How much water is in a cucumber?
In this brief article, we are going to answer the question “how much water is in a cucumber?”. We will also discuss the nutritional and health benefits of cucumber, as well as the importance of hydration.. In the end, we will discuss how to prepare and store cucumbers.
How much water is in a cucumber?
There is 96 percent water in a cucumber. Cucumbers have a crisp and delightful flavor and high water content. Due to the high content of water, cucumbers can alleviate dehydration and are enjoyable to consume in extreme heat (1,2).
What is the nutritional composition of cucumbers?
Cucumbers are formed mainly of water, being approximately 95 % of its weight. However, they can provide some vitamins and minerals, as well as bioactive compounds with potential health benefits. The following table summarizes the nutritional value of cucumbers:
1 cup of unpeeled cucumber (120 g) | 1 cup of peeled cucumber (119 g) | |
Water | 114 g | 115 g |
Energy | 18 calories | 11.9 calories |
Fats | 0.132 g | 0.19 g |
Protein | 0.78 g | 0.702 g |
Total carbohydrates | 4.36 g | 2.57 g |
Fiber | 0.6 g | 0.833 g |
Magnesium | 15.6 mg | 14.3 mg |
Zinc | 0.24 mg | 0.20 mg |
Selenium | 0.36 micrograms | 0.119 micrograms |
Vitamin C | 3.36 mg | 3.81 mg |
Vitamin A | 6 micrograms | 4.76 micrograms |
Vitamin K | 19.7 micrograms | 8.57 micrograms |
Riboflavin | 0.04 mg | 0.03 mg |
Niacin | 0.118 mg | 0.044 mg |
Vitamin B6 | 0.048 mg | 0.06 mg |
Folate | 8.4 micrograms | 16.7 micrograms |
Cryptoxanthin | 44 micrograms | 21.4 micrograms |
Carotenoids | 67 micrograms | 45.5 micrograms |
Lutein + zeaxanthin | 27.6 micrograms | 19 micrograms |
Adapted from FoodData Central (1,2)
If you want to look an in-depth comparison between unpeeled and peeled cucumbers, please follow this link.
What are the health benefits of cucumbers?
Cucumbers are a good hydrating source because they contain around 95% water. Without proper hydration, a person may experience dizziness or even faint (we will discuss this in-depth in a bit) (3,4).
In addition, the fiber provided by cucumbers can increase your gastrointestinal health, preventing constipation, and even reducing the risks of colon cancer (5).
Cucumbers contain 14 to 19 % of the recommended dietary amount of vitamin K in a single cup of cucumber slices. Vitamin K promotes proper blood clotting and bone strength (4).
In addition, cucumbers may provide a modest amount of vitamins B and C, which are related to a better metabolism,. good cognitive health, and a strong immune system (especially against respiratory diseases) (4).
In addition, cucumbers have polyphenols, carotenoids, and triterpenes, which are excellent and powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants can protect cells against oxidative stress and DNA damage; this will reduce your risks of some types of cancer (6-9).
Cucumber also includes a component known as cucurbitacin; these molecules have anticancer properties which exert their functions in the stomach. Therefore, cucurbitacins have been linked to a lower risk of gastric cancer (10).
What is the importance of good hydration?
Your body is formed by % of water, which is critical for thermal regulation, all metabolic processes, maintaining cell volume and your blood volume,detoxification, and even respiration. Therefore, good hydration is essential for good health (11).
The lack of hydration or the excessive loss of water is known as dehydration, and can be caused by (11):
- Extreme temperatures (both heat and cold).
- Use of diuretics.
- Excessive loss of fluids like urine, diarrhea, and vomiting.
- Excessive exercise without water or electrolyte intake.
Dehydration may cause unpleasant symptoms like headache, fatigue, and irritability, to dangerous conditions such as hypovolemia (reduction of blood volume), hyper or hypokalemia (imbalance of potassium), confusion, dizziness, respiratory difficulty, and even death in children and elderly (11).
What are the risk factors of cucumber?
Cucumber is generally safe to consume. However, there are some concerns to take into consideration.
An excessive consumption of cucumber in people with kidney disease can increase the risk of Hyperkalemia, it is a health disorder caused by an elevated potassium concentration in the body. Firstly, it causes swelling, stomach cramps, and intestinal gas (12).
The illness develops with time, impairing the kidneys’ ability to work effectively. In consequence, this puts the renal system in danger of suffering harm (12).
One issue may be the insecticides used by farmers. Before eating them, remove or rinse the skin under warm clean water (13).
Vitamin K levels are relatively significant in cucumbers. Consuming an excessive amount of cucumber may impact how a person’s blood clots (14).
People who take warfarin or comparable blood-thinning medications should not increase their consumption of cucumbers suddenly or drastically without seeing a physician (14).
How to prepare and store cucumbers?
Before putting cucumbers in a salad, make sure to wash them and rinse them properly to remove all possible bacteria, fungi, and other chemicals like insecticides or herbicides (13,15).
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When purchasing cucumbers, avoid those that are yellow, swollen, or have sunken spots, protrusions, or wrinkly ends. These perfectly ripe cucumbers will not be very tasty (15).
Instead go for cucumbers that are bright, crisp, medium to dark green, and slim. Bruises and black patches are indicators of deterioration (15).
If you want to extend the shelf-life of your cucumber, soak them in salt water first. This will reduce their water content and prevent the cucumbers from rendering your salad dressing mushy (15).
Keep cucumbers in the refrigerated section to retain their crunch and use them within a week. If not refrigerated, they could become soft and limp by ripening (15).
Other FAQs about Water that you may be interested in.
Can humans drink distilled water
Why does water give me heartburn?
Conclusion
In this brief article, we answered the question “how much water is in a cucumber?”. We also discussed the nutritional and health benefits of cucumber, as well as the importance of hydration. In the end, we discussed how to prepare and store cucumbers.
References
- FoodData central [Internet]. Usda.gov. [cited 22 June 2023]. Available from: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168409/nutrients
- FoodData central [Internet]. Usda.gov. [cited 22 June 2023]. Available from: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169225/nutrients
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- Tuli HS, Rath P, Chauhan A, Ranjan A, Ramniwas S, Sak K, et al. Cucurbitacins as potent chemo-preventive agents: Mechanistic insight and recent trends. Biomolecules, 2022;13(1):57.
- Liska D, Mah E, Brisbois T, Barrios PL, Baker LB, Spriet LL. Narrative review of hydration and selected health outcomes in the general population. Nutrients, 2019;11(1):70.
- Moghari L, Taghizadeh M, Soleimani A, Akbari H, Sharifi N. Dietary acid load and predialysis serum bicarbonate levels in patients with end-stage renal disease. J Ren Nutr, 2023;33(1):172–80.
- Hassanzadeh N, Bahramifar N. Residue content of chlorpyrifos applied to greenhouse cucumbers and its reduction during pre‐harvest interval and post‐harvest household processing. Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology, 2019;21(2):381–91.
- Kasperkiewicz K, Ponczek MB, Owczarek J, Guga P, Budzisz E. Antagonists of vitamin K-popular coumarin drugs and new synthetic and natural coumarin derivatives. Molecules, 2020;25(6):1465.
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