Look for solid, green cucumbers with no cracks or blemishes.
Cucumbers are so common you might be tempted to walk past them in search of something more interesting. Think again. Cucumbers are a key ingredient in healthy, delicious recipes. They can also do you good even if you don't eat them. They deserve a place in your grocery basket.
Cucumber-Tomato Salad
Cucumber-tomato salad is a classic, summer side-dish that tastes great alongside healthy grilled chicken. To make it, mix cut-up cucumber with sliced cherry tomatoes, sprinkle with dried dill, salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. The cucumbers provide beta-carotene, the tomatoes have eye-protecting lycopene, and the olive oil provides heart-healthy, omega 3 fatty acids, according to the "Doctors Book of Food Remedies."
Better Tuna Salad
Finely-diced cucumber can make a tuna salad sandwich better. Cucumber adds natural sweetness and a pleasant crunch. Whole, natural cucumbers are also good because they don't have as much sugar as relish. One popular brand of sweet pickle relish has 3 gm of sugar in a mere tablespoon serving, according to Livestrong.com MyPlate. To keep your sandwich healthy, use fat-free or reduced-fat mayonnaise.
Frozen Treats
You might not be used to thinking of vegetables as dessert, but the natural cooling qualities present in cucumbers make them a nice addition to frozen treats. "New York" magazine recommends blending one part chopped cucumber with two parts chopped watermelon, adding some lime juice and natural sweetener, and freezing into popsicles. If you've got vegetable-resistant children around, these popsicles are a good way to sneak some of the good stuff into them.
Natural Beauty
You don't even have to eat cucumbers to derive benefit from them. Cucumbers have long been used as a natural beauty aid. "Yoga Journal" reports cucumbers have naturally astringent qualities; thus, they can reduce puffiness and soothe sore, tired eyes. To use, cut thin slices of cucumber, place over closed eyelids, and relax for 5 to 10 minutes, or until your eyes feel better.
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