Can there be such a familiar and loved by many vegetables - a cucumber - the basis of a diet for weight loss? What is the calorie content of fresh cucumber and whether it can be used to prevent and treat certain diseases?
Cucumber composition
Cucumber is used in fresh and canned form: it can be marinated and sour, used in salads, eat with honey and even fry! Fresh cucumber contains many vitamins, among them beta-carotene, thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, folic acid, vitamins C and E. Such a rich complex contained in a cucumber can satisfy the body's need for vitamins, especially in early spring, when we all waitwith the look of the first green. Caloric content of fresh cucumber is low: in 100 grams contains only 14 calories, so it is used in vegetable diets for weight loss. In addition to vitamins, this vegetable contains calcium and magnesium, sodium and phosphorus, potassium and iron, cobalt and zinc, fluorine and molybdenum, manganese and copper, that is, in fact, it is a real treasure!
Micro- and macronutrients contained in a cucumber are vital for maintaining a normal level of efficiency of the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Potassium and magnesium nourish the heart muscle, zinc is important for the regulation of physiological functions of the body, sodium - for intracellular metabolic processes, phosphorus and calcium are used by the body to build bone tissue. The table of calories contained in the cucumber shows that the amount of kcal in fresh, pickled, greenhouse and ground vegetables is somewhat different, but they can all be used in the preparation of a vitamin diet.
What are the benefits of fresh cucumber?
Because the cucumber contains a lot of fiber, it is extremely useful for the normalization of the intestine. Especially shown the use of fresh cucumbers in the form of salads with vegetable oils( linseed, olive, sunflower) people with a diagnosis of "lazy" intestines. With regular consumption of cucumbers, the purgative function of the intestine is gradually restored, habitual constipation remains in the past, and the person feels much better. This vegetable can be used in any diet to lose weight, because the calorie content of fresh cucumber is so small that it can become the basis of breakfast and lunch. Cucumbers can be used for the prevention and treatment of gout and polyarthritis, they are indicated for diseases of the heart and thyroid gland;Cucumber diet is good for those suffering from certain kidney and liver diseases. Fresh cucumbers are an excellent diuretic, have a laxative and choleretic effect. In addition, the enzymes contained in cucumbers significantly increase the digestibility of proteins of animal origin, and at the same time "brake" the process of converting carbohydrates to fats. This property, as well as the low calorie content of fresh cucumber allow them to be used to lose weight to people suffering from obesity.
Are there any contraindications to cucumbers?
If fresh cucumbers have almost no contraindications, then salted and pickled vegetables are not recommended for people with gastritis and gastric ulcer, dyskinesia of the biliary tract and cholecystitis, colitis and nephritis. In addition, salted cucumbers should not be given to small children, and pregnant women should use them with caution and in limited quantities.