What Is the Nutritional Value of a Cucumber?
Crisp and juicy, cucumbers are the basis of a good pickle, but they are also commonly eaten raw. A warm weather vegetable, cucumbers have a refreshing taste and can be easily added to sandwiches or salads to provide extra nutrition and a crunchy texture. Cucumbers are low in calories and rich in a number of nutrients, making them an excellent nutritional choice.
Nutritional Profile
Cucumbers are most commonly eaten raw, unless they are prepared as pickles. Low in calories, a half-cup serving of raw, sliced cucumber with the peel on contains only 8 calories per serving. Cucumbers are a nutritious choice, especially considering that they also contain almost half a gram of dietary fiber per half cup serving. Dietary fiber is essential for slowing down your body’s digestion of food, giving your system enough time to absorb essential nutrients.
Vitamins in Cucumber
Cucumber is rich in a number of essential vitamins, including vitamin K, also known as the clotting vitamin. Vitamin K is essential for helping your blood clot, and the recommended daily amount is 90 micrograms for adults over the age of 19.
Mineral Content
Cucumbers are a rich source of a number of minerals. A half-cup serving of sliced cucumber also contains 12 milligrams of phosphorus, 7 milligrams of magnesium, and 8 milligrams of calcium. Cucumbers are also rich in potassium, containing 76 milligrams per half cup serving of sliced cucumbers. An electrolyte, potassium helps your body conduct electricity and is essential to smooth muscle movement and regular, healthy digestive processes. Potassium also helps regulate the amount of sodium in your blood, helping you keep your sodium levels low and thus lowering your risk of developing high blood pressure and other cardiovascular complications.