Carolyn Bell, RDN – Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Delicious cucumbers are grown and produced year-round. This healthy vegetable is actually a fruit and belongs to the melon family. Because of the super low calories found in cucumbers, they are generally located in vegetable sections for healthy diets. One cup of peeled, sliced cucumbers contain just 16 calories and over 95% water; perfect for a hydrating snack. When selecting cucumbers, choose cucumbers which are firm, evenly colored and without wrinkles. Cucumbers should be kept refrigerated at the store and at home.
The most notable nutrients found in one cup of cucumbers are Vitamin C – 3 mg, Vitamin K – 17 mcg, Potassium – 153 mg, and Manganese – 0.1 mg. Vitamin K is the richest nutrient at 17 mcg per cup of raw, peeled cucumbers, and this is 22% of the Daily Value for a healthy adult. Eat the skin and seeds of the cucumber to obtain the highest amount of nutrients.
*Daily Value – recommend daily intake based on 2000 calories a day.
