Fresh cucumber always has a place on our table. The astounding smell of the first fresh cucumbers is evidence of the coming of summer into their rights.

 But what do you know about cucumber?
 False berry of the pumpkin family - so botanists classify emerald vegetable. This family is irreplaceable for humans includes zucchini, pumpkin, melons, watermelons and, of course, cucumbers. According to the latest research of scientists, melon and cucumber have 95% genetic similarity.
The very name of the vegetable is borrowed from the ancient Greek as an opposition to the name of the southern beauty. Cucumber is one of the few plants whose fruits we eat immaturely. Melon, on the contrary, shows its best qualities in the highest degree of maturity.

Benefits of cucumber
 Cucumber undeservedly plays the role of a tasty, but useless from healthy food. However, this is a fundamentally wrong point of view, because the cucumber is no less useful than its famous relatives.
 Of course, it cannot be called a treasure trove of vitamins. Especially if you are farther from the bed, the fewer vitamins remain in them. However, other biologically active substances make these vegetables a welcome guest on the diet table.

it is not only a low-calorie product, but also one of the most containing a minimum of calories, but the maximum benefit. Calorie content of it - only 13.5 kcal per 100 g. This allows you not to give up cucumbers while observing the strictest diet.

 Besides, it will be especially useful in excess weight, because it regulates appetite, creates a feeling of satiety and promotes digestion.
The composition of fresh cucumber per 100 g of product
- 98.5 g of water, which helps to quench thirst and cleanse the body;

- quite a bit of protein, fat, and carbohydrates;

- 1 g of dietary fiber, which helps the work of the intestines;

- a small number of B vitamins, ascorbic acid, vitamins E, PP;

- a significant amount of potassium - the principal wealth of it, which helps the work of the heart and kidneys;

- a large, in comparison with other vegetables, the amount of iodine, which is well absorbed by the body;

- a prosperous commonwealth of minerals - sodium, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, chlorine, aluminum, cobalt, chlorine, chromium, fluorine, zinc, copper, manganese, molybdenum - normalizing metabolism.

Useful properties of cucumber
it promotes the assimilation of protein foods, so it must necessarily side with the meat dishes. Fresh cucumbers are very useful for problems with the cardiovascular system and the digestive tract. They have a diuretic, laxative and choleretic effect. With the help of it, you can get rid of swelling and constipation. Gentle tissue cleanses the intestines and removes excess cholesterol, which is the prevention of atherosclerosis. 

Regular use of fresh cucumbers - protection from diseases of the thyroid gland.

 Cucumber juice and cucumber pulp - still an indispensable tool for the beauty of skin and hair. Removing freckles and whitening the skin, fighting inflammation, rashes, and excessive fat content - all this is subject to fresh cucumber. 
Unfortunately, the useful properties of it do not apply to popularly salted and pickled cucumbers. The most useful will be fresh cucumbers, just taken from their beds.

 Harm to cucumbers
 Who can be harmful to fresh cucumbers? People are suffering from stomach diseases with high acidity. The property of cucumbers to increase the acidity of gastric juice makes them unacceptable in dietary nutrition with gastritis and peptic ulcer. 

Do not forget and nursing mothers about the laxative effect of fresh cucumbers. 

Early Cucumbers 
Who can resist the early spring before the fresh scent of cucumber! Often the hand stretches itself behind the green treasure lying on the counter. But everyone knows that spring vegetables can hide unpleasant surprises. A large number of nitrates and other fertilizers in the products of unscrupulous producers can make fresh cucumbers dangerous to health.