True to the saying, “Cool as a Cucumber”, Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) are considered cooling in herbal medicine and are a wonderful way to hydrate, refresh the body and provide cooling during warm seasons.
Originally from Asia, the Cucumber is a climbing/creeping vine in the Gourd family that produces the Cucumber fruits that we eat as a vegetable.
There are many varieties of Cucumber available on the market, but generally they are vines that produce tendrils for supports and leaves that form canopies over the fruits, which are diverse but generally fall in three main categories: slicing, pickling and seedless.
Cucumbers are about 95% water and a good source of Vitamin K. The mild melon aroma and flavor produced by Cucumbers are from aldahydes and the lightly bitter flavor from the cucurbitacins.
Cucumbers are normally enjoyed raw in salads, sandwiches, juices, yogurts, or pickled, but also sometimes in cooked dishes, such as Cucumber cake or curries. The young leaf and stems have been consumed as potherbs.
The fruit, leaf and root of the Cucumber have historically been used for their medicinal purposes. In traditional Chinese medicine Cucumbers are used for conditions such as hydration, irritability, diarrhea and detoxification.
In Ayurveda, it is widely used for sunburn, swelling under the eyes and irritated skin.
A few slices in water can make a cooling beverage, or the sliced fruit applied directly to skin (or over the eyes) also has a cooling effect.
It is partly for this reason, Cucumber has been traditionally used on burns, sores, blemishes, and for soothing skin.
The leaf juice is also used as a digestive and diuretic.
Through scientific investigation, Cucumber has been found to exhibit antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antiwrinkle, anti-hyaluronidase, anti-elastase and hypolipidemic activities.
To make an enjoyable Cucumber cooling spray, blend Cucumber fruit and strain through cheesecloth, mix with juice from a lemon and a teaspoon of aloe vera gel and place in a spray bottle—mist freely over face and skin!
#cool #summer #cucumber #hydration
**This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician.