What is the one green fruit ingredient you might want to include in all your juice recipes? Cucumbers! Technically they are a fruit though we tend to classify them as a vegetable. Because cucumbers contains about 96% water they are practically perfect for juicing.
photo credit Karen and Brad Emerson
The cool and juicy cucumber (cucumis sativus) belongs in the plant family of melons and squashes called Curcubitaceae. They may be found in a variety of colors and shapes, but you probably most familiar with the long green varieties used for slicing and pickling.
Cucumbers provide health benefits from head to toe, inside and out. Nutritionally they contain vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, calcium, and potassium.
Digestion and Anti-Cancer
If you are eating this vegetable (skins and all) you will get the benefits of both soluble and insoluble fiber. By juicing you will still consume the soluble fiber which helps nutrients get absorbed through the intestinal tract.
Cucumbers contain plant lignans which bind with bacteria in the digestive tract and convert them to enterolignans for both pro and anti-estrogenic effects. According to The World’s Healthiest Foods, “Reduced risk of estrogen-related cancers, including cancers of the breast, ovary, uterus, and prostate has been associated with intake of dietary lignans from plant foods like cucumber.”
Cucumbers are a rich source of cucurbitacins which blocks cancer cell development according to scientists and we can expect to see more research on the connections between cucumbers and anti-cancer benefits.
Skin, Hair, and Nails
Cucumber is a powerful tonic for the skin, hair, and nails. Many women know the beauty trick of applying cucumber slices to the eyes for reducing puffiness. The astringent properties in cucumbers draw out dirt and cleanse the pores, making it a popular ingredient in oily skin or acne skin care.
Cucumbers also contain silica, a trace mineral which contributes to strengthening connective tissues. This results in stronger hair and nails.
You can get these benefits both by putting cucumber juice on your skin as well as by drinking it.
Weight Loss and Inflammation
Because cucumbers contain mostly water they are and excellent food to help cleanse and wash away toxins. Toxins are often stored in fat cells and cause inflammation. But beyond just water content cucumbers also supply electrolytes to restore hydration of the body cells and balance the fluid levels in the body. This makes cucumber an important food to aid in weight loss and other inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.
Juicing Cucumbers
You can juice a cucumber – skins and all. Just be sure that if your cucumber is not organic, you wash it thoroughly first. The taste of cucumber juice is so mild it can be mixed with almost any fruit or vegetable without changing the taste. And because they contain so much water you will yield a lot of juice from cucumbers.
Easy Breezy Cucumber Cooler Recipe
4 carrots
1 cucumber
1 stalk celery
1 apple
1/2 lemon, peeled
Put all ingredients through the juicer, then pour over ice.
Sounds like a great recipe, I’ll try it today! I always put cucumber in my juices, it’s refreshing and can mellow the taste of Kale.
I am now sipping on the Easy Breezy Cucumber Cooler Recipe, which is yummy and refreshing. I have one quick question; the order in which the ingredients are given, is it best to juice in the same order or does it matter?
It doesn’t really matter which order you juice these in.
If the cucumbers are not organic, do you wash with soap. Does this remove wax? I can’t always get organic cucumbers so I have been removing the skin, but if I can just wash thoroughly I will do it.
Use a vinegar based wash. You can find the recipe in my free juice booklet on the home page. There are different types of waxes, so the vinegar might not remove all of them. If you’re still concerned just continue to remove the skins.
Today is my day 6 juicing and so far I lost 10 pounds. I am very happy but worry I can slow down the process if I juice to much fruit due to the sugar in them. I am also adding lemon to my water and it helps with my hunger. I’m hoping I can do all 30 days of juicing so I will post my progress.
Thank you for the free recipes…..They are awesome and easy to follow!!
I am so excited to start, I ordered my juicer today and I will go shopping for fresh fruit and veggies as soon as it arrives,I will be so happy when I drop some weight and when I can get off the meds.Thank you so much for all your help.
I am very interested in the juice cleansing. I just got into juicing by ordering a Breville. I didn’t think cucumbers would be important, but other folks on questorganic never mentioned it. I’ll give it a shot!
I watched the documentary yesterday and have been considering the juice cleanse today. I have numerous health issues that will benefit from losing weight. As I write, walking has become a challenge due to the pain in my back. I’ve been reading the recipes, and remember the time when my mother bought a juicer at the state fair. She would treat us all with celery juice, cucumber, carrot and apple. We all rather enjoyed it.
I ordered the juicer this evening from ebay. I am currently on vacation and will be going to the beach for a week. When returning home, I will begin. Thank you for this website. Mitzae
I love cucumbers, and I’m so glad to know that they’re even healthier for me than I thought! I just rubbed a piece of the cucumber I was eating on an allergic hive that I had on my skin, and the reaction died down in the time that I read the rest of the article and typed this comment. Thank you so much for the super-informative article!
I like just about every fruit and vegetable ever created. I hate cucumbers. I can’t eat one without gagging. Melons are the same way. Even a little bit of either one of these foods will contaminate and ruin the taste of an entire salad, juice, smoothie, etc. I’m normally very good at acclimating myself to foods I don’t care for, but I can’t make myself even tolerate these. I wish I could. I really like the idea of them – cucumbers and watermelons sound like they’d be cool and refreshing. Even the smell makes me queasy, though.
I hated Kale and now i can’t live without it. I felt the same way the smell and the taste of kale in my juice always made me sick. Beets same thing but now i can drink and eat both they say 10 times and you change your taste buds.
Today I began the juice fast–my first recipe was 1/2 lemon, celery stalk, apple–it was refreshing. Now drinking lots of water. Cucumber is the next ingredient I’m going to try. Life is good and getting better.
I love adding cucumber to juices for its non-offensive hydrating properties.
Hi,
I have a quick question about your blog, do you think you could e-mail me?
Jillian
Thanks for the great health info. I have always loved cucumbers. Here’s a juicing recipe I made up the other day. See if you like it:
2 cups watermelon
1 cucumber
1 tangerine
1/2 lime
It is so good and I’m making a ton of it this summer.
How do I calculate calories when juicing?
Great question Sandy! I’m writing a post on that topic now! I’ll put a link here in this thread when it’s up.
thank you for the information…I just read about cucumber benefit and am excited to try it out.
Is it ok to wash the cucumbers with baking soda?
Yes, you can wash fruits and veggies with a spoon of baking soda dissolved water.
Wow…..I never new what a hard worker my old friend the cucumber has been for me. After reading this I am doubly inspired to use even more of them now….thanks for the information dude. I personally love juicing and all of its benefits.
When is the best time to drink cucumber juice?
thanks
what i mean is.. is it ok to drink cucumber juice in the morning?or at night? :0
Anytime is a good time for cucumber juice. It will hydrate you well during the day.
This is a wonderful post, I just recently bought a juicer and it should be here this Wednesday and I could not be anymore excited. I am thrilled to try some of your recipes, I know you have posted about juice fasts but would you ever consider doing a post on what juices you should make throughout each day of the fast and explain why that juice is beneficial for that day fo the fast?
The benefits and life changing results are all documented in “Fat-Sick and Nearly Dead”
Type 2- diabetes- Gone, High Cholesterol- GONE, many other health issues thought only to be cured??? by medication. A cure is not taking medication for the rest of your life, that means you still have it and the drugs control it. Get Cured- Rent the movie, Make your own choice—
Can you tell me where I can find “Fat-Sick & Nearly Dead”?
Amazon or iTunes
Also on Netflix
Hello, great recipe, i wonder, how often during the day should i drink the easy breeze cucmber drink if i want to lose weight?
Thanks.
I have always love jucing Cucumber Juice. When it is cold it is so refreshing going down. I have watched the video Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead and it was fantastic. It has started me on wanting to do alot of juicing. Being overweight and tired of knees hurting and taking so much mediciation that I can start my own pharmacy. I want to be healthy and live the life that I was called to live. I know it will not be easy and it will take alot of effort, but I believe the results will be worth it. Health and Wholeness.
I really need to lose wieght and my this would really help my acne , but I get weak very fast , and I can’t even force my self to drink the juices with the green leafy stuff like , kale , spinisch …. I get really nauseous . Last time after 1 day of the mean green recipe I got a stomach virus my stomach couldn’t Handel it . I love fruits but idk if that will help me lose weight , I want to do it for 3 days at least. I’m gaining weight and even though I know almost every diet that exist I have Avery hard time maintaing will power to continue
I’ve never tasted anything as nice and refreshing, I juice 2 cucumbers a few celery stalks, lemon and a green apple. I add ginger also, depending on how much you love ginger is how much you add. Limes can also be added instead of lemon.
Juice Crafters in Brentwood serves the best fresh cucumber juice… if you are in the LA area and want a refreshing drink, I recommend it! They make it quick and right in front of you… freshest juice in town.
I watched the documentary, Joe and Phil are so inspiring. I need to lose about 15-20 pounds and was wondering if you drink the juice only 3 times per day or whenever you are hungry?
thanks ~ Dana
One more question…coffee! Can I drink it? I am terribly addicted and will go trhough withdrawal if I quit, is that allowed during a cleanse? What are the negative effects of continued coffee drinking during a cleanse? Does it prevent vitamin absorption? again~Thanks
I just saw Fat Sick and Nearly Dead on Netflix the other day. It has inspired me! I’m on my third day of a fruit and veggie fast and have lost 4+ pounds already. I bought a juicer the other day and am going to break it in on this recipe! Really looking forward to losing the 60 pounds that have gradually moved in since high school. I am now 40 and enough is enough!
Am on third day of juicing, mostly “Mean green”.
Have osteo arthritis, rumatoid arthritis and small fiber neuropathy. I really, really hurt inspite of lots of medication. What in particular is good to get rid of these autoimmune diseases?
I read on a Digestacure site that aloe vera is the best thing to beat autoimmune disease.
I would love it if you would include the amount of calories in each serving of these great juice recipes. Thanks.
This is my favorite juicing combo. I had some romaine, kale, parsley, or spinach leaves to shake it up as well as piece of ginger root for a kick!!
What do you think about combining fruit and veggies in juice?
I am a little worried about the sugar content in the mean green juice.
16 oz has38.3 gr in 16oz
Can you tell what u think for weight loss?