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Japanese cucumber and other types can be used to make preserves, relish, cucumber juice and even to make a rejuvenating cucumber mask.

Image: Natalie Rhea Riggs on Unsplash

Cucumber, so common in all-day salads, originates from the mountainous regions of India. Fruit of the cucumber, the health benefits of cucumber are numerous, such as facilitating the dissolution of kidney stones and being a natural diuretic, and it can also be cosmetic if you make a cucumber mask.

The planting of the vegetable is carried out, most of the time, in tropical and temperate regions. There are several types of cucumbers - the most common in Brazil are the country cucumber, which is generally cheaper and is the most used for salads and also in detox cucumber juice, and the Japanese cucumber, used to make sunomono and cucumber relish , two types of sweet and sour cucumbers .

After buying the cucumber, its storage usually takes place in a refrigerator, which is a mistake. The low temperature makes it spoil quickly - cucumber is also sensitive to ethylene, so it should not be stored with bananas, melons and tomatoes.

Cucumber Benefits

And do you know why so many people put cucumber slices in the eye area as a beauty treatment? Cucumber is composed of 96% water and, due to its high content, it is used to help skin health, in addition to containing vitamin C and caffeic acid, which help to calm irritation and reduce water retention.

Cucumber is also a great source of potassium - an element that gives skin cells elasticity and often helps to reduce eye puffiness, burns and dermatitis. Cucumber rind has a high concentration of fiber and minerals, including silica and magnesium. Silica is essential for healthy connective tissue - muscle, tendon, ligament, cartilage and bone. Magnesium plays important roles in the body, such as muscle contraction and relaxation, energy production and transport, and protein production.

In addition to hydrating the body and improving the appearance and health of the skin, cucumber consumption is also indicated for those looking to lose weight, due to its high water content and low caloric percentage (about 15 kcal for every 100 g of fresh cucumber and without adding any seasoning). There are recipes for cucumber juice, salads and even soups - you can also include this healthy slimming food in your diet in the form of crispy strips dipped in low-fat yogurt.

If your goal is to lose weight, just be careful with sweet and sour cucumbers, cucumber relish or preserves, which usually take a lot of salt and sugar, in addition to preservatives. On the other hand, learning how to pick up cucumbers is very simple and a great way to avoid wasting the vegetable, which lasts much longer in pickled form. Learn how to preserve.

cucumber mask

The potassium contained in cucumber helps in skin rejuvenation, which is why this vegetable is so used by beauty lovers who like a relaxing mask.

However, it is common to see cucumber in vegetable lists with more pesticides. Whenever possible, try to consume organic versions of the vegetable. Click here and learn more about it.

Check below two cucumber mask recipes for your skin's health:

Cucumber mask with witch hazel

• 1/2 cucumber in the skin, chopped;
• 3 tablespoons of witch hazel;
• 2 tablespoons of distilled water.

Cucumber and avocado face mask

• 1/2 cup of chopped cucumber;
• 1/2 cup of chopped avocado;
• 1 egg white;
• 2 teaspoons of powdered milk.

Mix all the ingredients together until it forms a smooth paste-like consistency. The cucumber mask can be used immediately or it can be left in the refrigerator for half an hour. Put two tablespoons of the mixture on the face and neck and make a circular motion. Relax for 30 minutes or until the mask is completely dry. Then rinse with warm water.