2023-04-21 05:56:36
Riyadh: Dr. Hassan Muhammad Sandaqji
Cucumber fruits are rich in nutrients, very rich in water, and at the same time low in calories, which makes them one of the healthy food products that deserve to be included in the daily meals.
Cucumber is considered by many vegetables, mostly due to the way it is used in cooking and salads, but from a scientific point of view it is considered a fruit, because cucumber grows from flowers and contains seeds, which classifies it as a fruit along with other fruits that we consider vegetables, such as Tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini and bell peppers.
On April 3, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation published, within the nutrition aspect of its “Basic Health” website, its article entitled “6 Benefits of Cucumbers.” She summed it up by saying: “Cucumbers promote gut health, strengthen bones, and reduce the risk of heart disease.” The Foundation’s researchers quoted Amber Sommer, a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic, saying: “Cucumbers can help prevent disease, weight management, and digestion. And because it is readily available and easy to take, everyone can reap the benefits.”
In addition to the benefits of eating it as a food product, the medical community is trying to conduct more studies on the potential benefits of cucumbers to mitigate the effects of pathological conditions.
Cucumber and arthritis
In the March 8 issue of the Journal of Current Rheumatology Reviews, researchers from the United Kingdom, India and Cameroon presented their study on the effects of an aqueous extract of a biochemical compound in cucumber fruits on joint pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis. rheumatism; The title of the study was “Cucumber extract (ido-BR1) improves indicators associated with osteoarthritis rheumatism.”
“According to the World Health Organization, osteoarthritis is one of the top 10 disabling diseases in developed countries, with global prevalence estimates of 9.6 (nine-point-six) among men, and 18 per cent among women, who are the oldest,” the researchers reported in the background to the study. From 60 years.
In summary, the researchers added, the goal is to search for alternatives to treat the disease. Q-actin, an extract from cucumber fruits, contains ido-BR1 anti-inflammatory compounds. This study examined the effects of taking different doses (20 mg/mg/, 100 mg) of Q-Actin, compared to taking a placebo, on patients with this type of chronic arthritis in the knee joint, and conducting a monthly follow-up of the effects of taking Q-Actin. Those extracts, for a period that lasted more than 6 months.
The researchers used the University of Western Ontario and McMaster’s WOMAC Score, a questionnaire developed in 1982, to assess symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee and hip.
In their results, they said: “There was a significant improvement over time in pain-related markers (as measured using the WOMAC Score) and this was dose-dependent. This study clearly demonstrated the efficacy of Q-Actin, compared to placebo, in the treatment of pain associated with moderate cases of osteoarthritis.”
Nutritional benefits
The nutritional value of a quantity of cucumber, weighing about 300 grams, is that it contains a low amount of calories, about 45 calories. However, it contains 11 grams of carbohydrate sugar, two grams of protein and two grams of fiber.
Of the daily nutritional intake required to be provided to the body, that amount of cucumber provides 60 percent of vitamin K, 15 percent of vitamin C, 14 percent of potassium, 12 percent of manganese, and 11 percent of iron. 10 percent of magnesium, 10 percent of vitamin B-6, 10 percent of copper and phosphorus, 8 percent of zinc, about 6 percent of calcium, folate, thiamine (B-1) and riboflavin (B-). 2) and niacin (B-3), in addition to a wide and rich package of antioxidant chemical compounds (Antioxidants).
Amber Sommer, a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic, adds: “Cucumbers are 97 percent water. Supplement the amount of water you drink by adding cucumbers to your salad, sandwiches, or snack. It provides an easy and refreshing way to boost hydration.”
Under the title “Phytochemicals in cucumbers and their health-promoting effects,” researchers from Italy and the United States reported a summary: “Bioactive chemicals (Phytochemicals) in many chemical classes have been isolated from this plant. The distinguishing feature of this type are cucurbitacins.
Medical compounds
To be clear, cucurbitacins are a class of biochemical compounds that are produced by some plants, especially cucurbits (cucumbers are one of them), in order to defend themselves. It is the one that gives the bitter taste to parts of the fruits of the cucumber. It is the subject of scientific research on its biological properties, including potential pharmacological uses in the development of drugs for inflammation, cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
The Italian and American researchers mentioned in their study, which was titled “Foods of the Mediterranean Diet: Citrus, Cucumber, and Grapes,” and it was published in the last October issue of the Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene, by saying what Summary: “Cucumbers contain compounds such as flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and steroids. It contains several types of cucurbitacin compounds (A, B, C, D, E) that have anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-helminthic, cardiovascular, diabetic and hepatoprotective properties. They added, “Cucumbers contain many compounds that reduce oxidative stress.” They went on to detail the mechanisms of achieving these health benefits by those chemical compounds in cucumber. They also looked at the anti-cancer activity in detail.
As for the effects of lowering blood sugar and lowering cholesterol, they reported that there is a need for more clinical studies on this aspect. However, Cleveland Clinic registered dietitian Amber Sommer notes, “Cucumbers also offer benefits for people who already have diabetes. It scores low on the glycemic index. The glycemic index (GI) is a rating system that measures how quickly a food affects your blood sugar. And she continued: «The low score on the glycemic index means that cucumber has a lesser effect on blood sugar compared to other foods with a high glycemic index, which makes it a healthy choice to include in your diet. Research also shows that the antioxidants in cucumbers may help slow the progression of diabetes and reduce complications associated with the disease.
Putting cucumber slices under the eyes… does it improve the complexion?
> Some may have heard the wonderful effects of putting slices of cucumber on the eyes to treat dark circles, remove puffiness in the skin around the eyes, and give them freshness. And it may be more than just anecdotal, because the available scientific evidence may rank it as a natural and gentle way to improve the look and feel of skin. The key lies in the unique moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties and components present in cucumber fruits.
Some studies have shown that cucumber juice, especially cold juice, can reduce skin swelling, soothe damaged skin, and stimulate antioxidant activity to protect the skin from the effects of air pollutants and sun damage. Most importantly, it does not cause harmful local side effects.
Cucumber is also known to be rich in vitamin C and folic acid. Vitamin C revives skin and stimulates new cell growth, while Vitamin Folic Acid stimulates antioxidants to help skin fight environmental toxins that can make skin look puffy or tired. Since cucumber has a high water content, it can also moisturize the skin. One clinical study indicated that cucumber juice is an effective ingredient in products used to prevent wrinkles, as it helps restore skin’s natural elasticity.
This is all general, but because there are multiple causes for inflammation or swelling under the eyes and circles around them, some people may respond better to this treatment than others. We also don’t currently have clinical trials measuring how cucumber slices can help the skin around the eyes specifically.
The basis is to use well-cleaned cucumber fruits, or remove the peel from them. And put cucumber slices (with moderate thickness, not thin slices), on clean, dry skin, for about 15 minutes. And if one side of the cucumber gets warm on your face, flip it over and enjoy the cool sensation again. You can perform this remedy as often as you want and as often as you want to try it. But if you don’t see any results from this treatment, you may want to talk to your doctor about dark circles or excessive puffiness under your eyes.
Drink cucumber pickled water
Originally, humans resorted to preparing pickles, from cucumbers and other types of fruits, as a way to be able to eat them when they were not available fresh. According to the New York Food Museum, cucumber pickles were mentioned in very ancient writings, dating back to 2000 BC. Then it became one of the appetizers that some people like to include in sandwiches of all kinds, or with eating other types of foods.
But some people like to drink a little, or maybe a lot, of pickled cucumber juice or water. In addition to the taste, they may believe it is good for the body, may enhance exercise performance, or help control blood sugar.
The process of pickling cucumbers originally requires 3 main ingredients: cucumber, salt and water. There are many different additions in different regions of the world. Lactobacillus bacteria, commonly found on the peel of cucumbers, complete the fermentation process. And some may use vinegar to achieve this goal, after removing these bacteria. The juice is what surrounds the pickles in the jar.
The important thing is that the amount of sodium in about 100 grams of pickled cucumber ranges between 50 and more than 100 percent of the amount of sodium that is healthy to eat during the day. Also, unpasteurized pickle juice, without the vinegar, may contain large amounts of probiotic bacteria. However, most commercial types of pickle are pasteurized.
And some nutrition sources mention that pickle juice can have health benefits. For example, the high sodium content of pickle juice can increase pre-workout hydration and improve performance. However, a 2014 clinical study found that drinking about 100 grams of pickle juice before exercise had no significant positive effect on running performance, sweat rate, or body temperature. It is a study by researchers from North Dakota State University and Central Michigan University entitled “Drinking Pickle Juice or Highly Concentrated Saline Solution Before Exercise and Aerobic Performance and Thermoregulation,” and was published in the March-April issue of the Journal of Exercise. The Athletic » (J Athl Train).
One study also indicated that pickle juice may help relieve muscle cramps, but more research is needed on this matter. It is a study by researchers from the University of North Dakota on the effect of consuming pickle juice as a treatment for muscle spasms. It was published in the May 2010 issue of the Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
Also, there is no scientific evidence to support that consuming pickle juice can relieve stomach pain. Also, despite the lack of scientific evidence, pickle juice is still a popular home remedy for sunburn.
And the following facts about pickled cucumber juice remain:
Sodium is high. And too much salt can lead to water retention, swelling and bloating.
– Hypertension. Water retention from eating large amounts of salt can lead to high blood pressure.
– Indigestion. Drinking too much pickle juice can lead to gas, stomach pain, and diarrhea.
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