Have you heard of lemon water? How about cucumber water? Yes? No? Maybe?

I don't remember ever hearing/reading about it but I know about lemon water. It just happened that I bought some cucumbers and didn't want to eat them all  for quite some time so I thought of putting the slices in a liter of water like people do with lemon water. 

Why don't we find out more about it then... (^_^)

 

 

 

♣ What is Cucumber Water? ♣

This detox drink is a combination of drinking water and cucumber slices swimming in it. It is said that it's best to leave the slices in the water for one to four hours or less than 12 hours so bacteria will not grow on it. If you don't want it decomposing in the water, don't leave it in too long.

A detox drink is one of the popular health fads for losing weight and removing toxins in the body. Detoxifying the body helps our cleansing organs run optimally and drinking infused water is said to be one of the ways to do it. 

(Photo credit via Pixabay)

 

 

 

♣ Nutritional Value of Cucumber ♣

As per my research, I found out that this fruit/vegetable is rich in Vitamin K which is important for blood coagulation and helps make our bones strong. A cup of sliced and raw cucumber also has other important vitamins and minerals including the following:

• calcium
• iron
• magnesium
• potassium
• phosphorus
• vitamin A
• vitamin B complex

 

Cucumbers contain nutrients that are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer: cucurbitacins, lignans, and flavonoids. And because it also contains fiber, both soluble and insoluble, it can help prevent cardiovascular problems. Also, the fiber in it is one of the reasons cucumber can help prevent weight gain, it makes you feel full longer thus controlling your appetite.

(Photo credit via Pixabay)

 

With this info, people conclude that if we put the fruit/vegetable slices in water, the nutrients will seep out into the liquid making it healthier than just plain water. I suggest to still eat the slices after infusion to get all the health benefits.

A lot of the above mentioned important and nutritional stuff are in the seeds and the skin of the fruit/vegetable so not removing these during consumption is suggested but make sure to wash the skin thoroughly. Maybe grow them organically to be safe too.

I used to not eat the seeds as a kid so if you don't like eating them too, just remove and fry them up maybe or include them when cooking viands to still get the seed nutrients. 

(Photo credit via Pixabay)

 

 

 

♣ Why Do People Drink Cucumber Water? ♣

We've seen TV shows or video clips about this and maybe you've seen it being served at spas, but why do people drink it and why not just have plain water instead? Here are the most common reasons:

1. To lose weight or to detox

From what I've been reading online and what I've seen in videos, most people usually drink this when they need to lose some weight or they want to detox their bodies. It's quite popular because people consider it detoxifying when consumed.

Others want or need to get thinner without exercising so they think just drinking cucumber infused water can help.

 

2. To add flavor to drinking water

(Photo credit via Pixabay)

 

Other people drink it because they just want more flavor in the water. (I know people who hate drinking water, or don't drink the required amount of liquid before or after meals.) Some people need added flavor in the water before they are able to drink more of it so infused beverages can encourage these people to consume more water than they usually do. 

I've also seen articles saying this tastes great. It's not my favorite but I don't hate it either. It's just like drinking water but with cucumber flavor. Haha. I think I like it better than lemon water though because it didn't make me pee a lot at all.

 

3. For all it's health benefits

Adding cucumber slices to your water may make it more alkaline too so that's another bonus! It can probably add to making your body less acidic or more pH balanced thus helping your body cells function better.

It's a healthier alternative and it's natural, making it way better than those packed and processed sweet fruit juices.

A few people use this to rehydrate after exercising. If lime/lemon slices are added, it can also be a natural sports drink, after all, it has some important electrolytes like magnesium and potassium in it. 

(Photo credit via Pixabay)

 

 

4. Other reasons

Well you can serve it during your birthday, baby shower or other parties and events if you want a healthier and more natural alternative to sodas. You can mix other fruits in it too if you'd like. Your guests will probably also enjoy the fresh concoction when they see and taste it.

There are a lot of videos on YouTube about cucumber water however almost all of them have the same content and voiced over by a robot man or woman. Below is the best one to watch to know what the benefits of drinking this fruit/vegetable infusion are and the reason why people (should) drink it.

 

(Video credit: Home Remedies By JD via YouTube)

 

You can drink it first thing in the morning or not, it's up to you. Just don't do it when it's still really cold, warm it up a bit before drinking so your intestines don't get shocked stiff by it. 

 

 

 

♣ How to Make Cucumber Water ♣

It's very simple to make this health drink. Follow these easy steps and you'll be drinking it very soon too!

• Ingredients:

• Medium sized cucumber
• 1 liter container
• Drinking water
• Turmeric powder to taste

 

•  Instructions:

1. Take out the cucumber from the refrigerator.

2. Wash it well (optional to peel or remove the seeds if in case you don't like them but you'd miss out on more of the nutrients if you do).

3. Cut it up in thin enough slices.

 (Photo credit: ArtGirl via Bitlanders)

 

I don't suggest you put all of the cucumber slices in the container. Just half of it will suffice and then maybe cook or make a snack out of the other half. 

4. Put half of the sliced cucumber into the container and fill it with drinking water. 

5. Add a pinch of turmeric powder to taste, if you'd like. 

Some people add other fruits like lemon, strawberry and/or mint so it's up to you what else you'd like to add to it.

 (Photo credit: ArtGirl via Bitlanders) 

 

6. To mix it all up, just turn the sealed container upside down a few times. Or add ice to keep the slices submerged.

7. Put the container inside the refrigerator. It'll be ready to drink after a few hours or the next day. It is best consumed within 3 days, same as with any fruit/vegetable infused beverage.

As for the remaining fruit/vegetable half, well, slice it up and turn it into a snack!

 

• Simple Cucumber snack:

Mix a few tablespoons of vinegar, a pinch of salt, a pinch of sugar or teaspoon of honey in a bowl. Add the sliced cucumbers and enjoy! :D You can even add a pinch of black pepper powder, turmeric or other fruits if you'd like. It's up to you. :) 

Or you can just add the spices on top of the cucumber slices like I did. Mix it all up and enjoy!

(Photo credit: ArtGirl via Bitlanders)

 

 

♣ Should You Drink it? ♣

Few weeks ago I thought of making some cucumber water because I bought some cucumber. It's not my favorite food at all but I just bought two pieces last month because I felt like it. Actually I had it for too long in the refrigerator without me eating it that half of one almost turned yellow. Some people recommend to use green and firm cucumbers though. Haha. When I saw it was starting to yellow, I decided to make cucumber water just for the heck of it. 

(Photo credit via Pixabay)

 

It was my first time actually to make such and drink it the following morning too. The resulting flavored beverage was okay. Tasted cucumberish and I didn't feel bad or anything after consumption so I did that to the second cucumber as well. It's actually refreshing to drink it in the morning (after it warmed up a bit.)

Guess what else I did? I even drank it with some pizza! Hahaha. Talk about healthy living right? Haha. I don't drink softdrinks/sodas that much so that's why it was better to drink this with a meal rather than plain water. :D 

(Photo credit: ArtGirl via Bitlanders) 

 

At least it helped in not making me suya or say "blech" after eating pizza. We all know how oily some pizza brands can get, right? That's why people always eat that Italian food with softdrinks, to wash away the oily taste in the mouth. I drank some cool cucumber water instead and it was good enough for me. 

I definitely recommend this health drink. If you want to add zest to drinking water then go ahead, indulge in this healthy beverage. 

I'm not fat or chubby so I can't say if it's effective for weight loss. I searched all over YouTube if there are people actually swearing by it but I only found maybe two or three that mentioned it together with other fruit/veggies. I can't say if it's really effective on it's own to help people lose weight because I haven't found any testimonial for it so far.

Drinking, eating or juicing with this ingredient will probably give a much better weight loss result so why not watch this video for some juicing suggestion. I think it's a healthier alternative to other diet fads where you starve. If you're looking for a healthier lose-weight diet try adding cucumbers to your food/drinks and eating more fruits and vegetables or start juicing. :)

(Video credit: FitLifeTV via YouTube)

 

Anyway, to answer the question of if cucumber water is good for us, my answer is: It's not bad for us so why not drink it whenever we can? You've read and watched the benefits of this beverage so feel free to make some anytime you feel like it. 

Is it necessary to drink it everyday? I don't think so, unless you're looking for a way to lose weight then maybe drink it everyday for a month and see if there's any difference. I don't think drinking it alone would help anyone lose a lot of unwanted weight but if consumed together with an exercise plan and other healthy food I believe it'll be more effective.

Just drink some anytime you want for any reason.

So what do you think? Do you like this health drink? Let me know in the comments! (^_^)

 

 For my other food or health related blogs, click below:

• ArtGirl's Homemade Siomai Experiment!
• Siomai: A Favorite Snack of Filipinos
• Atchara vs Kimchi: Which One Wins?
• Fasting: Is It Really Good For You?
• Why People Look For More Spiciness in Every Meal
• The Importance of Sea Cucumbers
• 4 Things That Make Alcoholic Drinking Interesting 

 

 

 

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Written for Bitlanders by ArtGirl. All rights reserved
© Art x Stephanie Rue