Cucumber Juice Health Benefits

Almost all of my green juices start with a cucumber. Cucumber juice provides a lot of volume, making it an economical choice for the base of a green juice.

But there are so many more health benefits to cucumber juice!

Here are the many reasons to include this humble garden veggie in your fresh green juice recipes.

You’ll also want to download your free Tasty Green Juice Recipes.

(Watch the video below, or continue reading.)

Optimal Hydration

The water in cucumbers and plants is structured water. Structured water is what is found in nature, before it is treated and processed. It has a higher charge and the molecules are in a certain order. It’s “wetter” than other kinds of water.

Because water from vegetables and fruits are surrounded by other nutrients, it enters your cells faster, and helps you stay two times more hydrated compared to drinking a glass of water.

A well hydrated body functions better. It can also aid weight loss, and promotes clearer skin.

Cucumber Juice for Reduced Risk of Chronic Disease

Researchers have identified 73 different compounds in cucumbers that provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.

These include flavonoids like fisetin (associated with reduced cancer risk,) luteolin and quercetin.

They contain cancer-fighting lignans, most often associated with cruciferous vegetables.

Why is this important?

Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress are associated with many chronic diseases, including heart disease and certain cancers.

By consuming a whole food, plant-based diet that counteracts this activity, you dramatically lower your risk of the number one killer of men and women today, cardiovascular disease, and reduce your risk of cancer.

Blood Sugar Regulation

While it its early stages, research on cucumbers for blood sugar regulation is promising!

Individuals with type 2 diabetes can experience excessive formation of reactive molecules in certain cells that negatively affect blood sugar regulation.

Increased cucumber intake significantly lessens this overproduction. Researchers believe there are a number of phenolic compounds in cucumbers at play, including flavonoids and terpenoids, delivering this health benefit.

The flavonoid fisetin present in cucumbers is also likely to help regulate blood sugar. It inhibits the enzymes that make sugar in your liver cells.

Cancer Protection and Brain Health

Cucumbers contain luteolin, a flavonoid also found in carrots, cabbage, celery and apples. Luteolin is antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and good for your heart and cardiovascular health.

The flavonoid fisetin found in cucumbers, strawberries and apples, is anti-cancer and good for your brain. It improves brain health and memory, and may protect against stroke and Alzheimer’s disease, and improve depression symptoms.

Cucumbers also contain the flavonoid quercetin. Quercetin can cross the blood-brain barrier and may protect against neurological diseases. It is also anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and may reduce the risk of heart disease. Quercetin also reduces the histamine response, so if you have seasonal allergies, you might want to juice cucumbers for some relief.

When we talk about anti-cancer vegetables, we often think of cruciferous vegetables like kale, broccoli, Bok Choy and cauliflower. But cucumbers contain cancer-fighting lignans too.

Cancer research has shown that cucumber lignans can be converted by bacteria in our digestive tract into enterolignans that bind to estrogen receptors. This decreases the risk of estrogen-related cancers, including certain breast cancers, ovary, uterus and prostate cancer.

Researchers have also found that the phytonutrients called curcubitacins in cucumbers can inhibit cancer cell development and cancer cell survival.

Lower Cholesterol Naturally

Get Your Free Juice Recipe Cards for High Cholesterol

Individuals with elevated cholesterol levels may also benefit from cucumber juice.

Get your free Juice Recipe Cards for High Cholesterol.

Cucumber seeds contain a variety of phytonutrients, including carotenoids and flavonoids. In a study on people with mildly elevated blood fats, consumption of dried cucumber seed extract over a period of 6 weeks experienced decreased total cholesterol, lower LDL, lower triglycerides and increased HDL.

The amount of dried cucumber seed they were consuming each day was about the same as what you would eat in a cup of fresh cucumber. So make sure and juice those seeds!

Silica in Cucumber Skins

If possible, you’ll want to buy certified organic or no-spray biodynamically grown cucumbers so that you can include the skin. This is where most of the silica is found.

Silica increases collagen synthesis for healthy bones, skin and other connective tissues. Silica also reduces bone breakdown and stimulates healthy new bone formation. It’s also important for a healthy brain, nerves and spinal cord.

Cucumber Juice Blends

Cucumber juice on its own doesn’t have much flavor. It’s best paired with other, more flavorful green vegetables, like celery, kale, chard, and other dark leafy greens. Cucumber juice can also help provide low-calorie volume for root vegetable juices that include carrots and beets.

Further Reading:

Learn more about how green juices fit into a whole food, plant-based diet.

Discover how juicing can help you lower cholesterol.

Don’t forget to download your free green juice recipes:

Tasty Green Juice Recipes
Juice Recipes for High Cholesterol