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Cucumber

Cucumber

Cucumber

What is it:

Cucumbers are a type of long, green vegetable belonging to the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae) that have a light, fresh taste. Often eaten raw in salads, cucumbers can also be pickled to create pickles. Cucumbers are believed to have originated in South Asia but are now grown in many parts of the world.

Rating:

Cucumbers are rich in water, antioxidants, and nutrients such as potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin K. Animal research has suggested that cucumbers may reduce blood pressure, blood glucose levels, and cholesterol levels. Choosing organic options can help reduce pesticide exposure.

Resources:

  1. Phytochemical and therapeutic potential of cucumber (review)
  2. Cucumber attenuates the elevation of blood pressure in hypertensive rats (animal study)
  3. Cucumber reduces blood glucose and cholesterol in diabetic rats (animal study)

How we rate ingredients

Health is like a bank account, certain ingredients make a deposit into your health bank, meaning they add to
your health. Certain ingredients withdraw from your health bank. We want health promoting ingredients in our diet. To keep things simple, we rate ingredients on a green, yellow, red scale:

Clean

It is naturally occurring in food and has no harmful effects on the body. It is real food. It is health promoting.

Caution

It goes into one or more of the below categories

  • It is not naturally occurring in food but doesn’t have data showing it has a harmful effect on the body (additives like Gellan Gum)
  • It is naturally occurring but can have some harmful effects on the body (added sugars, oils, gums etc.)

We Avoid

It is known to have a harmful effect on the body (ex. All food colorings, Natural Flavors, MSG, Potassium bromate, aspartame, artificial flavors)

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