Are Cucumbers Good for You?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCucumber BenefitsCucumber NutritionTypes of CucumbersWho Should Avoid Them?

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Cucumber Benefits

Cucumber Nutrition

Types of Cucumbers

Who Should Avoid Them?

While most people think of a cucumber as a vegetable, it actually is a fruit. It is very nutritious andhas high water content.

As such, it can help relievedehydrationand contains many essential vitamins and minerals. Low in calories, fat, cholesterol, and sodium, cucumbers provide many health benefits.

This article discusses cucumbers' health benefits and nutritional information and who should avoid eating them.

Olga Rolenko / Getty Images

What are the benefits of eating cucumbers? From hydration to reducing risks of certain diseases and skin health, there are many reasons to enjoy cucumbers.

Hydration

At around 96%, cucumber’s water content rivals that of lettuce.It’s an excellent way to stay hydrated. Getting enough water is critical for your health. It helps with the following:

In addition to getting enough water to drink, cucumbers can be an excellent way to meet yourdaily water intake. How much water you need daily depends on how much you exert yourself, sweat, and urinate. About 20% of the water you need comes from your food. Healthy women need about 9 cups, and men need about 13 cups of fluid daily.

Bone Health

Cucumber’s highvitamin Kcontent makes it great for bone health. Studies have found that low vitamin K levels are associated with higher rates ofbone fractures.

In one study, women age 38–74 with 109 micrograms of vitamin K1 intake had significantly lowerhip fracturerates than those with lower intakes.

Cancer

Cucumbers containpolyphenols(plant compounds that act as antioxidants) calledlignans. These plant compounds have many health benefits, including reduced risks of some forms of cancer.

Researchers found that lignan intake among post-menopausal people withbreast cancersignificantly reduced mortality from the disease.It also reduced the risk of all-cause mortality.

Another study found that higher lignan intake was associated with a reduced risk ofestrogen receptor breast cancerin people premenopause (before menopause, when menstrual cycles stop for 12 months in a row) and postmenopause (the time after menopause).

While some studies also indicate lignan consumption is associated with a reduced risk of other types of cancer, such asesophageal cancer, gastric cancer (stomach)adenocarcinoma(glands lining organs) andcolon cancer(longest part of the large intestine), more human studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Cardiovascular Health

Cucumbers containflavonoids(plant phytonutrients), which benefit heart health. Specifically, researchers have found that flavonoids reduce the risk of heart disease due to the following properties:

9 Heart-Healthy Foods to Eat During American Heart Month

Diabetes

Studies found that cucumbers have antihyperglycemic, meaning they lowerglucose levelsin the blood.People withdiabeteshave trouble with insulin control and blood sugar function. So, controlling blood sugar is essential. Cucumbers may be one addition to a diabetic diet that could help control blood sugar and reduce the risks associated with uncontrolled diabetes.

Inflammation

Cucumbers are well known for theiranti-inflammatoryeffects when applied topically on the skin. Many people use cucumber slices to reduce eye puffiness and tosoothe sunburn.

Research confirms their anti-inflammatory activity may be due to inhibiting certain enzymes or interaction with cell signaling.

Skin Care

Studies have found that eating cucumbers reduces skin problems and infections.Cucumbers have a purifying effect on the skin. They calm irritation (including sunburn), cool the skin, and reduce swelling.

Best Foods for Clear Skin

Even though cucumbers are mostly water, they also have lots of nutrients and are low in calories. One cucumber has the following nutrients in grams (g), milligrams (mg), and micrograms (mcg):

Cucumber Types

There are many varieties of cucumbers. Some are better for eating fresh, while others are intended for pickling. They include:

Who Should Avoid Cucumbers?

While cucumbers have many benefits, some people may want to use caution or avoid them altogether.

Digestive Problems

If you have digestive problems, you may want to eat small quantities to see how they affect you. In some people, they can cause gassiness andindigestion. If you haveirritable bowel syndrome(IBS) or another gastrointestinal disease, use caution.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Diet: Foods to Eat and What to Limit

Blood-Clotting Disorders

If you have a blood-clotting disorder or take ablood thinner,like Jantoven (warfarin), you should be careful not to overeat cucumber. That’s because foods high in vitamin K can interfere with blood thinners.Consuming the same amount of vitamin K daily is important.

Allergies

If you havehay fever(allergic rhinitis), you may be susceptible tooral allergy syndromewhen you eat cucumbers. Oral allergy syndrome occurs when you eat fresh fruits or vegetables with proteins similar to pollen. This confuses your immune system and causes an allergic reaction known as cross-reactivity.

Summary

Cucumbers are a healthy addition to most people’s diets. Cucumbers have many benefits, including helping you stay hydrated, calming and cooling the skin, and even reducing some health risks and diseases, such as cancer, inflammation, and more.

If you have some health conditions, like allergies, digestive problems, or blood clotting issues, you should use caution and eat small amounts to see how your body responds.

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14 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Guelinckx I, Tavoularis G, König J, Morin C, Gharbi H, Gandy J.Contribution of water from food and fluids to total water intake: Analysis of a French and UK population surveys.Nutrients. 2016;8(10):630. doi:10.3390/nu8100630Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.The importance of hydration.Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.How much water do you need?Rodríguez-Olleros Rodríguez C, Díaz Curiel M.Vitamin K and bone health: A review on the effects of vitamin K deficiency and supplementation and the effect of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants on different bone parameters.J Osteoporos. 2019;2019:2069176. doi:10.1155/2019/2069176Rodríguez-García C, Sánchez-Quesada C, Toledo E, Delgado-Rodríguez M, Gaforio JJ.Naturally lignan-rich foods: A dietary tool for health promotion?.Molecules. 2019;24(5):917. doi:10.3390/molecules24050917Velentzis LS, Cantwell MM, Cardwell C, et al.Lignans and breast cancer risk in pre-and post-menopausal women: meta-analyses of observational studies.Br J Cancer. 2009 May 5;100(9):1492-8. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6605003Ciumărnean L, Milaciu MV, Runcan O, et al.The effects of flavonoids in cardiovascular diseases.Molecules. 2020;25(18):4320. doi:10.3390/molecules25184320Heidari H, Kamalinejad M, Noubarani M, et al.Protective mechanisms of Cucumis sativus in diabetes-related modelsof oxidative stress and carbonyl stress.Bioimpacts. 2016;6(1):33-39. doi:10.15171/bi.2016.05Nash RJ, Bartholomew B, Penkova YB, et al.Iminosugar idoBR1 isolated from cucumberCucumis sativusreduces inflammatory activity.ACS Omega. 2020;5(26):16263-16271. doi:10.1021/acsomega.0c02092Naureen Z, Dhuli K, Donato K, et al.Foods of the Mediterranean diet: citrus, cucumber and grape.J Prev Med Hyg. 2022;63(2 Suppl 3):E21-E27. doi:10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2022.63.2S3.2743U.S. Department of Agriculture.Cucumber, with peel, raw.Cozma-Petruţ A, Loghin F, Miere D, Dumitraşcu DL.Diet in irritable bowel syndrome: What to recommend, not what to forbid to patients.World J Gastroenterol. 2017 Jun 7;23(21):3771-3783. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i21.3771National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin K: Fact sheet for consumers.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Oral allergy syndrome (OAS).

14 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Guelinckx I, Tavoularis G, König J, Morin C, Gharbi H, Gandy J.Contribution of water from food and fluids to total water intake: Analysis of a French and UK population surveys.Nutrients. 2016;8(10):630. doi:10.3390/nu8100630Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.The importance of hydration.Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.How much water do you need?Rodríguez-Olleros Rodríguez C, Díaz Curiel M.Vitamin K and bone health: A review on the effects of vitamin K deficiency and supplementation and the effect of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants on different bone parameters.J Osteoporos. 2019;2019:2069176. doi:10.1155/2019/2069176Rodríguez-García C, Sánchez-Quesada C, Toledo E, Delgado-Rodríguez M, Gaforio JJ.Naturally lignan-rich foods: A dietary tool for health promotion?.Molecules. 2019;24(5):917. doi:10.3390/molecules24050917Velentzis LS, Cantwell MM, Cardwell C, et al.Lignans and breast cancer risk in pre-and post-menopausal women: meta-analyses of observational studies.Br J Cancer. 2009 May 5;100(9):1492-8. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6605003Ciumărnean L, Milaciu MV, Runcan O, et al.The effects of flavonoids in cardiovascular diseases.Molecules. 2020;25(18):4320. doi:10.3390/molecules25184320Heidari H, Kamalinejad M, Noubarani M, et al.Protective mechanisms of Cucumis sativus in diabetes-related modelsof oxidative stress and carbonyl stress.Bioimpacts. 2016;6(1):33-39. doi:10.15171/bi.2016.05Nash RJ, Bartholomew B, Penkova YB, et al.Iminosugar idoBR1 isolated from cucumberCucumis sativusreduces inflammatory activity.ACS Omega. 2020;5(26):16263-16271. doi:10.1021/acsomega.0c02092Naureen Z, Dhuli K, Donato K, et al.Foods of the Mediterranean diet: citrus, cucumber and grape.J Prev Med Hyg. 2022;63(2 Suppl 3):E21-E27. doi:10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2022.63.2S3.2743U.S. Department of Agriculture.Cucumber, with peel, raw.Cozma-Petruţ A, Loghin F, Miere D, Dumitraşcu DL.Diet in irritable bowel syndrome: What to recommend, not what to forbid to patients.World J Gastroenterol. 2017 Jun 7;23(21):3771-3783. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i21.3771National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin K: Fact sheet for consumers.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Oral allergy syndrome (OAS).

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Guelinckx I, Tavoularis G, König J, Morin C, Gharbi H, Gandy J.Contribution of water from food and fluids to total water intake: Analysis of a French and UK population surveys.Nutrients. 2016;8(10):630. doi:10.3390/nu8100630Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.The importance of hydration.Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.How much water do you need?Rodríguez-Olleros Rodríguez C, Díaz Curiel M.Vitamin K and bone health: A review on the effects of vitamin K deficiency and supplementation and the effect of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants on different bone parameters.J Osteoporos. 2019;2019:2069176. doi:10.1155/2019/2069176Rodríguez-García C, Sánchez-Quesada C, Toledo E, Delgado-Rodríguez M, Gaforio JJ.Naturally lignan-rich foods: A dietary tool for health promotion?.Molecules. 2019;24(5):917. doi:10.3390/molecules24050917Velentzis LS, Cantwell MM, Cardwell C, et al.Lignans and breast cancer risk in pre-and post-menopausal women: meta-analyses of observational studies.Br J Cancer. 2009 May 5;100(9):1492-8. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6605003Ciumărnean L, Milaciu MV, Runcan O, et al.The effects of flavonoids in cardiovascular diseases.Molecules. 2020;25(18):4320. doi:10.3390/molecules25184320Heidari H, Kamalinejad M, Noubarani M, et al.Protective mechanisms of Cucumis sativus in diabetes-related modelsof oxidative stress and carbonyl stress.Bioimpacts. 2016;6(1):33-39. doi:10.15171/bi.2016.05Nash RJ, Bartholomew B, Penkova YB, et al.Iminosugar idoBR1 isolated from cucumberCucumis sativusreduces inflammatory activity.ACS Omega. 2020;5(26):16263-16271. doi:10.1021/acsomega.0c02092Naureen Z, Dhuli K, Donato K, et al.Foods of the Mediterranean diet: citrus, cucumber and grape.J Prev Med Hyg. 2022;63(2 Suppl 3):E21-E27. doi:10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2022.63.2S3.2743U.S. Department of Agriculture.Cucumber, with peel, raw.Cozma-Petruţ A, Loghin F, Miere D, Dumitraşcu DL.Diet in irritable bowel syndrome: What to recommend, not what to forbid to patients.World J Gastroenterol. 2017 Jun 7;23(21):3771-3783. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i21.3771National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin K: Fact sheet for consumers.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Oral allergy syndrome (OAS).

Guelinckx I, Tavoularis G, König J, Morin C, Gharbi H, Gandy J.Contribution of water from food and fluids to total water intake: Analysis of a French and UK population surveys.Nutrients. 2016;8(10):630. doi:10.3390/nu8100630

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.The importance of hydration.

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.How much water do you need?

Rodríguez-Olleros Rodríguez C, Díaz Curiel M.Vitamin K and bone health: A review on the effects of vitamin K deficiency and supplementation and the effect of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants on different bone parameters.J Osteoporos. 2019;2019:2069176. doi:10.1155/2019/2069176

Rodríguez-García C, Sánchez-Quesada C, Toledo E, Delgado-Rodríguez M, Gaforio JJ.Naturally lignan-rich foods: A dietary tool for health promotion?.Molecules. 2019;24(5):917. doi:10.3390/molecules24050917

Velentzis LS, Cantwell MM, Cardwell C, et al.Lignans and breast cancer risk in pre-and post-menopausal women: meta-analyses of observational studies.Br J Cancer. 2009 May 5;100(9):1492-8. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6605003

Ciumărnean L, Milaciu MV, Runcan O, et al.The effects of flavonoids in cardiovascular diseases.Molecules. 2020;25(18):4320. doi:10.3390/molecules25184320

Heidari H, Kamalinejad M, Noubarani M, et al.Protective mechanisms of Cucumis sativus in diabetes-related modelsof oxidative stress and carbonyl stress.Bioimpacts. 2016;6(1):33-39. doi:10.15171/bi.2016.05

Nash RJ, Bartholomew B, Penkova YB, et al.Iminosugar idoBR1 isolated from cucumberCucumis sativusreduces inflammatory activity.ACS Omega. 2020;5(26):16263-16271. doi:10.1021/acsomega.0c02092

Naureen Z, Dhuli K, Donato K, et al.Foods of the Mediterranean diet: citrus, cucumber and grape.J Prev Med Hyg. 2022;63(2 Suppl 3):E21-E27. doi:10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2022.63.2S3.2743

U.S. Department of Agriculture.Cucumber, with peel, raw.

Cozma-Petruţ A, Loghin F, Miere D, Dumitraşcu DL.Diet in irritable bowel syndrome: What to recommend, not what to forbid to patients.World J Gastroenterol. 2017 Jun 7;23(21):3771-3783. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i21.3771

National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin K: Fact sheet for consumers.

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Oral allergy syndrome (OAS).

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