2. Kills Cancer
Cucurbitacin is a phytochemical in cucumbers and related plants that acts as a defense mechanism. In humans, it has an important role in immune response, inflammation, cell differentiation, and cell death.
By blocking a particular protein that is activated in cancerous cells, cucurbitacin stops the cells’ growth and induces their death. Studied cancer lines include breast, carcinomas of the head and neck, leukemia, lymphoma, melanoma, pancreas, prostate, and other types of cancer. (2)
Plus, antioxidant alkaloids, flavonoids, and saponins in cucumber have been shown to kill breast and lung cancer cells. Because there are more pigments in the skin, it contains more antioxidants than the flesh. (3) Eaten together, you get a big dose of anti-cancer crunch in a cucumber.
3. Mega Hydration
No news here: cucumbers are mostly water (95%) and that’s a good thing. We often don’t get enough fluids and may tire of drinking plain water from a glass.
Cucumbers are a delicious way to get water and electrolytes, especially in the summer months. Try a recipe for cucumber water here.
4. Manages Blood Sugar
Great news for diabetics: cucumber can reduce blood sugar levels by 67% and low-density lipoprotein (LDL cholesterol) by 87%!
The mechanism by which this occurs is the stimulation of insulin release by the pancreas and antioxidants in cucumber that counteract hyperglycemia. (4)
With very low natural sugar (1.7 grams per 100-gram serving), cucumber may be the optimal snack for people with diabetes.