bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

sponsorType

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Tribune News Service

Cucumbers have always been cool. Now, thanks to social media, they are also hot.
Viral cucumber recipes racked up millions of views in the past year, thrusting the salad-bar staple into the spotlight. Which might leave you wondering: healthwise, can “cukes” endure the glare? Or should they be deleted from your diet?
Unlike some online trends, this is one you can, for the most part, go ahead and sink your teeth into, said Dr Matthew Landry, an assistant professor of population health and disease prevention at the University of California, Irvine.
“Anytime we can get folks to eat more fruits and vegetables – I love seeing that,” Landry said.

He calls cucumbers affordable, versatile and a relatively healthy replacement for crisps or other snacks.
Generally speaking, cucumbers have a lot of benefits and few negatives, he said. But among those negatives is the fact that “they’re not super nutritious”.
A cucumber does carry a few nutrients. A predominant one is vitamin K, which is important in our bodies for blood clotting, Landry said.
A whole 21cm (8.25-inch) cucumber, with the peel, would have roughly 40 per cent of an adult man’s daily recommended amount of vitamin K, or 55 per cent of an adult woman’s daily needs, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
But that is from the entire cucumber. A more traditional half-cup serving would have about one-sixth the amount of a whole one.

Cucumbers also contain some vitamin C and A, Landry said. “But again, I would say that the amounts are pretty small, and that’s even if you would eat an entire cucumber.”
Several medical sources online emphasise cucumbers’ potassium levels as helpful in controlling high blood pressure. But Landry said the levels of potassium are small: an entire cucumber would have only 13 per cent of a man’s daily needs or 17 per cent of a woman’s.
Leafy greens such as kale or collard greens would be better sources of that mineral, he said.
Cucumbers have a bit of fibre – 1.5 grams if you eat a whole one – but their lack of bulk means they are not great at making you feel full. The US Food and Drug Administration recommends children aged four and older and adults get 28g of fibre daily.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t have a whole lot of calories. It does have some nutrients
Dr Matthew Landry
The nutritional appeal of cucumbers, however, is as much about what they do not have as it is about what they do, Landry said.
They are at least 95 per cent water, he said. That can help with hydration, but it also means cucumbers are a low-calorie vegetable, with only 45 calories each.
“You could eat cups of them, and barely reach 100 calories or so,” he said.
Botanically speaking, cucumbers are fruits. But culinarily, they are classified as vegetables due to their nutrient profiles. And like many vegetables, they also have a low glycemic index, making them a good snacking choice for someone with Type 2 diabetes, Landry said.
Their high water content has long made them associated with literal coolness. The phrase “cool as a cucumber” dates to at least the early 1700s.

And while the online world might find them new and exciting, cucumbers – a close relative of both squash and melons – were first cultivated at least 2,500 years ago, believed to have originated in the Himalayas.
Cucumbers were used medicinally in ancient China, India, Rome and Egypt. In the Old Testament, cucumbers were one of the foods the ancient Israelites longed for during their wanderings.
Not everyone feels the same affection. English writer Samuel Johnson is quoted as saying that “a cucumber should be well sliced, and dressed with pepper and vinegar, and then thrown out, as good for nothing”.
Landry disagreed, although he has a few words of caution.
Some people peel cucumbers because they do not like the taste or the texture of the skin. That lowers what little fibre they provide, he said.
And while their mild flavour means cucumbers can be used in all kinds of fun combinations, “you do still have to watch all the other things that you’re mixing in with it”, Landry said. Salad dressings, mayonnaise and sauces can be high in sugar or salt and can add unhealthy calories and fat.

No cucumber conversation would be complete without a mention of pickles. Landry acknowledged that he is biased: “I love pickles and eat those pretty regularly.”
But be mindful, because pickling can add a lot of sodium. One large pickle can have more than 1,000mg. US federal dietary guidelines recommend most adults eat no more than 2,300mg of sodium a day, while the American Heart Association suggests the ideal daily limit for most adults is 1,500mg.
One other word of warning: cucumbers not only went viral this past year, but they were also subject to US recalls because of dangerous salmonella.
Landry grew up eating home-grown cucumbers in southern Louisiana. “We oftentimes had them in salads,” he said. “It adds that crunchiness, which can be really nice.”
These days, he puts them on sandwiches or in wraps. He is a fan of Persian and English varieties, which he said tend to be firmer and often have fewer seeds than the common garden version.
The firmer versions work well in a bowl of grain, such as quinoa, orzo pasta or bulgar wheat, he said. For a hearty meal, throw in some bell peppers or other colourful vegetables and season it with some herbs and maybe a light dressing.
“At the end of the day, it doesn’t have a whole lot of calories. It does have some nutrients.”
And overall, a cucumber “makes a pretty well-rounded snack”.
Like what you read? Follow SCMP Lifestyle on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also sign up for our eNewsletter here.


What are the benefits of eating cucumbers? An expert explains

The added sugar hidden in food that damages your health, and easy ways to cut down on it

Why the culinary world celebrates ginger – beyond Chinese food: Asian-American food writer Kevin Pang, co-author of A Very Chinese Cookbook, on its tang and healthy properties

How ancient skeletons give us clues about diseases still around today, such as leprosy

Wellness

Believed to have origins in the Himalayas, cucumbers are at least 95 per cent water, which can help with hydration, and are low in calories, with only 45 calories each. Photo: Shutterstock

Dr Matthew Landry is an assistant professor of population health and disease prevention at the University of California, Irvine. Photo: theguyititian.com

Some people peel cucumbers because they do not like the taste or the texture of the skin, but that lowers what little fibre they provide, Landry said. Photo: Shutterstock

Landry, who grew up eating home-grown cucumbers in the US state of Louisiana, enjoys them on sandwiches or in wraps. Photo: Shutterstock

Creamy coconut cucumber salad with fresh dill. Cucumbers can be used in all kinds of fun combinations, but you have to watch what you mix it with, as salad dressings and sauces can be high in sugar or salt. Photo: Shutterstock

How 26kg weight loss gave an unhealthy lawyer in Singapore his life and happiness back

Raeza Ibrahim in a suit weighing 100kg, at the gym weighing 91kg, and on holiday weighing 76kg. Photo: Raeza Ibrahim

Overweight and unhappy, Raeza Ibrahim totallly overhauled his diet, joined a gym and changed his sleep patterns, and lost 26kg. Photo: Raeza Ibrahim

From left: Raeza Ibrahim in a suit when he weighed 100kg; in a pair of shorts at the gym weighing 91kg; and on holiday in Cebu, the Philippines, in swimming trunks where he weighs 76kg. Photo: Raeza Ibrahim

Ibrahim practises Muay Thai in March 2024 on his road to fitness. Photo: Raeza Ibrahim

Raeza Ibrahim’s preferred breakfast on colder days is oats with coconut shavings and strawberries (left), and a typical home-cooked dinner is fried rice, pan-fried salmon and Chinese vegetables. Photo: Raeza Ibrahim

Ibrahim’s weight has dropped by 26kg, and he feels much happier and more confident. Photo: Ultimate Performance

Ibrahim’s trainer, Haziq bin Elvis (right), made such a huge effort to help him that Ibrahim could not give up as he felt accountable to him. Photo: Ultimate Performance

Ibrahim (left) performs at The Blackbird, in September 2023, before he began his fitness journey. Photo: Raeza Ibrahim

9 crucial facts about diabetes, from worrying trends and how to avoid it, to ‘diabesity’

Glucose monitors help people with diabetes keep track of their blood sugar levels. On World Diabetes Day we look at how to manage and even avoid type 2 diabetes, and other important facets of the disease. Photo: Shutterstock

Type 1 diabetes develops when your immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys cells in your pancreas that make insulin, which is needed to help cells absorb glucose. Type 2 is caused by insulin resistance or insufficient insulin secretion. Photo: Shutterstock  

Hong Kong-based endocrinologist Dr Wong Wai-sheung. Photo: Dr Wong Wai-sheung

Singaporean endocrinologist Dr Abel Soh. Photo: Dr Abel Soh

Endocrinologist Dr Ben Ng. Photo: Dr Ben Ng

Diabetes that isn’t well managed can lead to nerve damage, particularly in the feet, which may require amputation. Photo: Shutterstock

As Dry January nears end, medical arguments for and against giving up alcohol for good

While some studies have shown moderate consumption of alcoholic drinks could have a protective effect on the brain, it may also increase the risk of cancers and, as we age, deadly falls and dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

Drinking too much alcohol is never good for us, and increases risks to brain health and physical well-being. Some say drinking any alcohol at all is bad for one’s health. Photo: Shutterstock

Researcher Dr Rania Mekary reminds us that people can also network with friends over coffee, tea or a meal – without drinking alcohol. Photo: Shutterstock

Dr Richard Restak quit drinking a decade ago, citing the risk of deadly falls after drinking. Photo: richardrestak.com

Researcher Meysam Zarezadeh says drinking alcohol may increase the risk of pharyngeal (throat), laryngeal (voice box) and oesophagal cancers, even if consumed in small amounts. Photo: researchgate.net

Falls, especially in those over the age of 70, are a major cause of death, says Restak. Photo: Shutterstock

Dr John Tregoning, a medical school professor at Imperial College London, says if you want to live longer, do not drink. Photo: Light Republic Photography

Anne Hathaway’s weight loss journey: anti-inflammatory diet, intense exercise key to actress’ transformation for Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises

Anne Hathaway at a Valentino fashion show in Rome, Italy, in 2022. The actresshas talked about how she lost weight for her various movie roles. Photo: Getty Images

Hathaway as Catwoman in a still from The Dark Knight Rises. Photo: Warner Bros

To control her blood sugar, Hathaway ate avocados, almonds, sesame seeds, plain chocolate, bright red and orange vegetables high in antioxidants like yams, dark leafy greens, plus ginger and turmeric. Photo: Shutterstock

Hathaway on the set of The Devil Wears Prada. Photo: Getty Images 

Hathaway in a still from Les Misérables. Photo: Universal Pictures

Lifestyle

Health & Wellness

Health

Food & Drink

Despite not being ‘super nutritious’, cucumbers are a low-calorie vegetable with vitamins K, C and A and are a healthy substitute for crisps


Despite not being ‘super nutritious’, cucumbers are a low-calorie vegetable with vitamins K, C and A and are a healthy substitute for crisps.


Healthy eating

Food and Drinks

What you need to know about: food & drinks