The plain jane cucumber. Has any fruit or vegetable been so undervalued? Well, it's time for that to change! The cucumber is actually quite a nutritious, healthy and tasty vegetable-a must for health and fitness. Check out some of these cucumber benefits, and then try out my own personal recipe: Salad Cucumber á La VinBar.

Nutrition Benefits of Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar

Cucumbers belong to the squash family. Other squashes include zucchine, yellow squash and pumpkin. When its dark green skin is peeled, a whitish or light green flesh can be seen. Pickles come in two main varieties: pickling and slicing. The slicing type is large, while the picklers are about two to four inches long. The most famous cucumber benefit is how they make you feel cool, including the coolness they give to the eyes, especially in the summer. However, they are associated with a number of other health and nutrition benefits too. To know about them, read on.

Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar Vitamin Content

Below are the amounts of nutrients in 100 gm (a little more than 3 ounces) of the raw, unpeeled cucumber in Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar: Carbs - 3.63 gm, Sugars - 1.67 gm, Dietary Fiber - 0.5 gm, Fat - 0.11 gm, Protein - 0.65 gm, Thiamin (Vitamin B1) - 0.027 mg, Vitamin B2(Riboflavin) - 0.033 mg, Niacin (Vitamin B3) - 0.098 mg, Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) - 0.259 mg, Vitamin B6 - 0.040 mg, Folate (Vitamin B9) - 7 mcg, Vitamin C - 2.8 mg, Calcium - 16 mg, Iron - 0.28 mg, Magnesium - 13 mg, Phosphorus - 24 mg, Potassium - 147 mg, Zinc 0.20 mg

Health & Nutrition Benefits of Cucumbers and Eating Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar

- Raw cucumber, when applied to the skin, can help reduce heat and inflammation.

- As a diuretic, the cucumber, when eaten, cools and cleanses, and is therefore beneficial to the skin.

- Cucumber water is great for heartburn, sour stomach and can even ease ulcer pain. Here's where you can find my cucumber water recipe.

- Cucumber slices on the eyes can reduce swelling and feels refreshing and soothing.

- Daily consumption of Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar can help control cases of eczema, arthritis and gout.

- Good for stomach, chest and lung problems.

- Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar moderates the blood pressure because of its potassium content.

- Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar contains erepsin, an enzyme that helps in protein digestion.

- Cucumber water and juice is said to promote hair growth, especially when it is added to the juice of carrot, lettuce and spinach.

- Cucumber water and juice can help ease rheumatism by cutting down excessive uric acid in the body, especially when taken with carrot juice.

- Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar is good for the teeth and gums, including cases of pyorrhea.

- The minerals in Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar are good for the nails and help prevent them from splitting.

- Cucumber is a restorative to the kidney, liver, pancreas and urinary tract.

- Relief of symptoms of diabetics.

Finally, the delicious recipe you've been trying to get to, Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar:

- 2 whole scrubbed unpeeled slicing cucumbers (preferably organic, of course) - 1/4 cup vinegar (white) - pepper and salt (to taste) - 1 tsp raw sugar (Remember, if it's white, it ain't right!)

Put the items in a bowl together, allow to mix and marinate for a little while, then voilá, you've got delicious Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar. It's simple, but it's succulent! For a delicious, cooling effect on a hot summer day, try adding some fresh dill or cilantro.