5 Unexpected Health Benefits Of Drinking Cucumber Water Generally, a fruit or vegetable accompanies a beverage as an attractive adornment for show. Cucumber water, for example, seems like a fancy drink used to enhance the appearance of elegant relaxation at spas. In truth, though, cucumber water is so much more.
According to WebMD, cucumbers are made of 95% water. This fact is important because we are made up of 60% water per Healthline. Unfortunately, water loss occurs easily through sweating when we exert ourselves or simply when it’s hot outside. Incredibly, if we lose even 2% of that water, we can start experiencing symptoms of dehydration. These detrimental symptoms can include fatigue, mood troubles, difficulty exercising, and reduced motivation, memory, and brain function. In contrast, staying well-hydrated can help combat headaches, kidney stones, and constipation.
Cucumbers can be a handy tool when it comes to staying hydrated. Not everyone enjoys the taste of water, and adding cucumber gives it a pleasant flavor. This small change can make drinking the water we need more manageable. Since cucumber is mostly water, consuming the cucumber in a glass of water provides even more hydration per glass. On top of hydration, cucumbers provide several other helpful attributes as well.
Health benefits of cucumber water
1.Cucumbers are the most water-rich food of them all, too
“Adults should drink about nine to thirteen cups of water per day according to the Institute of Medicine,” says Lydon. If you struggle to meet your daily fluid intake with just plain water, adding flavor enhancers like cucumber or other fruits and vegetables can incentivize you to drink more, increasing overall hydration (as mentioned above). Plus, it definitely helps that cucumbers are uber-hydrating on their own—they’re made up of 96 percent water, which Lydon says is the highest of any food. This makes them a great way to increase water intake whether you’re eating your cukes or drinking them.
2.Cucumber water can help you stay hydrated
Although she notes that not much research has been done on consuming infused waters specifically (as opposed to the whole food), drinking cucumber water might be a great way to increase your hydration, especially if you’re not particularly keen on sipping plain ol’ H2O. “If you struggle to drink enough water, adding cucumber can be an easy way to boost flavor to help you stay hydrated, especially as the weather gets hotter,” Lydon says.
3.Cucumbers can help regulate fluid balance and support bone health
Aside from cucumbers’ antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, they’re also filled with potassium, which plays a role in fluid balance and lowering blood pressure. Plus, cukes contain vitamin K, which helps support bone health, Lydon says. They’re basically the gift that keeps on giving.
4.It’s filled with tons of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory vitamins and minerals
“Cucumbers contain vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, vitamin K, B vitamins, manganese, and copper,” says Lydon. “While there is very little research on cucumber-infused water specifically, these vitamins and minerals found in cucumber have been associated with numerous positive effects.” Lydon shares that cucumber’s vitamin C capacity in particular is significant, as this powerful antioxidant can help combat oxidative stress and inflammation associated with certain chronic diseases.
5.May support weight loss
Drinking lemon water may help you increase your water intake, which is often recommendedTrusted Source as a weight-loss strategy. However, there’s limited evidence to justify this.
In a 2018 studyTrusted Source, researchers found that participants who were instructed to drink water before eating a test meal ate less food than when they were instructed to eat the test meal without “pre-loading” with water.
When participants drank water before eating a test meal, they did not feel significantly less satiated, despite eating less food.
The study’s authors concluded that pre-meal water consumption may be an effective weight-loss strategy, although the mechanism of action is unknown.
How to make cucumber water ?
Ingredients
- 8 cups water
- 2 cucumbers, sliced thin
- ½ tsp sea salt
Directions
- add the sliced cucumbers and the salt to a large pitcher or jar
- pour in the water and stir well
- cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight
- keep the water refrigerated
- serve it with or without ice
- drink it within 3 days
Making cucumber water more tasty
Try adding any of the following ingredients to cucumber water to make it even more flavorful while keeping the same benefits:
- lemons
- limes
- oranges
- sprigs of mint
- basil leaves
- melon
- a stalk of lemongrass
- ginger
- fresh raspberries or other berries
- pineapple