7 Benefits Gained Drinking Cucumber Water
Dr. Stephen Newdell, with notes by an article by Rena Goldman
Before taking medication for every little ailment, get into simple natural remedies that may improve your health. Many “believers” in medicine got well in my practice using natural remedies. I watched many with great faith in medicine be destroyed by pharmaceutical side effects. It’s always wise to begin conservatively with natural healing methods.
- Hydration
- Weight loss
- Antioxidants
- Cancer
- Blood pressure
- Healthy skin
- Bone health
Overview
Cucumber water isn’t just for spas and “health nuts.” More people are enjoying this healthy, refreshing drink at home, and why not? It’s delicious and easy to make.
Here are seven ways cucumber water benefits your body
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It keeps you hydrated.
Your body can’t function properly without water. We should aim to drink six to eight glasses of water per day, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. We know we’re supposed to drink water throughout the day, but sometimes plain water gets boring. Adding cucumber gives it some extra flavor, encouraging you to drink more
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It helps with weight loss.
If you’re trying to lose weight, replacing sugary sodas, sports drinks, and juices with cucumber water can help you cut simple carbohydrates from your diet, level your blood glucose, and allow your body to slowly reduce weight.
Staying hydrated also helps you feel full. Sometimes we confuse thirst with hunger. You may feel like you’re hungry, when you’re actually thirsty. How will you know the difference? Reach for a tall glass of cucumber water first. If your hunger goes away after finishing the drink, you were thirsty. If you’re still hungry, then you know you need to eat
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It delivers antioxidants.
Antioxidants are substances that help prevent and delay cell damage from oxidative stress caused by free radicals. Oxidative stress can lead to chronic conditions related to aging, such as: cancer, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, eye degeneration
Research has shown that antioxidants may be able to reverse or stop this damage. This is why you should each fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants. Cucumbers fall into this category. They’re rich in: vitamin C, beta carotene, manganese, molybdenum, several flavonoid antioxidants
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It may help prevent cancer.
Some early research suggests that cucumbers may help to prevent development of cancer. Along with antioxidants, cucumbers also have compounds called cucurbitacins and a group of nutrients called lignans, which may have a role in protecting us from cancer. One study in the Journal of Cancer Research suggested that the dietary flavonoid fisetin, which is found in cucumbers, might help to slow the progression of prostate cancer.
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May help to lower blood pressure.
One contributing factor to high blood pressure is having too much salt (sodium) and too little potassium in your diet. The excess salt causes your body to hold fluids, which raises blood pressure. Potassium is an electrolyte that helps regulate the amount of sodium retained by the kidneys.
Cucumbers are a good source of potassium. Drinking cucumber water helps your body get more potassium, potentially helping to lower your blood pressure and improve heart and other nervous system functions.
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It supports healthy skin.
Cucumber water can help soothe your skin from the inside out. Staying hydrated helps your body to flush out toxins and maintain a healthy complexion. Cucumbers are also high in pantothenic acid or vitamin B-5, which has been used to treat acne. One cup of sliced cucumbers has about 5 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin B-5.
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It boosts bone health.
Cucumbers are high in vitamin K. In fact, one cup of sliced cucumbers has about 19 percent of the recommended daily value. Your body needs vitamin K to help form proteins that are needed to make healthy bones and tissues as well as to help your blood clot properly. What better way to get this vitamin than through refreshing cucumber water? Your body should make vitamin K in the digestive system, but it doesn’t always happen, so gaining vitamin K from cucumbers is beneficial.
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