01/21/2019
Those Cool Cucumbers
Cucumbers are a refreshing summer favorite! Mild in flavor and low in calories, they're a great addition to a healthy garden juice, a traditional component of a spicy gazpacho, and a nourishing base for a cool cucumber and yogurt summer soup. They're also a handy and popular snack by themselves! Cucumbers are made up of 96 percent water with a mere 16 calories per cup and they are packed with important nutrients!- Vitamin C. Leave cucmber's green peel on to get the biggest boost of vitamin C and folic acid. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that protects the body from free radicals and helps prevent the damage to cells that can lead to various cancers. Vitamin C also helps collagen production and brain function, and aids in the processing of fat.
- Vitamin K. Vitamin K is important for building bone, tissue and proteins that the liver needs for blood clotting after a cut or injury. Half of the vitamin K is found in the peel, another reason to eat the skin!
- Potassium. Approximately one cup of sliced cucumber contains around 150 mg. of potassium, an important mineral for metabolic functions and the development of muscle tissue. A diet rich in potassium regulates the amount of sodium in blood, and protects against high blood pressure.
- Silica. Cucumber is rich in silica, which is the essential component that aids in developing strong and healthy connective tissues in the muscles, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and bone.
