One of the things we need to keep an eye on is the hydration level of our organism. We need to stay hydrated if we want to be healthy and even lose weight. Hydration is a must, but sometimes we may grow sick and tired of drinking plain water. This is when you feel the need to enjoy something different.
Cucumber water is the beverage that will help you enjoy the change you need while keeping you hydrated. But cucumber water was numerous other benefits, besides the fact that it is easily available and can be prepared at home in no time. What will happen if you start drinking cucumber water? Let’s take a look at the benefits presented below that will certainly make you seriously consider this option.
It maintains proper hydration levels
As mentioned before, it is important to stay hydrated throughout the day. This way, every cell of our body can unroll its processes at a normal rate, making us feel great and stay healthy. Considering the fact that an adult should drink approximately 8 glasses of water per day or 2 liters, it is normal to want to have a change now and then from drinking plain water.
Switching to cucumber water is a great alternative that will provide a different but fresh new taste while allowing you to stay properly hydrated.
A great ally in weight loss
Are you looking to lose weight? Then you must know that drinking plenty of water helps. Drinking cucumber water is even better, as it will help you enjoy diversity while providing a great alternative to sodas and other unhealthy beverages. Cucumbers are filled with water themselves and have very few calories, so they represent no danger to your diet.
Also, this beverage will make you feel full, so it will be easier to stick to the set meal plan. You see, our body sometimes confuses thirst for hunger, so when you may feel hungry, you’re actually thirsty. In such situations, drink a glass of cucumber water to calm down your stomach.
Protect your organism from oxidative stress
There are numerous factors that subject our body to oxidative stress, especially the free radicals, which leads to cell damage, premature aging, and the appearance of various diseases. Eye degeneration, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, heart conditions, and cancer, they can all be triggered by oxidative stress.
Luckily, we can take antioxidants from various foods, cucumbers being one of the foods that can help in this matter. Besides having antioxidants, cucumbers are also a good source of manganese, vitamin C, molybdenum, and beta carotenes.
Keep your blood pressure low
Stress is not the only factor that leads to high blood pressure. Too much salt in your diet and too little potassium can also trigger high blood pressure. Salt is making your body retain fluids, instead of allowing them to effectively flow throughout your body. This lack of fluids makes your blood pressure to go up.
Also, low levels of potassium, which is an important electrolyte, lead to the same consequence. This is why it is worth knowing that cucumbers are a great source of potassium, which will restore the electrolyte balance in your body, restoring the balance and helping you maintain a low blood pressure.
Promote a healthy and beautiful skin
You probably know that cucumbers are healthy for the skin on the outside, reducing black circles under the eyes and refreshing the skin on your face as a mask. But, they are just as good on the inside as well, drinking cucumber water leading to a beautiful and healthy skin. The simple fact that you are properly hydrated helps in having a soft and plump skin, as skin cells do need water to renew themselves.
Cucumbers are also great because they aid your body in flushing out any toxins that may exist in your body, a beautiful skin being the result of a properly detoxified body. Not to mention that they are rich in vitamin B5, a vitamin that is utilized to treat acne. If you have a cup filled with sliced cucumbers, you will also have about 5% of the recommended dose of B5 per day.
Help you have strong bones
It may be hard to see the connection between cucumbers and strong bones, but cucumber water can help you achieve this. The reason they are so recommended for a healthy bone system is due to the fact that they contain vitamin K. Vitamin K is essential in the production of proteins that maintain an adequate bone density, in forming tissue in your body, and in making your blood clot correctly.
Enjoying one cup of sliced cucumbers will help you take approximately 19% of the daily dose of vitamin K you need for a healthy functioning of your body.
May be able to protect you from cancer
While there are still just a few studies in this direction, they reached promising results. Besides the antioxidants found in their composition, which reduces the oxidative stress that can lead to cancer, cucumbers are also rich in lignans, which have the same protective role against cancer.
Also, according to researchers, fisetin, which is a dietary flavonoid found in cucumbers, can help in slowing down the progression of prostate cancer, for example.
Final words on cucumber water
So, if you are looking to stay hydrated but did not know what to do to enjoy a better tasting water, now you know about cucumber water and its benefits for your health. Preparing cucumber water is extremely simple, all you need is a large glass of water and sliced cucumbers. You can add as many slices of cucumbers as you like in a glass of water.
Also, you can add other ingredients as well, if you want to enhance the flavor even more. Lime, lemon, mint, rosemary, thyme, strawberries and kiwi are ingredients that work great with cucumber water. And the best way to serve this infused water is to keep it in the fridge for 3 to 4 hours before serving. If you don’t want your cucumber water cold, then keep it at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.