Perhaps, there is no more "native" vegetable for us than a cucumber. That we do not "get up" with them - salt, marinate, add to salads and soups, eat raw, with salt and without, we drink brine ... in general, we try to prolong the enjoyment for the whole year.
And the birthplace of our "beloved" in faraway India - hence the Indian dresses with the famous "cucumber" pattern. It was from there that they began their long way to conquering Europe - well, it was possible.
Hardly anyone will have any doubts about the calorie content of cucumbers - it is clear (even to a child) that it is very, very low, and no matter how many cucumbers you eat, you will not be able to grow fat on them.
But to find out what benefits can be derived from this insignificant amount of calories cucumbers are even very worthwhile.
How many useful calories are in the cucumber?
As many people probably know, cucumbers are 95% composed of structured water - this liquid is very favorably absorbed by our body. The remaining 5% - this is our caloric content of cucumber, plus dissolved vitamins and mineral salts.
Let's start with the last:
- vitamin C;
- vitamins B1 and B2;
- vitamin P;
- provitamin A;
- phosphorus;
- calcium;
- magnesium;
- iron;
- potassium;
- cellulose
- enzymes;
- aromatic substances.
Due to the fiber content, cucumbers are very useful for people with problem digestion, or rather, with constipation. Moreover, there is a known emergency method of "cleansing" the intestines - cucumbers with milk. Those who have tried - they know what they are talking about, and those who are not yet, let them wait for a really critical moment to fully feel the effectiveness of the means.
Natural plant enzymes help us digest meat and protein products - this should encourage us to consume cucumber with heavy food as a side dish.
Due to the high content of potassium, the cucumber has a pronounced diuretic effect. Due to this, they can help get rid of edema, lower blood pressure , remove the decay products from the body. In addition to the diuretic function, they also stimulate the outflow of bile, which helps get rid of the effects of taking antibiotics and relieve the load from the liver.
But no matter how many vitamins and minerals they contain, they occupy only 5%. Therefore, we are much more important than the second side of the medal - the low caloric value of this product for health.
Cucumbers due to low calorie are shown to everyone who suffers from obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases - as it is not difficult to guess, all these diseases are closely intertwined with the amount of extra pounds.
Due to their energy value, they do not pose any risk to those who lose weight, and those who do not want to gain weight. That is, you can use cucumbers in any quantity fearlessly (so much to "grow fat on cucumbers", you still do not master!).
Are there calories in cucumbers and how much?
Little by little it's time for us to disclose the cards. Let's talk about the energy value in figures:
- caloric content of 1 fresh cucumber - 16 kcal, the same as 100 g of a vegetable, because the average fruit weighs just that much;
- how many calories in a cucumber salty - 11.2 kcal per 100 g;
- cucumber pickled - 16, 1 kcal per 100 g.
The difference between the energy value of a salted and pickled cucumber is due to the fact that sugar is used in the preparation of the marinade, and during the salting only water and salt - in which the calories partially dissolve.
But, despite the low caloric content of all variations of this vegetable, there are, nevertheless, it is precisely raw cucumbers. There are several reasons.
During the preparation of pickled cucumbers, not only sugar is used, but also vinegar - and this is a rather harmful product. Of course, in the amount of 1-2 there will be nothing, but people with high acidity of this option should be avoided.