The benefits and harms of cucumbers with honey for the human body

Cucumbers and honey are affordable and healthy foods for the body. Cucumber contains a lot of liquid, high doses of potassium and calcium, improves the functioning of the heart muscle, cleanses the liver, kidneys and blood, removes toxins from the body, and normalizes metabolism. Honey has an antibacterial, restorative, anti-inflammatory effect; it is used to treat coughs, burns, wounds, and diabetes.

As a rule, honey and cucumbers are used separately, but in combination these products will bring even more benefits to the body. In the article we will discuss the benefits and harms of cucumbers with honey for the body, the features of their combination, the composition and properties of the products, their use in cooking, folk medicine and cosmetology.

Composition, properties and nutritional value

Honey and cucumbers are distinguished by their taste, nutritional and healing qualities. The most delicious and healthy cucumbers — own harvest, grown without the addition of pesticides and other agrochemicals.

As for honey, different varieties are useful: linden, buckwheat, flower, acacia - the main thing is that the product is mature and natural.

Cucumber

A cucumber is 95-97% water. Its fruits contain a small amount of protein (0.7 g), carbohydrates (3.1 g) and virtually no fat (0.1 g). The energy value per 100 g of vegetable is 15 kcal.

The remaining 3-5% includes active ingredients such as:

• pectin;
• retinol;
• beta-carotene;
• B vitamins: thiamine, riboflavin, choline, pyridoxine, folic and pantothenic acids, folates;
• vitamin C (ascorbic acid);
• vitamin K;
• vitamin PP;
• macroelements: calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus;
• trace elements: iron, manganese, fluorine, selenium, zinc.

Cucumbers have a variety of beneficial effects on the body: they activate the gastrointestinal tract, neutralize swelling, and reduce the severity of muscle pain. Being antioxidants, they neutralize free radicals, remove waste and toxins from the body, and slow down the aging process.

Honey

Depending on the variety, honey contains from 13 to 22% water, 75-80% carbohydrates (sucrose, fructose, glucose) and a small amount of protein - 8-10%. Fats are completely absent.

The composition contains organic acids, niacin, calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine, iodine, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, fluorine, B vitamins: thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, folates, pantothenic acid, and also vitamin C, H, PP. The energy value per 100 g of product is 320 kcal.

Honey has an antibacterial effect, normalizes metabolism, relieves pain, inhibits inflammation, improves digestion, and acts as a sedative on the central nervous system.

Honey is especially useful for hypertension, stomatitis, vitamin deficiency, skin diseases, neuroses, wounds and cuts (accelerates healing processes). Acts as a prophylactic against myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, and coronary heart disease.

For reference. Natural honey itself rarely causes allergies. In most cases, an allergy to honey is associated with a low-quality or diluted product, the presence of foreign impurities in the composition - for example, cane sugar, chitinous shells of mites.

Features of the combination of cucumber and honey

Cucumbers and honey not only combine well in taste, but also complement each other with medicinal properties and enhance each other’s effects. This combination of products has found application in cooking, cosmetology, and alternative medicine.

The usefulness of cucumber and honey for the human body is recognized by official medicine, so they are often used as components of medicines.

Harm to health

Cucumbers in combination with honey can negatively affect your health if consumed in large doses and if there are contraindications. People who are allergic to one of the products have a high chance of experiencing a local allergic reaction in the form of skin itching, peeling, rashes, redness, and swelling.

Cucumbers grown outside their natural ripening season are potentially harmful to the body. To get an early harvest, farmers use agrochemicals to accelerate the growth and ripening of fruits, which can cause intoxication.

Due to the presence of amino acids in the composition, cucumbers in the presence of diseases of the digestive system (gastritis, ulcers, enterocolitis) in the acute stage have an irritating effect on the mucous membrane, increase pain, increase the acidity of gastric juice, and worsen the prognosis for recovery.

In the presence of large stones in various parts of the urolithiasis, cucumbers, having diuretic properties, can provoke the movement of stones, which stimulates the progression of the disease, disrupts the outflow of urine, changes renal functions, obstruction of the urinary tract with subsequent damage or death of the kidney.

Beneficial properties of cucumbers with honey for men, women and children

Cucumbers with honey saturate the human body with micro- and macroelements, vitamins, which ensure vital processes and create favorable conditions for the normal functioning of organs and their systems.

The main functions of cucumber and honey for the body:

1. From the digestive system: improve the absorption of other products, enhance intestinal motility, normalize metabolism, promote weight loss, cleanse the intestines of toxins, remove excess water from the body, regulate water-salt balance.
2. From the cardiovascular system: increase the density and elasticity of the walls of blood vessels and capillaries, reduce cholesterol levels, normalize circulatory processes, supply iron to the body, reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, regulate blood pressure.
3. From the nervous system: reduce the degree of excitability of the central nervous system, slow down the heart rate, increase physical and mental performance, eliminate tension and anxiety.
4. From the urinary system: enhance the outflow of urine, increase the secretion of bile, have an anti-inflammatory effect, and prevent the formation of gallstones.
5. From the immune system: increase the body's resistance to the action of aggressive external and internal factors, protect against infection, and prevent the attachment and proliferation of pathogens on the surface of the mucous membranes.

Cucumber also has a laxative, antipyretic, analgesic, and antispasmodic effect.

Honey is good for vision, improves the condition of skin, hair, nails, and accelerates the healing process for wounds, burns, and bedsores.

During pregnancy and lactation

Cucumber in combination with honey can and should be consumed during pregnancy, but in moderation and provided there are no contraindications. Both products contain folic acid, which is involved in the synthesis of amino acids and promotes better absorption of iron.

For reference. Short-term deficiency of folic acid can cause pathologies associated with disruption of the normal development of the nervous system in the fetus. In women, vitamin B9 deficiency manifests itself as irritability, nervousness, insomnia, fatigue, and depression.

Potassium and magnesium in vegetables are no less important for the health of a woman and her unborn child - the substances regulate blood pressure and promote the conductive work of the heart. The plant fiber contained in cucumbers removes excess liquid, thereby reducing swelling. Cucumber also reduces the severity or completely eliminates the burning sensation in the esophagus and sour belching.

After the birth of a child, a nursing mother is recommended to exclude honey and cucumbers from her diet for a while. Unpasteurized honey contains spores of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, which, if ingested, can cause severe food intoxication and damage the nervous system. In children, the acidity of the gastric juice is not high enough to destroy bacteria.

Cucumbers are also undesirable in the diet of a nursing woman, especially the first 3-5 months after the birth of the child. The ban is associated with the laxative effect of the vegetable, the ability to increase gas formation, which can cause colic and flatulence in newborns.

For those losing weight

Cucumbers contain a lot of plant fiber.It is not absorbed by the body, but it enhances intestinal motility, improves the functioning of the digestive organs, accelerates the process of fat breakdown, removes waste, toxins, and excess water from the body, due to which swelling subsides.

Once in the stomach, pectin fibers swell and take up free space, a person does not feel hungry for a long time, and there is no need for snacks.

For reference. Fiber increases endurance and performance, increases motor activity, which contributes to additional energy consumption and weight loss.

Honey does not contain fat, but is rich in carbohydrates and, to a lesser extent, proteins, which the body needs for saturation and vital functions. It is also a source of vitamins, glucose, valuable nutrients; with dietary and/or proper nutrition, it can replace sweets.

The value of honey for weight loss lies in the fact that, as a supplier of glucose, it helps prevent weight loss from stalling. The composition also contains phytosterols, which protect cells from the penetration of cholesterol, reduce the levels of this compound in the blood, which increases the effectiveness of weight loss.

For various diseases

Cucumbers and honey are used for the treatment and prevention of diseases of the heart and blood vessels, such as atherosclerosis, ischemia, arterial hypertension and hypotension, and anemia. The products are recommended for colds, liver and kidney dysfunction.

They are also used as a general tonic, to improve digestion, for insomnia and neuroses. Honey and cucumber help with skin diseases, burns and wounds, and constipation.

Traditional medicine advises regularly consuming cucumbers and honey as a pain reliever for people suffering from arthritis, arthrosis, and gout. Cucumber is good for relieving headaches and getting rid of hangovers.

Methods of use

There are few variations in the combination of cucumber and honey. In cooking, salad and vegetable juice are prepared from the products. Honey is also added as one of the ingredients when preserving cucumbers.

Cucumber juice with honey

To prepare one serving of the drink you will need 2 medium young cucumbers, 1 tbsp. honey, 2 tbsp. lemon juice, 100 ml water.

Recipe:

1. Rinse the cucumbers with water, remove the stems, peel, and cut into cubes.
2. Mix honey with lemon juice.
3. Place cucumbers in a blender bowl, add honey-lemon mixture, 50 ml of water. Beat until smooth.
4. Next, add the rest of the water, beat until stable foam. Before use, add ice cubes if desired.

A simpler version of the recipe: beat the cucumbers in a blender, add liquid honey, stir.

Advice. Based on taste preferences, cucumber juice can be mixed with carrot, apple, beet, and celery juice.

Cucumber salad dressed with honey

Wash fresh cucumbers with peel, cut into slices, place in a colander to drain excess juice. At this time, mix 50 g of honey with 60 ml of purified cool water. Finely chop the dill. Place the cucumbers in a salad bowl, pour in the honey mixture, sprinkle with herbs, stir, and bring to readiness.

Rules and regulations for use

The daily norm for combining cucumbers with honey depends on the general state of health, age, the presence of concomitant diseases and contraindications.The daily intake of cucumber juice for a healthy person should not exceed more than one liter, a single dose - 200-250 ml.

The amount of fresh fruits in the diet varies from several pieces to several kilograms. People who want to lose weight can eat from 1.5 to 2 kg of cucumbers per day, provided there are no contraindications.

For reference. If you have stones in the kidneys, bladder, or other parts of the urinary system, the daily intake of cucumber is 100-200 g.

As for honey, it is recommended for an adult to consume 50 g of the product or 2 tbsp per day. l., for children over three years old - 20-30 g. It is forbidden to heat honey above 45°C, since under the influence of high temperatures it releases harmful substances that are toxic to the body and increase the likelihood of cancer.

Application in cosmetology

Cucumber in combination with honey well moisturizes, tones, nourishes the skin, improves complexion, reduces skin rashes, relieves puffiness, fights redness, inflammation, and tightens pores.

A popular recipe that can be prepared at home is a face mask: grind the vegetable pulp on a grater or in a blender, squeeze out the excess juice, add 1 tsp. honey Apply the product to a previously cleansed and dry face, you can also apply to the neck and décolleté area. Leave the mask for 20-40 minutes (depending on skin condition).

Next, rinse with water at room temperature and apply cosmetic cream.

Advice. If you put cucumber slices on your eyelids, you can get rid of puffiness under the eyes and smooth out fine wrinkles.

In cooking

Using honey, you can prepare delicious crispy cucumbers for the winter.

Ingredients for a 3 liter jar:

• pickling cucumbers — 2 kg;
• water - 1.5 l;
• salt - 50 g;
• honey - 50 g;
• vinegar - 100 ml;
• chili pepper - ½ part;
• garlic - 4-5 cloves;
• greens - parsley, dill, horseradish leaves, currants, cherries;
• spices - bay leaf, peppercorns and allspice.

Recipe:

1. Rinse the cucumbers and soak in cold water for 4-6 hours.
2. Place spices, except garlic, some herbs, and then cucumbers at the bottom of a sterile jar.
3. Boil water. Pour boiling water over the jars. Leave covered for 10 minutes.
4. Pour the brine back into the pan and bring to a boil. Refill the jars for 10 minutes.
5. Drain the last water again and boil.
6. Add honey, salt, vinegar, garlic to the jar. Pour boiling water over and preserve.
7. Banks turn upside down, wrap in a warm blanket for 1-2 days until the preservation has cooled completely. Store in a cellar or cool place.

In folk medicine

Cucumber juice with honey is used as a medicine.. To do this, the peeled pulp must be blended with honey in a blender. Another option is to grate the pulp, place it in gauze folded in several layers, and squeeze out the juice.

The dosage and course of treatment depend on the underlying disease. If the liver is damaged, drink 100 ml twice a day, as a laxative and for the prevention of heart pathologies - 200 ml on an empty stomach.

For diseases of the upper respiratory tract accompanied by cough, take 2-3 tbsp. cucumber juice with a daily frequency of 2-3 times.

Contraindications

A general absolute contraindication for consuming honey and cucumbers is individual intolerance to one or more components of the composition.Since cucumber increases the acidity of gastric juice, the fruit should not be included in the diet of people with gastrointestinal diseases - gastritis, peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, increased stomach acidity.

Fresh cucumbers have a laxative effect, so they should not be consumed for intestinal disorders of various origins. Additional loss of water can only worsen your overall health and increase the symptoms of diarrhea.

Relative contraindications for honey include the following diseases and pathological conditions:

• stomach ulcer, gastritis in the acute stage;
• severe form of urolithiasis;
• acute pancreatitis;
• dysfunction of the pancreas;
• mental disorders;
• hypervitaminosis.

It is recommended to use honey with caution or limit its amount in the diet for people suffering from diabetes mellitus, prone to obesity, during breastfeeding.

Conclusion

Cucumber and honey are valuable foods that saturate the body with energy and serve as a source of vitamins and minerals. When used correctly, they have a beneficial effect on the body, creating optimal conditions for the normal functioning of the digestive, nervous, urinary, and cardiovascular systems.

The products have a general strengthening effect, tone and rejuvenate the skin, improve vision, slow down the aging process, and protect against flu and infections. Before using cucumbers in combination with honey in cooking or traditional medicine, it is necessary to exclude possible contraindications.