To be "cool as a cucumber" add them to your menus during the warm summer months when they are in season
· Use half-inch thick cucumber slices as petite serving "dishes" for chopped vegetable salads.
· Mix diced cucumbers with sugar snap peas and mint leaves and toss with rice wine vinaigrette.
· For refreshing cold gazpacho soup that takes five minutes or less to make, simply purée cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers and onions, then add salt and pepper to taste.
· Add diced cucumber to tuna fish or chicken salad recipes
How to store CucumberCucumbers should be stored in the refrigerator where they will keep for several days. If you do not use the entire cucumber during one meal, wrap the remainder tightly in plastic or place it in a sealed container so that it does not become dried out. For maximum quality, cucumber should be used within one or two days. Cucumbers should not be left out at room temperature for too long as this will cause them to wilt and become limp.
Health benefits of Cucumber1.
Promotes Weight Loss – With just 16 calories and zero fat from a cup of
cucumber, it certainly qualifies for a weight watcher’s diet.
2.
Flushes Out Toxins – With that high water content,
cucumber act a s broom for our system to sweep out harmful toxins from our body.
3.
Build Immunity – Being a good source of
vitamin C (8.75 mg / cup) it strengthens your immune system to keep virus and bacteria away.
Click here to know more about the
Health benefits of Cucumber.
Glycemic Index of CucumberCucumber has a Glycemic Index of 15 which is low. Foods you eat rank from 0 to 50 are low GI, 51 to 69 are medium and 70 to 100 are high. Having a low GI, Cucumber is extremely healthy to eat. Good for
Diabetics and
Weight Loss.
Nutrition Facts of Cucumber1 Cup of chopped cucumber is about 125 grams
RDA stands for Recommended Daily Allowance.
Energy - 16 calories
Protein – 0.5 g
Carbohydrate – 3.1 g
Fat – 0.1 g
Fiber – 3.2 g
Vitamins:0.44 mg of V
itamin B1 (Thiamine) = 3.3% of RDA (about 1.2 to 1.6 mg for men)
18.3 mcg of V
itamin B9 (Folate) = 14.6% of RDA (about 100 mcg)
8.75 mg of
Vitamin C = 7% of RDA (about 40 mg)
Minerals:17.5 mg of
Magnesium = 14% of RDA (about 350 mg)
62.5 mg of
Potassium = 1.3% of RDA (about 4700 g)
3.1 mg of
Phosphorus = 2.5% of RDA (about 600 mg)
12.5 mg of sodium