CUCUMBER: Great benefits of cucumber water you don’t know.

After reading this you will never reach for any kind of juice or chilled coffee drinks this summer, why not try a tall glass of refreshing cucumber water? It’s easy to make once you've got your cucumber, wash it thoroughly, slice it, and place the slices in a pitcher filled with water that will fit in your refrigerator. To really let the water become infused with flavor, allow your drink to chill for about an hour before serving.

Some of many health and wellness benefits may surprise you. Also, don’t forget to eat the leftover cucumbers for their fiber and nutritional content! Here are seven great reasons to give cucumber spa water a try: 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 yourself. 

 Renews Age

Due to their antioxidant content, cucumbers help your body fight free radicals, thereby promoting healthy aging and enhancing your body’s ability to fight disease. Although not as high as some intensely colored vegetables, such as red cabbage, the antioxidant content of cucumbers and other watery vegetables is lower, but nevertheless present according to this 2006 study. In fact, the ORAC value (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) of raw, unpeeled cucumbers is 232 μ mol TE/100g, whereas that of raw, peeled cucumbers is 140 μ mol TE/100g according to Superfoodly, which uses data based on the USDA ORAC database for Selected Foods. Therefore, when making spa water, be sure to not peel the cucumbers!

Also, our bodies contain about 55-60% water as noted in this U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Science School article, so the more we hydrate, the healthier our bodies and all the cells in them are. Water transports oxygen, essential minerals, and vitamins, and also serves as a way of flushing toxins out of our system, so getting an adequate amount really is a component of healthy aging. And what better way to do it than with a tasty cucumber spa water

 Boost Bone Health

Chock-full of Vitamin K, which some studies have shown may reduce the risk of bone fractures in post-menopausal women, such as this 2008 study done with women who have osteopenia, raw cucumbers may help keep your bones healthier as you age. Vitamin K is also essential for proper blood clotting, so it’s important to get your fair share. One raw cucumber with the peel on contains 62% of the daily required value according to Self Nutrition.  By the way, Vitamin K, which is actually a group of chemicals, is present in several other green foods as well, such as kale, spinach, and collard greens, and some not so green ones, such as blueberries and cauliflower.  Take a look at Medline Plus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health (NIH), for some more Vitamin K facts.

 Heals Hangover

Got a splitting headache and feel sick from a little too much drinking? Call cucumbers to the rescue! Alcohol is dehydrating and toxic to your system, so you need plenty of water and nutrients to start healing. Replenish your body with cucumber spa water, which is full of H2O and essential electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals — exactly what the doctor ordere

Destroys Cancer

Cucumbers contain cucurbitacins (a type of phytonutrient), which show promise in treating cancer, because they kill cancer cells and prevent their proliferation as shown in a recent 2013 scientific review published in the International Journal of Health Sciences. One more reason to eat and drink your vegetables! Also, sufficient fluid intake, which is easy to do if you’re regularly sipping on tasty spa water all day long, has been shown to reduce your chances of developing urinary cancer according to this 2012 study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

  Lose Weight

Cucumber spa water will naturally quench your thirst and make you forget about mindlessly reaching for drinks loaded with sugar, so it’s an easy way to cut calories from your diet. Cucumbers can also act as a natural mild diuretic helping you get rid of that excess water and bloating. Not only that, but cucumber water makes plain water taste better, so you’re likely to drink more H2O. Water is an important factor in preventing constipation, which can cause swelling in the abdomen and add on a few extra pounds. Also, sufficient water intake helps your body’s natural detoxification processes, which makes it function more efficiently, thereby facilitating weight loss.

 Enhance Healthy Blood Pressure

Because cucumbers are an excellent source of potassium and have very little sodium, they may be helpful in supporting your body’s innate processes to control blood pressure. Increasing potassium and decreasing sodium intake can reduce you blood pressure by a small amount as this WebMD article explains. Also, be aware that sometimes not drinking enough water or drinking way too much water can also increase blood pressure according to this article, so it’s essential to balance your water intake.

Support Supple Skin

Full of a host of skin-loving nutrients, such as the mineral silica, cucumbers enhance good skin health by increasing moisture and improving elasticity, which is why you find it in so many skin products on the market. Drinking water keeps your skin hydrated and healthy, too. So, maybe drink some spa water while you take it easy with a few chilled cucumber slices on your eyes. And don’t forget the facial mask!