Beauty and health benefits of cucumber

Some of the many health benefits of cucumbers include their high water content (about 95 percent), their fiber-rich skin and their levels of potassium and manganese, which help regulate blood pressure and help promote nutrient functions, respectively.

* Eating cucumbers is an easy way to increase our water consumption.

* Under the crunchy thin skin, the pale green flesh contains about 95% water.

* One cup of diced cubes supplies about 90ml of pure water.

* Moreover, the dietary fibres regulate cholesterol level and support bowel regularity.

* Potassium promotes flexibility in muscles and regulates blood pressure.

* Together with its natural water, cucumber is the vegetable for sportsmen doing regular intensive exercise.

* The manganese in cucumber promotes functions of nutrients, especially those of thiamine, ascorbic acid and choline to improve their absorption.

* Young people who often feel nauseous and have poor appetite, and those with skin rashes or suffer from loss of hair colour could have manganese deficiency.

* Including cucumber juice in their diet is a healthful tip.

* Sulphite is a preservative commonly added to dried foods, dehydrated fruits and vegetables, pickles and wine.

* Some salad bars may use it to maintain freshness of their salads.

* These foods may contain the preservatives nitrate and nitrite, which can lead to the formation of carcinogenic N-nitroso compound residues.

* The combination of ascorbic acid and caffeic acid contributes to cucumber's cool and soothing properties.

* Its magnesium content relaxes nerves and muscles and keeps blood circulating smoothly.

* The thin cucumber skin is rich in fibre and contains a variety of beneficial minerals especially silica, potassium and magnesium.