Cucumbers are wonder vegetables that help in various health conditions. They boost male fertility, help in weight loss, and aid in PCOS or PCOD and Psoriasis.
Table of content
Nutrition in cucumber
Cucumber and Ayurveda
Health Benefits of Cucumber
Cucumber for PCOS:
Cucumber for Psoriasis:
Cucumber and Male Fertility:
Cucumber and erectile dysfunction
Cucumber Recipes for ED, PCOS and weight loss
Home remedies with cucumber:
Balances Pitta
When we analyze the properties of cucumber based on ayurvedic principles, it pacifies pitta dosha. Pitta dosha is associated with heat. Pitta when aggravated can cause acidity, heart burn, high blood pressure, irregular sleep pattern, acne, irritability, and emotional disturbances. Cucumber helps to reduce vitiation of pitta and cools the body.
Rehydrates the body and replenishes vitamins
Cucumbers are 95% water. It keeps the body hydrated and helps the liver in the detoxification process. Regular consumption of this vegetable aids in the elimination of toxins. It is a storehouse of several vitamins and minerals. Hence can almost fulfill the body’s daily needs of vitamins and minerals.
Fight Cancers
Research has shown that cucumber contains three types of lignans and these lignans reduce the risk of cancer. The risk of breast cancer, prostate cancer, and ovarian cancers can be reduced with the regular consumption of cucumbers.
Relieves Bad breath
Cucumber contains various phytochemicals. These compounds help to relieve bad breath.
Aids in Weight loss and digestion
Due to its low calorie, plentiful fiber content, and high water content, cucumber is an ideal ayurvedic diet for people who suffer from obesity and are looking for weight loss. Water and dietary fibers of this vegetable are very effective in ridding the toxins from the digestive system. These also aid good digestion. Adding cucumber to your daily diet can help to relieve constipation.
Manages diabetes reduces cholesterol, and controls blood pressure
Cucumber juice contains a hormone that is needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin which has been found to be beneficial to diabetic patients. Researchers found that a compound called sterols in cucumbers may help to reduce cholesterol levels. Cucumber contains a lot of potassium, magnesium, and fiber. These work effectively to reduce blood pressure. This makes cucumber good for treating both low blood pressure and high blood pressure.
Promotes Joint health, relieves gout and arthritis pain –
Cucumber is an excellent source of silica which is known to promote joint health by strengthening the connective tissues. They are also rich in vitamin A, B1, B6, C, and D, Folate, Calcium, magnesium, and potassium. When mixed with carrot juice they can relieve gout and arthritis pain by lowering the uric acid levels.
Helps in Skin and hair care
Cucumber can be used for skin irritations and sunburns. The silicon and sulfur in cucumbers help to stimulate hair growth.
Helps in PCOS or PCOD:
Women who have PCOS or PCOD problems find it very difficult to lose weight. They become insulin resistant and suffer from acne and pimples. Weight loss helps in a great way to control PCOS. Hence women who suffer from PCOS can consume cucumber in their daily diet to lose weight. This veggie supplies plenty of anti-oxidants that help women with PCOS keep dry skin, acne, and pimples at bay. Grated Cucumber acts as an excellent face pack for acne and pimples.
Cucumber salad can be consumed along with soy or soybean dishes
Aids in Psoriasis:
It is difficult to control Psoriasis in obese people and hence they need to reduce body weight. Consuming cucumbers helps them to reduce weight. They also provide moisture to the skin by increasing the water level in the body.
Good for Male Fertility:
Male fertility is a major men’s health problem in present-day scenario. Obese men usually experience low sperm count. Weight loss increases the sperm count. Cucumbers are fertility foods. They not only help in weight loss but also provide essential nutrients like Vitamin B1, B5, B7 (biotin), Vitamin K, Vitamin A, and minerals like calcium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium which nourish sperms and increase their count. Hence intake of cucumbers helps obese men with low sperm count to reduce weight and increase sperm count.
Good for Male Sexual Health
Cucumbers are storehouses of citrulline. Studies have shown that citrulline is converted in the body into another amino acid called arginine, which gets converted into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide helps the blood vessels to relax, improving blood flow to the genitals. This vegetable is very helpful for men who suffer from erectile dysfunction due to diabetes.
We all know that the causative factors for klaibya or erectile dysfunction are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and lack of minerals and vitamins. Regular consumption of cucumber helps to control all these causes. Thus cucumber can be used as an herbal ayurvedic remedy for erectile dysfunction.
Cucumber Recipes for ED, PCOS, and weight loss
Here are a few easy cucumber recipes which help in weight loss and also improve male fertility, PCOS or PCOD, and Psoriasis Conditions.
Cucumber Punch:
Mix 1/4th grated cucumber, 5-6 mint leaves, and ¼ inch ginger in a blender. Add water, a teaspoon of honey, and half a lemon to this. Drinking a glass of this cucumber punch early in the morning on an empty stomach, everyday helps in weight loss effectively.
Raw is Right :
Eating raw cucumbers without peeling the skin is very beneficial. These can be sliced or finely chopped to be added to a fresh salad platter. Sprinkling rock salt or sendha namak and pepper on this salad not only enhances the taste but also helps to digest this easily.
Cucumber and Tomato Salad:
You can also consume a bowl of sliced cucumbers along with tomatoes, a pinch of sendha namak or rock salt and pepper before meals.
Tomatoes are also known for their high water content (95%) and fewer carbohydrates. They also contain Vitamin C. Hence a combination of tomato and cucumber makes you feel full and prevents you from eating those extra calories and hence aids in weight loss. Therefore, below is the recipe for weight loss cucumber salad with the combination of tomatoes.
Ingredients required:
1 medium-sized cucumber sliced into medium chunks.
2 tomatoes are also cut into medium chunks.
1 onion cut into thin slices.
Few cilantro or coriander leaves are finely chopped.
Freshly ground pepper powder.
A dash of lemon juice.
2 tablespoons of olive oil.
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Mix all the above ingredients properly in a bowl and leave it for 15 to 20 minutes. And enjoy your salad !!
Cucumber Smoothie for Flat stomach:
Here is a Cucumber Smoothie Recipe for weight loss and a flat stomach:
Take 1 medium-sized cucumber and wash thoroughly (do not peel as it contains high fibers). Add a few mint leaves, 1 lemon juice, 1 tbsp grated ginger, chopped finely, 2 tbsp of aloevera juice, and a few ice cubes in a blender. You can also add honey or rock salt as per your taste. Blend all the ingredients until smooth and enjoy your glass of smoothie before a meal. This recipe helps in reducing belly fat.
CUCUMBER SALAD THE WEIGHT LOSS RECIPE
Ingredients
Cucumber – 1 tender finely chopped
Carrot – 1 small-sized grated
Tomato – 1 finely diced
Coriander leaves – finely chopped
Pepper – ¼ teaspoon
Salt – to taste
Add all the above ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix well. Use this salad as a starter before a meal or breakfast. It goes well with bread and rotis. The carrot and tomato increase the nutritional value of the salad.
How do the above-mentioned recipes help in weight loss?
As cucumber has rich fibers with pectin, when consumed on an empty stomach, our body requires more energy to digest these fibers. Hence our body utilizes the extra accumulated fat to derive this energy and this helps in weight loss. Ginger, and pepper due to their hot potency (ushna veerya) , increase body fire or agni and boost metabolism. Based on principles of Ayurveda lemon and honey have Lekhana properties. This means they scrape the body fat.
Cucumbers are very low in calories and help to fill the stomach. Thus the intake of calories through breakfast and lunch is reduced. We can eat large portions of cucumber without getting calories dumped into our bodies.
Home remedies with cucumber:
- Take a slice of a cucumber and press it to the palate (roof of the mouth) with the help of the tongue. This helps to relieve bad breath.
- Mix half a cup of carrot juice and half a cup of cucumber juice. Consume this daily to reduce joint pain and uric acid level. This simple home remedy helps in conditions like arthritis and gout.
- Place a slice each on both eyes. This reduces burning sensation, puffiness, dark circles, and tiredness of the eyes.
- Dip slices of cucumber in cold green tea and place them on your eyes. This is the best natural ayurvedic remedy for dark circles.
- Grate ¼ cup of cucumber and mix 1 teaspoon of yellow gram flour with it. Apply this on cleansed face. The cool ayurvedic face pack of cucumber helps to reduce acne, pimples, and wrinkles. This is an excellent ayurvedic remedy to increase the fairness and glow of the skin.
Nutrition in cucumber
Cucumbers are the fourth most cultivated vegetable in the world and are known to be one of the best foods for the body’s overall health. Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) belong to the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae, and a creeping vine that bears these fruits are one among many vegetables which help for weight loss. Cucumber originated in South Asia, India but is now grown in other continents as well. Cucumbers are eaten raw most of the time however in some places they even prepare pickles out of the cucumber.
Cucumber which contains 96% of water is known as a cooling or rehydrating vegetable and hence helps in weight loss and also prevents dehydration which is a major factor for constipation. They have fewer calories, high in fibers and contain important vitamins like Vitamin B1, B5, B7 (biotin), Vitamin K, Vitamin A, and minerals like calcium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium which are useful in reducing high sugar levels, maintaining cholesterol/lipid levels, to fight cancer, reduce risk of heart diseases and improve bone health. It has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits which aid in detoxifying the skin. Cucumbers can be used in salads, sandwiches, smoothies, juices, or eaten raw which help in quick and healthy weight loss when added to a daily diet.
An unpeeled cucumber provides Vitamin K and Vitamin C. These keep our bones (asthi-dhatu), skin, and hair strong. The antioxidants in cucumber help to keep the free radicles away thus slowing down the aging process. The phytonutrients of cucumber have an anti-diabetic effect.
(Whats App Dr.Savitha Suri @+ 91 6360108663/ to know more about ayurvedic treatments and remedies )
Author: Dr.Savitha Suri , Consultant Ayurvedic Physician
Call us at +91 9945995660 / +91 9448433911
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