7 Health Benefits of Drinking Cucumber Water +3 Simple Recipes
A refreshing glass of cucumber water can do more for your health than you think. Cucumber water is one of the first drinks to consider next time you’re feeling thirsty.
Some people don’t like water. I know, it’s weird. But I have met a couple. I’m like, “What…? How can you not like water?” I mean, it doesn’t taste like anything…
But one great thing about cucumber water is that it makes water actually taste good.
Some people have a hard time getting in enough water during the day (you should aim for 100 ounces if you’re trying to lose weight).
So, if you’re one that struggles getting in enough water during the day, read this article and then try adding some sliced cucumbers to your water. We’ll give you a couple of cucumber water recipes to try to at the end!
P.S. A tall glass of refreshing cucumber water is easy to make and has some surprising health benefits and will give you some added vitamins and minerals.
Here are all of the health benefits from drinking cucumber water.
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1. Supports Healthy Skin
Cucumbers provide a variety of nutrients, but one in particular called Silica is especially supportive of skin health (1).
This nutrient helps the skin by improving hydration and elasticity. On top of that, drinking water, in general, is key to keeping the skin hydrated and healthy.
After drinking the water, the cucumbers can also be used topically by rubbing them on blemishes or putting them on the eyes as part of a face mask. They can also be eaten!
2. Hydrating
Speaking of hydration…
Hydration helps with skin elasticity, lowering stress, regularity, and boosting energy.
Cucumber water also makes water taste better, which makes it more likely that you’ll drink it and choose it over other less healthy options.
Make sure to drink filtered and purified water to avoid the contaminants in tap water.
3. Contains Cancer-Fighting Nutrients
Cucumbers contain cucurbitacins (a type of phytonutrient), which have shown promise in treating cancer in a recent study performed by the Internal Journal of Health Sciences (1).
These nutrients are not powerful enough to stop cancer on their own but should be used as a supplement to a healthy diet.
When the body is taking in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients like cucurbitacins, there’s a much better chance it will stay healthy in the long-term.
If you want to take cucumber water on the go, check out this BPA-FREE infuser water bottle.
4. Aids Weight Loss
Cucumber water helps quench thirst and keeps the body from mindlessly craving sugary drinks that are high in calories. This is an easy way to effortlessly cut calories out of the diet.
Cucumber is also a mild diuretic, which will help with bloat and flush out excess water weight.
Plus, the additional water in the diet will help remove harmful toxins from the body and promote optimal nutrient uptake.
5. Lowers Blood Pressure
Cucumbers are also an excellent source of potassium, which has been shown to significantly lower blood pressure.
This will keep you away from diseases like stroke, heart attacks, and vision loss. Cucumbers also do not contain any sodium, meaning that they help increase control of the body’s blood pressure.
The body needs hydration and potassium to help keep blood sugar down, and cucumber water is an excellent source for both of these.
6. Contains Anti-aging Nutrients
Cucumbers contain numerous flavonoid antioxidants, including quercetin, apigenin, luteolin, and kaempfero.
They also have other phytonutrients like lignans that have powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits.
These nutrients prevent free radicals from building up in the body and keep the body from prematurely aging.
Foods like cucumbers help to ensure aging in a graceful and more natural way.
7. Good for the Muscles
The mineral silica doesn’t just help with healthy skin; it also plays an important role in keeping connective tissue healthy. This is an important function in the body, especially when doing exercise or yoga.
Lean, healthy muscle tissue will also help the body burn calories, so it provides some added benefit to the weight loss department.
For these reasons, it’s a good idea to add a glass of cucumber water after an exercise routine.
3 DIY Cucumber Water Recipes
1. Strawberries, Cucumbers, & Mint Water
Ingredients:
- 6 strawberries, sliced
- 5 slices of cucumber
- 4 mint leaves
Strawberries go great with cucumber water and will provide an added boost of flavor and antioxidants. For more flavor, crush the strawberries before adding.
2. Cucumber, Lemon, & Mint water
Ingredients:
- 8 slices of cucumber
- 4 slices of lemon
- 2 mint leaves
Cucumbers and lemons go well together, and the benefits of lemon water are widely known. This refreshing glass is perfect midday when you’re craving something sweet and need something to keep the cravings at bay.
3. Cucumber & Basil Water
Ingredients:
- 10 slices of cucumber
- 5 basil leaves
Lastly, this simple cucumber and basil leaves recipe is terrific and high in Vitamin K. Basil has a strong flavor, so start with 5 leaves, and only add more if you really enjoy the flavor.
Tips for Buying and Storing Cucumbers
When selecting cucumbers, make sure to pick the ones that are a dark and vibrant green color. The darker, the better. Also, cucumbers are sensitive to heat, so select the ones in refrigerated or cooled areas.
Keep them in the refrigerator at all times until ready to serve.
Tips for Preparing Cucumber Water
When preparing, eat raw and don’t worry about removing the seeds, because they are an unusually rich source of nutrients.
Cucumbers make for great additions to salads and go famously in green smoothies.
Leave a comment below if you enjoyed this article on the health benefits of cucumber water or have any questions!
That lemon and cucumber is awesome! I’ve always been crazy with the taste of cucumber 🙂 And a little lemon doesn’t hurt, neither does the mint. That’s an awesome cocktail!
Thank you!! So glad you enjoyed it!
I grow vegetables i have an abundance of cucumbers so i decided to make cucumber powder. this way i always have them available to make cucumber water