Few foods are as cool as a cucumber. These low-calorie veggies contain many nutritional benefits, including hydrating properties and valuable nutrients. There are hundreds of varieties of cucumber, and they come in dozens of colors, but the edible types are classified as being for either slicing or pickling, according to. Slicing cucumbers are cultivated to be eaten fresh, while pickling cucumbers are intended for the brine jar.

Slicing cucumbers are usually larger and thicker-skinned than pickling ones. In the United States, commonly planted varieties of slicing cucumber include Dasher, Conquistador, Slicemaster, Victory, Comet, Burpee Hybrid and Sprint, according to the website. Commonly planted varieties of pickling cucumber include Royal, Calypso, Pioneer, Bounty, Regal, Duke and Blitz.

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While most people think of cucumbers as vegetables, they are. They contain seeds and grow from the ovaries of flowering plants. Cucumbers are members of the plant family, which also includes squashes and melons. The most common type of slicing cucumber found in a grocery store is the garden cucumber, Cucumis sativus, according to World's Healthiest Foods. Nutritional profile Cucumbers are good sources of phytonutrients (plant chemicals that have protective or disease preventive properties) such flavonoids, lignans and triterpenes, which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits, according to World's Healthiest Foods. 'We should definitely seek out foods that are nutrient-rich, using the positive approach of what to put on your plate vs. What to keep off,' said Angela Lemond, a Plano, Texas-based registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the. The peel and seeds are the most nutrient-dense parts of the cucumber.

They contain fiber and beta-carotene. 'Beta carotene is an antioxidant that helps with immunity, skin, eye and the prevention of cancer,' said Lemond. A study published in the found that cucumber seeds were a good source of minerals, and contained calcium. 'Cucumbers are naturally low in calories, carbohydrates, sodium, fat and cholesterol,' said, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Orlando, Florida. There are just 16 calories in a cup of cucumber with its peel (15 without). You will get about 4 percent of your daily potassium, 3 percent of your daily fiber and 4 percent of your daily vitamin C. They also 'provide small amounts of vitamin K, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, manganese and vitamin A,' Ware said. Here are the nutrition facts for cucumbers, according to the U.S.

Food and Drug Administration, which regulates food labeling through the Nutritional Labeling and Education Act: Nutrition Facts Cucumber, with peel, raw Serving size: 1/2 cup, sliced (52 g) Calories 8 Calories from Fat 0 *Percent Daily Values (%DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Amt per Serving%DV* Amt per Serving%DV* Total Fat 0g 0% Total Carbohydrate 2g 1% Cholesterol 0mg 0% Dietary Fiber 0g 0% Sodium 1mg 2% Sugars 0g Protein 0g Vitamin A 1% Calcium 1% Vitamin C 2% Iron 1% Health benefits of cucumbers Hydration Cucumbers are 95 percent water, according to Ware. This makes cucumbers a great way to stay hydrated, especially during the summer. A cup of cucumber slices is 'nearly as thirst-quenching as a glass of water,' according to magazine. 'They say we can get 20-30 percent of our fluid needs through our diet alone, and foods like these certainly help,' added Lemond. 'Not only are they high in water content, they also contain important nutrients that play a part in hydration like magnesium and potassium.' Super mario strikers iso.

The anti-inflammatory compounds in cucumbers help and reduce skin irritation, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Preliminary research also suggests cucumbers, according to an article in the journal Filoterapia. Cancer prevention Cucumbers contain two phytonutrient compounds associated with anti-cancer benefits: lignans and cucurbitacins. In recent years, pharmaceutical companies have been paying special attention to cucurbitacins, hoping to use them in new cancer drugs.