It’s peak cucumber season at my backyard farm! These thirst-quenching gourds are ripe and ready for salads, snacks, and smoothies. Used topically, they promise reduced puffiness.1, 2 Infused in water, they promise refreshing flavor with less risk of indigestion than citrus infusions.3
There are many varieties of Cucumis sativus, or cucumber as it is commonly known. I grew an heirloom variety this year, seeds for which I obtained at a farming conference this past winter. Cucumbers thrive with warmth and sun, well-draining and slightly acidic soil, and consistent water.4, 5
This year I grew my cucumbers in a raised bed. In past years I have grown them in pots and trellised them. Picking the fruit early helps the vines stay more robust and prolific and offers a sweeter fruit.4, 5 When harvested, the fruit skin feels like sandpaper which is remedied by vigorously rubbing the skin with a towel. When harvested, the fruit should stay fresh for 7-10 days if refrigerated.4,5 Pickling cucumbers will preserve them longer, but varieties with smaller fruit are best for pickling.4
Cucumbers are a hydrating vegetable (well, it’s a fruit really). According to the Farmer’s Almanac, eating a cucumber is like drinking a glass of water.2 Besides its hydrating value, cucumbers are low in calories, have a low glycemic index and contain many nutrients, especially potassium and vitamin K as well as phytochemicals.6, 7, 8 One cucumber phytochemical catching the eye of researchers is fisetin.
Fisetin is a flavonoid found in many plant foods including cucumbers.9,10,11,12,13 Fisetin laboratory and animal research studies have identified anti-inflammatory,9,11,12,14 anti-tumor,9,10,11,12,13,14 and anti-oxidant9,10,12,14 properties. The literature suggests that fisetin is also neuroprotective9 and may improve cognition and memory in Azheimer’s Disease animal studies.15,16 Fisetin is associated with increased brain levels of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA.16 One study found that oral fisetin administration improved longevity in mice by supporting the removal of senescent, or aging, cells.12
If not well-cared for, cucumbers become stressed, and this stress is expressed by the plant with an increase in bitterness.17,18 Biting into a crunchy cucumber that is bitter may be unpleasant. The bitterness in cucumbers is caused by a compound called cucurbitacin.18 While wild cucumbers have more of this bitter-tasting compound, the varieties we grow in our garden and purchase from our grocers and farmer’s markets contain less cucurbitacin and bitterness than their wild cousins.17 The skin and stem end of the cucumber will have more cucurbitacin and therefore be more bitter.17 The longer the fruit is left on the vine, the more bitter it will become.19
Cucurbitacin, while unpleasant to the palate, may have therapeutic value. It is being isolated and studied for its cancer fighting properties as well as other health benefits. Laboratory studies suggest that cucurbitacin may suppress tumor cells from spreading18,20,21 and promote tumor cell death.21 Cucurbitacin also has anti-inflammatory18,19,21 and anti-diabetic19,21 properties and may reduce itchy psoriasis symptoms20 among other benefits.
Before seeking out bitter gourds for their cucurbitacin and its possible benefits, however, it is important to understand that the levels necessary for therapeutic effects may approach the compound’s toxicity levels.19 Consuming high levels of cucurbitacin can be toxic and possibly fatal.19 Cucurbitacin has also been shown to decrease fertility and increase blood vessel permeability in rodents.19
One trick to reduce bitterness in cucumbers is to cut the ends from the fruit and rub the cut end against the exposed end of the fruit body.22 When this is done, a white foamy substance appears. Rinse this residue from the cucumber to reduce the bitterness for a sweet, crunchy, thirst quenching treat! When peeling a bitter cucumber, peel in one direction from blossom to stem end and rinse the knife between strokes.17
Just as cucumbers respond to stress with increased bitterness, our bodies respond to stress with an altered hormone milieu that prepares the body systems to respond to the stressor. When the stress response is prolonged it leaves us vulnerable to a host of health challenges.23 Just as proper mix of light, water, and nutrients are important to curb the cucumber’s bitter stress response, exposure to meditation, proper nutrition, and regular exercise are some of our stress management tools. Just as a well-draining soil environment fosters a healthy cucumber, exposure to soil, as in gardening activities, may increase our stress resiliency. Soil contains many bacteria, one of which (M. vaccae) improves health and reduces inflammation.24 Just as a garden rich in a diverse variety of plants may reduce plant stress from garden pests,25 social support through positive relationships and support from community systems are important means to increasing our stress resiliency.26
Sources:
1Huffington Post. (2012). Do Cucumbers Really Help with Puffy Eyes? Pros Weigh in on this Beauty Legend. Oct 16. Retrieved from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/puffy-eyes-undereyes-cucumbers-cures-remedies_n_1964329
2The Old Farmer’s Almanac. (2019). Cucumbers: Health Benefits. Jan 29. Retrieved from https://www.almanac.com/news/home-health/natural-living/cucumbers-health-benefits
3Livestrong. (2020). Can You Eat Cucumbers With GERD? Jan 27. Retrieved from https://www.livestrong.com/article/467015-can-you-eat-cucumbers-with-gerd/
4University of Minnesota Extension. (2018). Growing Cucumbers in Home Gardens. Retrieved from https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-cucumbers#harvest-and-storage-210515
5The Old Farmer’s Almanac. (n.d.). Growing Cucumbers. Retrieved from https://www.almanac.com/plant/cucumbers
6Glycemic Resource. (n.d.). Glycemic Index (GI) Reference Chart. Retrieved from https://www.glycemicresource.com/#veg
7SF Gate. (2018). Cucumbers and Blood Sugar. Nov 28. Retrieved from https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/cucumbers-blood-sugar-11824.html
8USDA. (2020). Food Data Central: Cucumber, Raw. Apr 1. Retrieved from https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/787791/nutrients
9Pal H.C., Pearlman R.L., & Afaq F. (2016) Fisetin and Its Role in Chronic Diseases. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. 928:213-244. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-41334-1_10.
10Syed, D.M., Adhami, V.M., Khan, N., Khan, M.I., & Mukhtar, H. (2016). Exploring the molecular targets of dietary flavanoid fisetin in cancer.. Semin Cancer Biol. 40-41:130-140. doi:10.1016/j.semcancer.2016.04.003
11Min, K.J., Nam, J.O., & Kwon, T.K. (2017). Fisetin induces apoptosis through p53-mediated up-regulation of DR5 expression in human renal carcinoma caki cells. Molecules. 22:1285. doi:10.3390/molecules22081285
12Yousefzadeh, M.J., Zhu, Y., McGowan, S.J., Angelni, L., Fuhrmann-Stroissnigg, H., Xu, M., Ling, Y.Y., Melos, K.I., Pirtskhalava, T., Inman, C.L., McGuckian, C., Wade, E.A., Kato, J.I., Grassi, D. Wentworth, M., Burd, C.E., Arriaga, E.A., Ladiges, W.L., Tchkonia, T., Kirkland, J.L., Robbins, P.D., & Niedernhofer, L.J. (2018). Fisetin is a senotherapeutic that extends health and lifespan. E Bio Medicine. 36:18-28. doi:10.1016/j.ebiom.2018.09.015
13Adhami, V.M., Syed, D., Khan, M., Mukhtar, H. (2012). Dietary flavanoid fisetin: a novel dual inhibitor of P13K/Akt and mTOR for prostate cancer management. Biochem Pharmacol 84(10):1277-1281. doi:10.1016/j.bcp.2012.07.012
14Xu, S.P., Li, Y.S. (2018). Fisetin inhibits pristine-induced systemic lupus erythematosus in a murine model through CXCLs regulation. International Journal of Molecular Medicine. 42:3220-3230. doi:10.3892/ijmm.2018.3903
15Currais, A., Prior, M., Dargusch, R., Armando, A., Ehren, J., Schubert, D., Quehenberger, O., & Maher, P. (2014). Modulation of p25 and inflammatory pathways by fisetin maintains cognitive function in Alzheimer’s disease transgenic mice. Aging Cell. 13:379-390. doi:10.1111/acel.12185
16Currais, A., Farrokhi, C., Dargusch, R., Armando, A., Quehenberger, O., Schubert, D., & Maher, P. (2018). Fisetin reduces the impact of aging on behavior and physiology in the rapidly aging SAMP8 mouse. Journals of Gerontology: Series A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences. 73(3):299-307. doi:10.1093/gerona/glx104
17OSU 2010: Oregon State University. (2010). Cucumber Bitterness Explained. July. Retrieved from https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/cucumber-bitterness-explained
18Shang, Y., Ma, Y., Zhou, Y., Zhang, H., Duan, L., Chen, H., Zeng, J., Zhou, Q., Wang, S., Gu, W., Liu, M., Ren, J., Gu, X., Zhang, S., Wang, Y., Yasukawa, K., Bouwmeester, H.J., Qi, X., Zhang, Z., Lucas, W.J., & Huang, S. (2014). Biosynthesis, regulation, and domestication of bitterness in cucumber. Science. 346(6213):1084-1088. doi:10.1126/science.1259215
19Kaushik, U., Aeri, V., & Mir, S.R. (2015). Cucurbitacins: An insight into medicinal leads from nature. Pharmacogn Rev. 9(17):12-18. Doi:10.4103/0973-7847.156314
20Zhong, Y., Xu, H., Zhon, Y., Zhang, X., Zeng, T., Li, L., Xu, G., Li, M., Liu, J., & Yang, T. (2019). Identification and characterization of the Cucurbitacins, a novel class of small-molecule inhibitors of Tropomyosin receptor kinase a. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 19:295. Doi:10.1186/s12906-019-2709-z
21Alghasham, A.A. (2013). Cucurbitacins: A promising target for cancer therapy. International Journal of Health Sciences. 7(1):77-79
22NDTV Food. (2017). 3 Simple Ways to Remove Bitterness from Cucumber. Oct 3. Retrieved from https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/3-simple-ways-to-remove-bitterness-from-cucumber-1689573
23Mayo Clinic. (2019). Chronic Stress Puts Your Health at Risk. March 19. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037
24Medical News Today (2019). Fat in soil bacteria may protect against stress. May 31. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325357
25Science Daily. (2016). Why Insect Pests Love Monocultures, and How Plant Diversity Could Change That. UC Davis. Oct 12. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/10/161012134054.htm
26UC Berkeley Greater Good Science Center. (2017). 4 Ways Social Support Makes You More Resilient. Nov 13. Retrieved from https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/four_ways_social_support_makes_you_more_resilient
Last Updated 7/12/20
