Ever heard the expression “cool as a cucumber”? There’s a reason why it’s thrown around a lot, and that’s because cucumber is exceptionally refreshing and effortlessly hydrating.
As well as being delicious in salads and great for flavouring your water, cucumber has many benefits for the skin. It’s widely used as an ingredient in dozens of skincare products.
So, what are the health benefits of cucumber?
Some reasons to add more cucumber to your diet and your beauty routine include 1 :
Packed with antioxidants
As well as being a source of numerous nutrients, from vitamin C to potassium, cucumber is also rich in antioxidants. These are molecules which can help eliminate free radicals, harmful substances that damage your cells and immune system 2 .
Extremely hydrating
Water is absolutely vital for the body to function, and for ensuring the skin, hair, and nails stay moisturised and healthy. Cucumbers are made up of about 96% water, meaning they’re great for hydrating both your body and your skin!
Low in calories
If you’re trying to lose or maintain a healthy weight, eating cucumber as a snack or as part of a meal is a great way to gain extra nutrients. That’s because cucumber is extremely low in calories and has zero fat. In fact, the average 300g cucumber you buy in the supermarket contains just 45 calories!
A natural Skin Soother
Cucumber is thought by many to be able to reduce the appearance of redness in the skin. It’s often used to help bring down puffy eyes, plus it’s a common ingredient in after-sun lotions and products which soothe skin3.
Easy ways to add more cucumber to your diet
When it comes to eating it, cooling cucumber can actually be a very versatile ingredient. Why not try:
- Tossing some chunks into a salad or a sandwich
- Slicing it into sticks and dunking it in houmous or guacamole
- Making tzatziki by adding finely chopped cucumber, fresh dill and lemon juice to some plain yoghurt
- Infusing your water by adding some thin slices to a jug of water or filtered water bottle
- Pickling it with some fresh ginger and white vinegar to use as a relish on sandwiches and burgers
- Blending some up with fresh spinach, mint and lemon juice to make a vitamin-packed juice
As you now know, cucumber isn’t just a great addition to your lunchtime salads! It’s also brilliant for your skin which is why you’ll spot it in dozens of our health and beauty products. This includes things like body washes and soothing lip balms, as well as natural deodorants, cleansing face masks and refreshing aloe vera gels.
Last updated: 29th September 2020
Sources
1 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-of-cucumber
2 https://www.livescience.com/51000-cucumber-nutrition.html
3 https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/cucumber-face-mask
