Cucumber Facts
Here are a few facts about cucumber that you may not have known earlier. Cucumis sativus, or the cucumber as we commonly know it as, is of the same genus as the muskmelon. It belongs to the gourd family of Cucurbitaceae. |
Cucumber is actually a fruit, but all of us consider it a vegetable because of its uses.
Nowadays, more people are into eating fresh cucumbers than pickled ones in the United States. Fresh cucumbers used for eating are known as slicers; while the ones that are used for making pickles are known as picklers
Cucumber is an excellent source of Vitamin C even though majority of the content in this fruit is actually water. In fact, this fruit has more water content compared to any other vegetable that we eat. It also has low calorie content and that is why it is considered to be a good food for those who are dieting to lose weight.
The expression 'Cool as a cucumber' comes from the fact that cucumber has high water content and when eaten, it has a cooling effect on the body.
In addition, cucumber also contains folate, molybdenum, potassium, magnesium, manganese and fiber. It also contains sterols, which is a big benefit as sterols are known to help in the reduction of cholesterol.
If you want to facilitate digestion and clean your bowels, make sure you eat cucumbers everyday.
Only buy cucumbers if they are long, green and slender. Do not buy ones with yellow or yellowing skin. This will be bitterish and sourish to taste. Also, only push firm ones. If you want to keep them for a few days, you can refrigerate them by keeping the cucumbers with all the other vegetables.
According to some people, you can remove the bitter taste from the cucumber by slicing of the ends and then rubbing them against the sliced end until froth appears. The bitter taste of cucumber comes from a chemical compound known as phenylthiocarbamide.
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