cucumis sativus extract versus glucosamine-chondroitin in the management of moderate osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial” Clin Interv Aging. 2018 ;13:2119-2126.
4. Nash R, et al “Effectiveness of Cucumis sativus extract versus glucosamine-chondroitin in the management of moderate osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial” Clin Interv Aging. 2018 ;13:2119-2126.
5. Soltani R, et al “Evaluation of the Effects of Cucumis sativus Seed Extract on Serum Lipids in Adult Hyperlipidemic Patients: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial” J  Food Sci. 2016 Nov 25.
6. Heidari H, et al “Protective mechanisms of Cucumis sativus in diabetes-related models of oxidative stress and carbonyl stress” Bioimpacts. 2016 ;6(1):33-9.
7. Oude Griep L et al “Colors of Fruit and Vegetables and 10-Year Incidence of Stroke” Stroke. 2011;42:3190-3195.