Super Food: Cucumber

ÂŁ6.99/$8.99 ISBN 978-1-4088-8737-0

90100

9 781408 887370

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CUCUMBER

In this beautifully designed book you will discover the history of the cucumber, its health benefits, fascinating facts, delicious recipes and beauty treatments.

SUPER FOOD

The cucumber has been appreciated since ancient times for its nutritional and hydrating qualities, and more recently was beloved by the Edwardians in their favourite sandwich.

SUPER FOOD

CUCUMBER

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ISBN: 9781408887370 2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1 Printed in China by C&C Printing To find out more about our authors and books visit www.bloomsbury.com.

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SUPER FOOD CUCUMBER

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INTRODUCTION ‘The prince enjoyed exceptionally good health, even for a prince; and owing to his gymnastic exercises and the scrupulous care he took of himself … he remained as fresh as a great, green, shiny Dutch cucumber.’

Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina (1873–1877)

HEALTH BENEFITS The unassuming cucumber packs a powerful punch when it comes to health benefits. With a staggering 96% water content, eating cucumbers to maintain hydration and flush out toxins has been popular for centuries, but the list of other, more impactful health benefits is truly impressive.

Cucumbers have incredible benefits for digestion. Although they contain virtually no calories, they do contain soluble fibre, which helps you feel full for longer. They also contain insoluble fibre, which is essential to good bowel health, and studies have shown that they also limit the body’s ability to produce uric acid thereby reducing the risk of kidney stones.

Cucumbers are a great source of potassium and magnesium, which help with regulating blood pressure and combating stress. They contain a hormone that helps produce insulin and are therefore a good food for diabetics.

Eating cucumbers may also help reduce cholesterol thanks to high levels of sterols. They are also

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CUCUMBER – HEALTH BENEFITS

loaded with antioxidants including Vitamin C and beta-carotene, and polyphenols called lignans, which help fight cancer and heart disease.

The skin and seeds of the cucumber contain the highest levels of Vitamin C. Their antioxidant properties also help inhibit inflammatory substances in the body and reduce pain.

Studies have demonstrated that cancer cell development can be inhibited by components in cucumbers called curcurbitacins.

Curcurbitacins, which are found in other members of the gourd family, can be toxic if eaten in great quantities, and can give a slightly bitter taste to cucumbers. This is a defence mechanism of the plant against insects and herbivores. In cultivated cucumbers the bitterness

can be tackled by various methods during the growing process.

Cucumbers contain fisetin which helps with brain health by protecting nerve cells from the ageing process, thus fighting memory loss in conditions such as Alzheimer’s.

They also contain silica, an essential component of healthy tissue, which is great for skin and joints, and

Vitamin K, which is essential for bone health and calcium absorption.

The Vitamin C in cucumbers also protects skin against UV rays, thus preventing wrinkles and other signs of ageing.

The cucumber – an immediate and easy source of nutrition and hydration – should be included in our diet every day!

HEALTH BENEFITS – CUCUMBER

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GAZPACHO SERVES: 4–6 PREPARATION: 15 MINUTES DF

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Gazpacho is a lovely cooling soup from Spain which does not need cooking, thus ensuring maximum nutrition value.

Tomatoes, garlic and peppers add depth, colour and flavour.

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

• 1 cucumber

Chop the vegetables and put a small amount of the cucumber to one side for the garnish.

• 450g ripe tomatoes • 1 onion • 1 red pepper • 1 green pepper • 400g tin chopped tomatoes • 2 cloves garlic • a slice of white bread, crust removed

Place all the vegetables into a food processor with the garlic and blend. Tear the bread into pieces and add to the mixture, together with the vinegar, olive oil, Tabasco sauce and seasoning.

Pour in the iced water and blend until smooth.

Serve with the reserved cucumber scattered on top.

• 2 tbsp sherry vinegar • 6 tbsp olive oil • a few drops of Tabasco sauce • salt and freshly ground black pepper • 200ml iced water

RECIPES – CUCUMBER

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NEW YORK PICKLES

TITLE

During the 17th century immigrant Dutch farmers arrived in the Brooklyn area of New York and planted and pickled vast amounts of cucumbers, creating the world’s largest pickle industry.

Subsequent immigrants, homesick for the taste of their native countries, fuelled the huge demand for pickles.

The Lower East Side Tenement museum website says that due to being ‘available year-round, cheap, and ready to eat, pickles fed tenement dwellers and reminded many Eastern Europeans of the lands they had left behind’. The industry was also a great first source of employment for newly arrived immigrants who could cheaply rent

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a cart and sell street food. One such Jewish émigré, Izzy Guss, arrived in New York from Russia at the start of the 20th century and began selling pickles from a barrel in the area by then known as the Pickle District.

By the time he opened his own shop in 1920 there were around 80 other pickle shops in the area. Although the pickle shops have nearly all gone now, the area maintains its connection with pickles with an annual Lower East Side Pickle Day.

CELLULITE TREATMENT TOP TIP The caffeine in the coffee granules dilates the blood vessels in the skin, which tightens the surface. The caffeine also release toxins and metabolises fat under the surface.

Get rid of your ‘orange peel’ … with cucumber! The dreaded cellulite affects people of all shapes and sizes and you can spend a small fortune on expensive treatments and lotions. Why not save your money and go for the natural remedy instead?

Cucumbers are rich in phytochemicals.

When applied to the skin, they create a tautening of collagen, which tightens, firms and reduces the appearance of cellulite.

Even better – in combination with other ingredients like coffee and honey – you can make your own home super-charged treatment to effectively smooth away your irksome lumps and bumps.

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

• 50g coffee granules

Combine to make a paste-like mixture. Exfoliate the affected area with a dry brush, then apply the treatment and wrap in clingfilm to allow for maximum absorption. The natural warmth the film creates will help the nutrients soak in and do their work.

• 70ml cucumber juice • 1 tbsp honey (preferably manuka) • 1 tbsp granulated sugar

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CUCUMBER – HEALTH & BEAUTY

AROUND THE HOUSE

TITLE

Is there anything the mighty cucumber can’t do? There are many amazingly effective ways you can use it around the house.

Cucumber makes a superb cleaner for stainless steel. It can remove tarnish marks and bring back the shine in minutes. You can use it on sinks and taps for a brilliant lustre and it won’t streak or stain. Just wipe around the area with a chunk of cucumber and rinse.

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Dirty smudges and marks on walls (including those made by artistic children with crayon) can be quickly and effectively removed using cucumber, skin side, as an eraser.

Prevent your bathroom mirror from steaming up by rubbing the surface gently with slices of cucumber. The juice of the cucumber will then resist the damp air. It will make your bathroom smell lovely too!

You can use cucumbers to fix squeaky hinges. Simply rub the hinge with a slice of cucumber and the irritating noise will be gone!

You can even use cucumber as a shoe shine for leather shoes.

Simply rub all over with a few slices of chunks of cucumber and wipe clean. This will provide not only great shine, but also repels water, making your shoes last longer.

From recipes to skincare and grow-your-own.

A handy book on all the things cucumber.

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