Isaac Toussie Says, Pardon All Cucumber Lovers! By Isaac Toussie At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

People have said that it is of course important to watch out for food scams, as fraud could exist on food labels. Pardon the thought but today, when so many people are concerned about issues like housing and work place discrimination, fashion, entertainment, real estate, mortgages, vacations and the like, issues like food quality and food awareness may become unnecessarily overshadowed.

Though it appears that cucumbers originated over ten thousand years ago in southern Asia, they are now common garden vegetables cultivated as annuals all over the world. Cucumbers have been popular since ancient times, where classical Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans prized the vegetable for its healing properties, especially as they relate to skin health. The cucumber plant is a hairy-stemmed vine similar to melon vines, with many long, trailing tendrils. It bears yellow or whitish flowers on its short stems, with triangular leaves that may have three pointed lobes. The fruit of this plant is the edible cucumber that is beloved of cuisines the world over, growing anywhere from only an inch up to about thirty-six inches long. This pulpy fruit contains many seeds and is covered by a thin smooth or prickly skin that is often green but can sometimes be almost yellow. The flesh itself is usually white or slightly yellowish. Mature cucumber fruits are tough and contain many seeds.

People eat this cucumber fruit – colloquially just called “cucumbers” – raw or pickled. While the small cucumbers that are usually used for pickling are called gherkins, true gherkins are actually a different plant, though closely related to cucumbers, which bear little spiny fruits shaped like olives. Raw cucumbers are typically eaten in salads or sandwiches; rarely are they served hot. Scientific research indicates that cucumbers are rich in phytonutrient compounds, such as caffeic acid, which help soothe irritated skin and reduce swelling. Caffeic acid and Vitamin C, which is also found in high amounts in this vegetable, prevent water retention and may help explain the cucumber’s association with good skin health. Cucumbers are also known for their concentration of silica, a mineral that is an essential component of collagen, which in turn forms an important part of our skin; collagen is also especially vital to tendons and ligaments, as well as cartilage and bone. Cucumber juice is often recommended for a healthy skin complexion. The cucumber’s high water content also makes it feel like the right vegetable to eat for healthy skin. In that regard, cucumber slices are often used topically for treating swelling under the eyes or cases of sunburn. Indeed, one is reminded of the expression “cool as a cucumber!”

Cucumbers also promote a strong heart, being a good source of potassium, magnesium, and fiber, as well as folate, a B-vitamin critical to cardiac health because it helps to keep homocysteine levels in check. Cool crunch cucumbers are also thought to aid in proper digestion.

This writing has been posted strictly for information and human interest purposes only, not for medical or advisory purposes and does not necessarily constitute the opinions or conclusions of the provider. The reader should not rely upon the validity of any of the information contained herein. The reader should consult a doctor, nutritionist, and other medical professionals when seek advice about food, nutrition, diet, and physiology.

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