38
FOOD making carbs count
Why cukes are cool!
A brief guide to cucumbers and gherkins, by
May Knight.
Cucumbers are typically
in peak season in the UK
from June to September.
They're a versatile, lowcarb
addition used in anything from
refreshing drinks to summer salads
and pickles.
Cucumbers are members of the
Cucurbitaceae plant family, also
referred to as Cucurbits or the
gourd family. Other recognisable
members of the cucurbit family
include summer and winter squash,
courgettes, melons and gourds.
The cucumber plant is a creeping
vine, first cultivated in India more
than 3000 years ago. First originating
in Asia, it's now grown on most
continents. Since first discovered,
many varieties have been cultivated
but the three main cultivar groups
we know today are slicing, pickling
and seedless.
Despite their savoury flavour, the
cucumber is in fact the fruit/berry
of the vine. The cucumber fruit is
made up of 95% water, with only 4%
carbohydrates, less than 1% protein
and negligible fat.
Health benefits
Given their high water content
cucumbers have a relatively low
concentration of nutrients.
While this might make you doubt
whether they pack a nutritional
punch they still contain a good
amount of vitamin K (a 100g serving
contains 14% of your RDA), vitamin
C and trace minerals potassium,
calcium and magnesium.
Muscle and bone health: Given
cucumbers high water content and
trace minerals, including magnesium,
snacking on cucumbers or drinking
cucumber infused water after
exercise could help to replenish
electrolytes and hydration key for
preventing muscle cramps. Vitamin
K and calcium are key to healthy
bones. The combination of the
two vitamins works synergistically
to aid absorption and maintain
strong bones.
Anti-inflammatory: Cucumbers
and other cucurbits contain
Cucurbitacins, natural plant
compounds aka phytochemicals, that
can give the fruit a bitter taste. These
compounds are thought to possess
anti-inflammatory properties and are
being studied for their effectiveness
against inflammation, cancer, heart
disease and diabetes.
Blood glucose: The Cucurbitacins
in cucumbers may also help regulate
insulin and the metabolism of
glycogen in the liver, a key hormone
in the processing of blood glucose,
most likely due to its antioxidant
and anti-inflammatory effect. What's
more cucumbers are classified as
non-starchy fruit. given their low
glycemic index, high water and fibre
content cucumbers are not likely
to raise blood sugar making them a
great choice for diabetics looking to
increase plant diversity and fibre in
their diet without increasing overall
glycemic load.
Gut health & Fibre: Like other
plant foods, cucumbers are a good
source of fibre which helps maintain
healthy digestion, lower cholesterol
and feed beneficial gut bacteria
and their many associated benefits
from supporting immune function
to mental health. Fermented
pickled cucumbers can provide
further probiotic benefit if naturally
fermented and unpasteurised.
Getting pickled
There are several varieties of
cucumber, over 100 in fact, some of
which are better for eating fresh and
others for pickling. In the UK most
supermarkets stock slicing European
varieties for eating fresh. Slicing
cucumbers in sold in North America
can often be longer, smoother, more
uniform in colour with a tougher
skin. In the US you can also find
seedless varieties that are smoother
skinned and sweeter in flavour.
Pickling varieties tend to be
shorter, curved with a bumpy skin
with dotted spines such as Kirby
variety. A pickled cucumber is
commonly referred to as a pickle
in the US but a gherkin in the
UK and elsewhere. It is usually a
miniature cucumber variety that has
been preserved.
There are two main traditional
methods of preservation, lacto-