Cucumbers are shaped cylindrically, between six and nine inches in length. Their skin ranges from green through to white and can be ridged or smooth, based on its variety. The inside of a cucumber is a dense, crunchy, pale green kind of flesh with lots of edible, fleshy seeds. A few varieties of cucumbers grown in greenhouses tend to be seedless, having thinner skins and are about 12 to 20 inches long. These cucumbers are called Burpless cucumbers as they are easier to digest than most other types of cucumbers.
What to look for?
Storage and preparation tips:
Cooking and use of cucumbers
Cucumbers are eaten fresh and are called slicing cucumbers. Cucumbers grown for pickling purposes are smaller than slicing cucumbers. One such variety of pickling cucumbers is the gherkin.
The bitterness in cucumbers can be reduced by cutting of their stem ends and by peeling them.
Cucumber Nutrition Facts
As cucumber is 95% water, it has minimum nutritional value. However, as its inside can be up to 20 degrees F cooler than the outside temperature, the cucumber is one of the coolest vegetable to eat.
Cucumbers are used to increase the flow of urine, as a soothing skin lotion and for treating rheumatic conditions. Its diuretic, cooling and cleansing properties makes cucumber great for treating skin problems.
Cucumbers are also used for treating lung, chest and stomach problems, tapeworm infestation, arthritis and gout. Cucumber is a great source of silica, needed for enhancing the strength of the connective tissues.
Cucumbers are popularly used to treat tired eyes. They are low in calories and fat and cholesterol free. Its photochemical help to reduce the possibility of cancer.
