Scroll to Recipes with Cucumber / खीरा as ingredient
Cucumbers are from the gourd family Cucurbitaceae and are widely cultivated. Slicing, pickling, and seedless are the three main varieties of cucumber available. It belongs to the same family as zucchinis, watermelons, pumpkins, and squash. The scientific name of cucumber is Cucumis sativus.
China is the largest producer of cucumber, with 61.9 million tonnes of production in the world. European Union comes second with 2.9 million tonnes of production. Many different types of cucumber are traded on the global market.
Almost 95% of the portion in cucumber is water content. This factor makes it the perfect food for hydration. Also, The cucumber extract helps to reduce inflammation.
Commonly Known as
| Language | Name | Written as |
|---|---|---|
| Arabic | khiar | خيار |
| Bengali | Śasā | শসা |
| Gujarati | Kākaḍī | કાકડી |
| Hindi | Kheera | खीरा |
| Kannada | Sautekāyi | ಸೌತೆಕಾಯಿ |
| Malayalam | veḷḷarikka | വെള്ളരിക്ക |
| Marathi | Kākaḍī | काकडी |
| Punjabi | Khīrā | ਖੀਰਾ |
| Tamil | Veḷḷari | வெள்ளரி |
| Telugu | Dōsakāya | దోసకాయ |
| Urdu | Khīrā | کھیرا |
Nutritional Profile of Cucumber
Nutritional profile per 100 gms
- Calories: 15
- Protein: 700mg
- Carbohydrate: 3.6mg
- Fiber: 500mg
- Fat: 100mg
- Sodium: 2mg
- Potassium: 147mg
Source: USDA & Google
Benefits of Cucumber
Antioxidant
Antioxidants are molecules that are great at blocking free radicals, the chemicals that are harmful to our body, causing chronic illness. They are rich in antioxidants and proving to be beneficial for the prevention of such diseases.
Source: PubmedCentral
Good for Hydration
We all are aware of what importance water has for our body, and how necessary it is to keep ourselves hydrated. Many fruits and vegetables are a good water source—especially vegetables like cucumber, with high water content compared to other vegetables.
Source: PubmedCentral
Promotes Weight Loss
They are low in calories, so you can eat it extra. Besides, it has high water content, and therefore it helps to aid with weight loss.
Source: PubmedCentral
Helps Lower Sugar
Some of the studies and researches have shown the significance of cucumber with blood sugar. The peel extracts of cucumber reduced the level of sugar in the blood and helped with diabetes.
Source: PubmedCentral
Easily Added to Diet
Cucumbers have a crunch in them and are mild in flavor. It is easy to add them to your daily diet. Whether you use it in your meals, salads, pickles, as a dressing, or however you like. They are quite versatile.
Side Effects of Cucumber
It contains cucurbitacins and tetracyclic triterpenoids in the large amount. They are proved to be harmful to health if taken in too much quantity. They also have more amount of Vitamin C. If we eat it in more abundance, than the effects it has on our body can be reversed, and it will be harmful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it harmful to eat Cucumber at night?
Eating it in too much quantity at night makes your stomach feel full. You might feel bloating, and it may interrupt your sleep. So eating in large quantities at night maybe not harmful but may not help either.
Can we eat cucumber and tomato together?
No, both are not compatible with each other. The acids they release in the stomach can cause digestive problems. So if one has a pre-condition for having them together, they are better avoided eating together. One should take note that Indian sandwiches have them together.
What is the best time to eat Cucumber?
The best time to eat cucumber is at lunch. Moreover, it is recommended to avoid having them before bedtime as it can cause interruptions in your sleep.
Are Cucumber bad for the stomach?
Generally, no, but they can cause bloating and constipation in your stomach due to the high water content.
