Drinking cucumber water: what are the benefits and how to prepare it properly?
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Drinking cucumber water has many potential health benefits, including hydration, weight loss, lowering blood pressure, and skin health. It’s easy to prepare and a great substitute for the popular sugary vitamin waters. Cucumber water is an inexpensive, quick, and flavorful way to drink and enjoy water. Cucumbers contain a number of vitamins, antioxidants, and other nutrients that may help prevent a number of diseases, including cancer and diabetes, and keep bones, skin, and muscles healthy.
Drinking cucumber water is healthy and has the following uses
Hydration: Adequate hydration is important for overall health. The human body needs adequate water to function properly. Women need to drink 2.2 liters (9 cups) and men 3 liters (13 cups) of water per day. A person’s need for fluids can increase when they sweat profusely, exercise, or lose fluids due to illness or high temperatures. Drinking cucumber water counts towards your daily water intake, and the cucumber adds extra flavor.
Lose weight with cucumber water: Sugary sodas, juices and sports drinks are high in calories and sugar. Cucumber water, on the other hand, has almost no calories. So you can enjoy flavored drinks without the extra empty calories. Also, some people confuse thirst with hunger and snack or overeat when all they really need is a glass of water. If you feel hungry, drink a glass of cucumber water first to see if the cravings go away. Staying hydrated can also help you feel full and avoid unnecessary snacking.
Blood Pressure: A diet high in sodium and low in potassium can lead to high blood pressure. Therefore, including potassium in your diet can help lower blood pressure. Cucumbers are an excellent source of potassium, so cucumber water is a real way to get more potassium into the body, create a better sodium-potassium balance, and potentially lower blood pressure.
Cancer Prevention: Cucumbers are high in flavonoids, which may help fight cancer. According to studies, the flavonoid fisetin found in cucumbers may slow the progression of prostate cancer.
Other benefits of consuming this drink
Muscle Health: Potassium is important for muscle energy and may aid in muscle recovery. Cucumbers are a good source of potassium, so cucumber water is a good option for cramps.
Healthy Skin: Proper hydration can help the body flush out toxins and keep skin healthy. Cucumbers are also high in vitamin B, which can help with acne and other skin problems.
Bone Health: Cucumbers contain a lot of vitamin K. Vitamin K is important for the body to make proteins for healthy bones and tissues. It can increase bone strength, reduce fractures, and help people with osteoporosis.
Antioxidants: Cucumbers contain antioxidants that help prevent cell damage. Oxidative damage can lead to all sorts of diseases, including cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Antioxidants help prevent and delay cell damage from oxidative stress. Cucumbers are rich in antioxidants and other nutrients. When you add them to water, they make it more nutritious and rich in antioxidants.
Cucumbers are rich in the following antioxidants:
- calcium
- magnesium
- potassium
- phosphorus
- Vitamin A
- vitamin k
Also read: What Is a Cortisol Mocktail? Why Is It Trending and How to Prepare It?
Cucumber water recipe
Ingredients:
- 8 cups of water
- 2 cucumbers, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt (optional)
Directions:
- In a large pitcher, add the sliced cucumbers and salt.
- Pour in the water and stir well.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Keep the water chilled.
- Serve with or without ice.
- Drink it within 3 days.
Try flavoring the cucumber water with any of the following ingredients to make it even tastier while still retaining the same benefits.
- lemons
- limes
- sprigs of mint
- basil leaves
- melon
- a stalk of lemongrass
- ginger
- fresh raspberries or other berries
- pineapple
- sprigs of rosemary
- thyme
- lavender
Read also: What to Do with Pineapple Peels? 3 Ways to Reap Their Benefits
Frequently asked questions about drinking cucumber water
Fun fact: Cucumbers originally come from India and were brought to Europe by the Greeks or Romans. They are among the foods eaten in ancient Ur and are mentioned in the legend of Gilgamesh. Christopher Columbus brought them to America in 1494. World Cucumber Day is June 14th.
How long can you keep cucumbers in water? Cucumbers can be marinated overnight (or up to 12 hours). After that, you should remove the cucumbers from the water. You can then store the water in the refrigerator for up to three days.
How long is cucumber water good? If you leave your cucumbers in the water, they’ll be soft and a little weird the next day. But they are still edible and taste good. If you leave the cucumbers in the water for another day, the water may start to mist up, which isn’t ideal.
How many cucumbers should you put in the water? There is no perfect amount of cucumber. You can reap the health benefits of cucumber water whether you add a little or a lot, as long as you steep your water with cucumbers for a few hours.
Is cucumber water a detox drink? Cucumbers are very nutritious and contain many vitamins and minerals, which is why a glass of cucumber water will help you stay hydrated during the detox. The more fluid you drink, the faster your body can flush toxins out of your body.
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