Healthy Eating for Seniors: Cucumber Secrets

Healthy eating for seniors is an ongoing project. Seniors care about their health and want to put health into their lives from every possible venue. We all do.

“You are what you eat” is not just good advice, it is a way of life. Meet, the Proud Cucumber!

 

The Proud Cucumber

I do not understand why people talk about the cucumber as ‘the humble cucumber’.

Maybe because it grows close to the ground, or maybe because it has a simple shape.

After reading this, we will see the cucumber in a new light!

 

It’s Got the Looks….

• The cucumber, luminescent in its most well-known coat of emerald green, gives us fiber and beta-carotene.
• Most of the vitamin K and fiber in a cucumber is found in the skin, so try to eat cucumbers with the peel.
• Its crystalline white flesh is rich in vitamins A and C, Magnesium and Potassium as well as other minerals.
• Even the pearly white and exquisite seeds in the cucumber have their own gifts. These are fiber, beta-carotene, calcium, among similar gifts found in other seeds.

 

It’s Got the Taste and the Strength to Clean….

• Around 95% of a cucumber is water. This means it is a mild-tasting and refreshing vegetable that helps keep us hydrated.
• While you crunch a crisp, revitalizing cucumber your teeth are getting a free cleanup.
• After a heavier meal, eat a fresh cucumber. It swishes through the eating and swallowing system all the way down to the stomach, helping you feel lighter.

 

It’s Got Loads of Other Attributes….

• The delicate scent of the cucumber can be captured in a refreshing essential oil mixture . Some people enjoy using this in home made oils, soaps or cleaning products.
• The crunch also stimulates the nervous system in a good way. Studies also show that hearing the crunch as you eat gives such satisfaction, that you feel you need to eat less.
• The simple shape of the cucumber means it is aesthetically versatile. You can include it in fresh sandwiches, salads and side dishes.
• Cucumbers can help the digestion process. The water in cucumbers eases the process of digestion and is a great help against constipation.
• The low-calorie, low-fat cucumber is a healthy snack. At a mere 15 calories per 100 grams, you can eat it freely without feeling guilty about weight gain.

 

Cucumbers – A Healthy Snack for Seniors

Healthy eating for seniors is supported by consuming cucumbers! Read on about these health advantages:

 

High blood pressure

The American Heart Association recommends increasing potassium to avoid high blood pressure. The cucumber is rich in potassium.

High and Low Blood Pressure

Cucumbers are believed to be good for both people with high blood pressure and low blood pressure. This is due to the fiber, potassium and magnesium contained in cucumbers.

Diabetes

Diabetes and high blood sugar can be controlled though eating cucumbers. This is an emerging area of medical science. Studies on humans are still needed, to prove whether this is effective.

Arthritis

Arthritis is marked by the inflammation of the soft material in around joints. The special antioxidants in cucumbers work against inflammation. There are also other vegetables that are high in antioxidants and could fight inflammation.

Heart Disease

As part of a healthy lifestyle, including healthy eating for seniors, cucumbers are good for heart health. The seeds are especially good for bringing down cholesterol levels. This may be due to the antioxidants and flavonoids in the cucumbers and seeds.

 

Cucumbers Are Our Favorites!

Well, we see how the cucumber is a vegetable packed with virtues.

Watch out for high-salt pickled cucumbers and gherkins. They are delicious and add flavor and texture to meals, but check with your healthcare provider it these can be included in your diet.

Seniors who include cucumbers in their diets, pack in all those health benefits.

The popular cucumber is one of the top candidates in healthy eating for seniors! Should a cucumber be humble or proud? You tell me…..

 

Photo by Kelly Neil on Unsplash