Cucumber water isn’t just for spas anymore. More people are enjoying this healthy, refreshing drink at home, and why not? It’s delicious and easy to make.
Here are seven ways cucumber water benefits your body.
1. It keeps you hydrated.
Your body can’t function properly without water. Most people should aim to drink six to eight glasses of water per day, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. We know we’re supposed to drink water throughout the day, but sometimes plain water gets boring. Adding cucumber gives it some extra flavor, encouraging you to drink more.
2. It helps with weight loss.
If you’re trying to lose weight, replacing sugary sodas, sports drinks, and juices with cucumber water can help you cut some serious calories from your diet.
Staying hydrated also helps you feel full. Sometimes your body confuses thirst with hunger. You may feel like you’re hungry, when you’re actually thirsty.
How will you know the difference? Reach for a tall glass of cucumber water first. If your hunger goes away after finishing the drink, you were thirsty. If you’re still hungry, then you know it’s hunger.
3. It delivers antioxidants.
Antioxidants are substances that help prevent and delay cell damage from oxidative stress caused by free radicals. Oxidative stress can lead to chronic conditions like:
- cancer
- diabetes
- heart disease
- Alzheimer’s
- eye degeneration
Research has shown that antioxidants may be able to reverse or stop this damage. This is why you should each fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants. Cucumbers fall into this category. They’re rich in:
- vitamin C
- beta carotene
- manganese
- molybdenum
- several flavonoid antioxidants
4. It may help prevent cancer.
Some early research suggests that cucumbers may help in the fight against cancer. Along with antioxidants, cucumbers also have compounds called cucurbitacins and a group of nutrients called lignans, which may have a role in protecting us from cancer. One study in the Journal of Cancer Research suggested that the dietary flavonoid fisetin, which is found in cucumbers, might help to slow the progression of prostate cancer.
5. It lowers your blood pressure.
One contributing factor to high blood pressure is having too much salt (sodium) and too little potassium in your diet. The excess salt causes your body to hold fluids, which raises blood pressure. Potassium is an electrolyte that helps regulate the amount of sodium retained by the kidneys.
Cucumbers are a good source of potassium. Drinking cucumber water helps your body get more potassium, potentially helping to lower your blood pressure.
