Cucumbers are Healthy and Refreshing

Cucumbers are one of my favorite foods, they’re low in calories and contain a lot of water and valuable nutrients. I love them for their hydrating properties and crispiness and could eat them like potato chips. English cucumbers are one of the easiest to use because their skin is thin and they don’t need to be peeled to eat. We always have one in the fridge, simply slice and serve with just about anything.

Cucumber and slices isolated on a white background

I’ve read there are 15 types of cucumbers that fit into three groups, slicing cucumbers, pickling cucumbers, and specialty cucumbers. I do like to quick-pickle my cucumbers occasionally, by adding a little apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar to a bowl of slices. It doesn’t take long to enjoy that tangy vinegar flavor along with the crunch or add a little flaky finishing salt when serving them completely raw.

The cucumber’s peel is where a lot of the nutrients are so avoid peeling them if you can. It contains fiber and beta-carotene, which is an antioxidant that helps boost the immune system. Cucumbers also contain important nutrients like vitamin C, magnesium and potassium, as well as anti-inflammatory compounds. This “fruit” is a huge part of my Embracing A Healthy Immune Boosting Lifestyle program.

Make a wonderfully healthy Real Food cucumber salad with tomato, torn spinach leaves, fresh squeezed lemon juice, dried oregano and olive oil or a cucumber, avocado, celery, grated ginger, avocado oil and fresh lime juice salad. Or serve sliced cucumbers with or on a sandwich or as a side with a lot of main dishes. They also go perfectly in a summer smoothie or use them in an infused water beverage.

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