Similar to my feelings about lemons, I have an appreciation for cucumbers as well. I find that many people don’t even realize that the benefits of cucumbers extend much further than simply flavoring water or being another topping on a salad.
But what is it in cucumbers that makes them so healthy? After all, aren’t they made mostly of water?
Yes, it’s true, cucumbers are in fact about 95% water, but the other 5% is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which can all do wonders for your body.
You might recall in this article that watermelons have about the same amount of water in them as cucumbers and there’s a good reason for that.
Both watermelons and cucumbers come from the same botanical family. This water-filled family also includes squash and melons like cantaloupe.
Now you’re probably thinking that both watermelon and cucumber have the same health benefits to them. Well, that’s partially true; while some benefits overlap, others are unique to the cucumber alone.
In any case, I’ve found 12 versatile uses for cucumber, and not one of them mentions a dark circle minimizer or salad topper like you’d expect.
Everyday Uses for Cucumber
1. Kills Bacteria in the Mouth
Having bad breath is the worst. It can kill your confidence, destroy friendships, and ruin your reputation.
Of course, I’m going a bit extreme here, but we’ve all felt self-conscious about our breath at one time or another. The fact of the matter is, having bad breath is an embarrassing situation for you and whoever is unfortunate enough to be talking to you.
Why not pop in a mint?
If you’ve ever brushed your teeth after drinking orange juice, then you know what I’m talking about. Strong minty flavors do not play well with the citrus flavors you ate beforehand.
That’s why I reach for a slice of cucumber after my meals.
According to an article in Fox News, cucumbers help us produce more saliva. The more saliva we have, the less likely it is for bacteria to find a nice cozy home in our mouths. The combination of water in the cucumber mixed with saliva aids in flushing out the nasty bacteria that causes bad breath.
Here’s the trick: take one slice of cucumber and hold it up to the roof of your mouth using your tongue. Keep it there for about a minute and a half. That’s it.
Now you won’t have bad breath before your afternoon meeting and you won’t have to deal with an obnoxiously strong mint flavor either.
2. Fights off Sugar Cravings
Speaking of afternoons, do you ever get those late afternoon cravings just before you’re about to leave work?
I know I do.
Afternoon cravings always seem to strike me around the same 3:00p.m. to 4:00p.m. window every day. I can’t tell if this happens because I used to love coming home to a nice after school snack as a kid, or if my body is just programmed to want food during that time.
Even though I want to maintain a healthy diet, there are so many outside factors that determine whether my snack falls in line with my healthy eating or tempts me to the dark side.
One thing is always certain: if I have cucumbers around, the bad snacks, especially the sweet ones, don’t stand a chance.
The water and nutrient content of cucumbers allows you to feel satisfied and nourished so you’re not tempted to seek out sugary foods with empty calories.
3. Energy Boost
I used to reach for coffee when those midday slumps kept me foggy, cranky, and unmotivated, but not anymore. Your body receives exactly what it’s looking for with cucumbers: a substantial afternoon pick-me-up.
I’ve learned that cucumbers give me just the boost I need to keep me awake so I can power through the rest of my day.
Here’s how it works: the fiber in cucumbers stabilizes your blood sugar levels thanks to the fact that it’s broken down and digested slowly. When this is combined with the high water content found in cucumbers, you’ll have enough fuel to keep on going.
But fiber isn’t the only thing that gives you energy.
As Natural News explains, “Fresh cucumbers have been shown to improve antioxidant levels within the body and inhibit pro-inflammatory substances such as COX-2 and nitric oxide.
The combination of alkalizing elements, electrolytes, and fluid make it one of the world’s best foods for enhancing energy levels.”
And these energy levels won’t keep you up all night like caffeine.
Unless you want them to. Maybe your afternoon boost led the way to an all-night party. For those mornings when a night on the town got the best of you, cucumbers are there for the rescue.
4. Natural Hangover Headache Relief
In my post about lemon hacks, I showed you why lemons are great for curing a hangover. But guess what? Cucumbers can be just as beneficial in this department, too.
If you’re experiencing a pounding headache or desert-like dehydration, choose the cucumber as your weapon of choice.
Mind Body Green has an amazing Watermelon Cucumber drink that I swear helps me on the rare occasions that a hangover tries to kick my butt.
Don’t forget, if you’re battling nausea with your hangover, you’ll want to add some lemon to your repertoire for the day.
I was pretty skeptical about the next benefit on our list, but I’ve seen it work.
5. Remove Unwanted Cellulite
Now, I’m not saying that cucumbers have liposuction-type powers, but I have noticed a slight difference in cellulite when using them.
If you’re after long-term results, adding cucumbers to your diet regularly can do wonders for cellulite reduction.
But if you’re running low on time and a backyard pool party or beach vacation is just around the corner, you can also apply cucumbers topically to reduce cellulite.
Dr. David Jockers of Natural News explains that, “Cucumbers act to draw out excess fluids and tighten collagen which has the effect of a natural cellulite reduction. Simply eat some cucumber, juice it, and/or place the cucumbers on the regions of water retention.”
We all know that putting cucumbers on our eyes reduces puffiness. But try adding a few cucumber slices to other problem areas and let them sit for several minutes before you head out.
Again, I’m not saying this will eliminate your cellulite problem completely, but it’s a natural little shortcut when you’re strapped for time.
6. Fight Constipation
Now that my diet has improved for the better, I rarely have to deal with constipation.
But my diet isn’t perfect 100% of the time. I’d say it’s balanced, but not perfect.
I’ve learned that when I have a cheat meal every once in a while, my body gets angry and leaves me with that uncomfortable feeling of constipation.
Instead of reaching for some chalk-tasting relief, I prefer to use cucumbers.
Cucumber’s high fiber content, loads of nutrients, and cleansing water help to keep things moving through the body.
7. Free Radical Fighter
According to a study in the US National Library of Medicine, cucumbers contain glycosides, steroids, flavonoids, carbohydrates, terpenoids, and tannins, which provide the body with antioxidant powers to fight off free radicals.
But fighting off free radicals is only the beginning.
Cucumbers are also being studied as a means of prevention and are theorized to eventually treat certain cancers.
8. Cancer Prevention
For starters, the lignin’s found in cucumbers “bind to estrogen-related bacteria in the digestive tract contributing to a reduced risk of several cancers, including breast, uterus, ovarian, and prostate cancers,” according to Mercola.
Natural News noted that lignans shouldn’t get all of the credit; essential phytonutrients also play a crucial role in fighting cancer.
Natural News elaborates, “Cucumbers contain the phytonutrients cucurbitacins A, B, C, D, and E… which have been studied for their abilities to inhibit cancer cell signaling pathways.”
The future is looking even more promising thanks to the help of cucumbers.
One study in the US National Library of Medicine reports that there is a possibility of using the cucurbitacin found in cucumbers, along with cancer treatments, to create a “future anticancer drug in clinical studies.”
Additional research is still needed, but I’d like to think we’re getting closer to eliminating cancer every day.
9. Bladder and Kidney Health
The bladder and kidneys’ primary function is working together to flush out toxins from your body.
By drinking enough water throughout the day and consuming foods rich in water, like cucumbers, you’re helping your bladder and kidneys function properly.
The high water content aides the Sulphur and silicon found in cucumbers to rid the kidneys and body of excess uric acid, which can build up and create painful kidney stones.
As a side note: excess toxins in the body can also build up and show signs of aging in your skin. This is partly why cucumbers have been associated with improving the look and feel of skin.
So you’re not just doing your kidneys a favor, your skin will thank you, too.
10. Reduce Blood Pressure
In addition to helping your kidneys and skin, cucumbers can also aid in reducing high blood pressure.
Livestrong explains that the low sodium found in cucumbers, plus their potassium, helps regulate your blood pressure so it doesn’t stay elevated.
Of course, cucumbers are not a cure-all for high blood pressure, but it can help alleviate part of the issue naturally.
This next benefit of cucumbers also has to do with alleviating.
I’m talking about joint pain.
Do your joints always seem achy or stiff?
This can be a common complaint since most our jobs force us to sit at a desk all day or stand on our feet for hours on end.
The result: achy joints that cause discomfort.
11. Joint health/Gout & Arthritis Relief
The pain we experience in our joints, from things like gout and arthritis, are due to inflammation and excess uric acid build up.
I already mentioned that cucumbers are great at combating uric acid in the kidneys, but they can also be beneficial at reducing the uric acid in our bodies. This reduces swelling, too.
By fighting the uric acid build up in your joints, your body is less likely to flair up, or become inflamed, leaving you with less pain and greater mobility.
Think of cucumbers as creating a cooling effect in the body. It’s like applying ice to your joints from the inside out.
When you first start using cucumbers to relieve your pain, I would still take an anti-inflammatory over the counter remedy. Combine this remedy with eating cucumbers as often as you can and eventually you may not need the OTC remedy.
This last one on the list had me just as incredulous as #5, but I still think it’s worth a mention.
12. Promotes Hair Growth
The same two ingredients in cucumbers that help the body flush out toxins, silicon and sulfur, can also help promote hair growth.
A girlfriend of mine showed me a Hair Growth Tonic juice recipe that has been my go-to ever since. The author of the recipe says she used this tonic to promote her husband’s hair growth and it worked so well that he was having to shave every day.
I’m actually not surprised that this juice recipe works so well since it’s filled with cucumber, alfalfa sprouts, lemon, carrot, spinach, celery, apples, and ginger. All of these ingredients have been studied for a wealth of health benefits, including stimulating and increasing hair growth.
But if juices aren’t your thing, simply up your intake of cucumbers and you should be good to go.
As you can see, there are so many unexpected, healthful uses for cucumber. You may not have known about these or dared to believe them, but you should definitely try some of them. I’ve shown you my top 12 favorites and the ones I personally believe in.
So after reading this, which uses for cucumber surprised you the most?
