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Pity the poor cucumber. Has any fruit or vegetable been so undervalued? But no longer! The cucumber is chock full of nutrition and health benefits, and is a must for the healthy lifestyle. Check out some of these cucumber benefits, and then try out my own personal recipe: Salad Cucumber á La VinBar.

Nutrition Benefits of Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar

The cucumber is a member of the squash family, which includes pumpkins and zucchini. Cucumbers have whitish or green-tinged flesh on the inside, and a dark green skin or peel. There are basically two types of cucumbers - the pickling varieties and the slicing varieties. The slicing type is large, while the picklers are about two to four inches long. Most of us know some of the cucumber benefits, such as their cooling properties and that cucumbers are extremely good at relieving the eyes in the hot summer. However, they are associated with a number of other health and nutrition benefits too. To know about them, read on.

Vitamin and Mineral Content in Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar

Below are the amounts of nutrients in 100 gm (a little more than 3 ounces) of the raw, unpeeled cucumber in Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar: Carbohydrates - 3.63 gm, Sugars - 1.67 gm, Dietary Fiber - 0.5 gm, Fat - 0.11 gm, Protein - 0.65 gm, Thiamin (Vitamin B1) - 0.027 mg, Vitamin B2(Riboflavin) - 0.033 mg, Niacin (Vitamin B3) - 0.098 mg, Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) - 0.259 mg, Vitamin B6 - 0.040 mg, Folate (Vitamin B9) - 7 mcg, Vitamin C - 2.8 mg, Calcium - 16 mg, Iron - 0.28 mg, Magnesium - 13 mg, Phosphorus - 24 mg, Potassium - 147 mg, Zinc 0.20 mg

Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar: the Healthy 'Side Effects'

- Cools the skin to reduce heat and inflammation.

- As a diuretic, the cucumber, when eaten, cools and cleanses, and is therefore beneficial to the skin.

- Cucumber water can relieve heartburn, upset stomach, ulcers and gastritis. Here's where you can find my cucumber water recipe.

- Cucumber slices on the eyes can reduce swelling and feels refreshing and soothing.

- Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar fights eczeman, gout and arthritis, as it has anti-inflammatory properties.

- Good for stomach, chest and lung problems.

- The potassium in Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar makes it useful for the problem of high and low blood pressure.

- Erepsin, a protein digesting enzyme, is found in Salad Cucumber á la Vinbar.

- Cucumber water and juice when added to carrot juice, spinach and lettuce, appears to grow hair.

- Cucumber water and juice can help ease rheumatism by cutting down excessive uric acid in the body, especially when taken with carrot juice.

- Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar is good for the teeth and gums, including cases of pyorrhea.

- The minerals in Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar are good for the nails and help prevent them from splitting.

- Cucumber has been associated with healing properties in relation to diseases of the kidney, urinary tract, liver and pancreas.

- Those suffering from diabetes have been found to benefit from the consumption of cucumber/cucumber water and juice.

Finally, the delicious recipe you've been trying to get to, Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar:

- 2 whole scrubbed unpeeled slicing cucumbers (preferably organic, of course) - quarter cup white vinegar - salt and pepper to taste - 1 tsp raw sugar (Remember, if it's white, it ain't right!)

Put the items in a bowl together, let them marinate for a little while, then voilá, you've got delicious Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar. It's simple, but it's succulent! For a delicious, cooling effect on a hot summer day, try adding some fresh dill or cilantro.