5 great reasons to stay hydrated with cooling cucumbers

Summer heat can take it out of you. One minute you’re having a great time and the next you’re so dehydrated you’ve lost all energy and gumption to do anything.

I’ve heard it said the one good thing about temperatures in the 100s is that it makes the temperatures in the 90s not feel so bad. And that’s true, but even in the 90s we have to remember to stay hydrated.

Why is hydration so important?

Our body is made up of about 78% water. Because of that we need to stay hydrated to keep things working properly.

Keeping our bodies well hydrated helps:

with our digestion.
gets rid of waste
lubricates our joints
with the production of saliva, which we need to eat.
balances the body’s chemicals, things like hormones and neurotransmitters.
delivers oxygen throughout our body
cushions our bones
regulates our body temperature, and
acts as a shock absorber for our brain, spinal cord and if your pregnant, for the fetus.

Cucumbers are a super yummy way to help you stay hydrated during the hot summer months.

I’m going to give you 5 great reasons why you should add cucumbers to your summer diet.

1. Cucumbers are naturally super hydrating

Cucumbers are 95% water and contain important electrolytes.

This is an important combination to help you prevent dehydration.

2. Cucumbers are naturally cooling

The energetics of a cucumber are cooling. So just eating them will make you feel cooler.

3. Cucumbers are super Nutritious

Cucumbers are full of nutrients and vitamins. They contain things like calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and vitamins C & K and more.

They’re also full of antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free radicals which, if left unchecked, can lead to systemic inflammation and chronic diseases.

4. Cucumbers are super easy to grow and there’s a vast variety to choose from.

And amazingly enough they grow prolifically in the exact part of the year that you need them most.

They’re easy to care for and can be overly abundant. That means you can easily grow enough for you and all your neighbors from just a few plants, with some left over to can as pickles for the rest of the year.

And if you’re not a fan of one variety there’s nearly a hundred other varieties to choose from.

5. They taste great.

They really taste great and add a yummy crunch to your recipes.

Their mild taste and crunchy texture makes them great for all kinds of salads or sandwiches.

Now that you have 5 great reasons to use cucumber to help you stay hydrated, here’s a few recipes for using them.

What about a super cool cucumber water.

Here’s a super easy recipe for a cooling summer water.

It’s really great as is or you can add things like lemon balm, peppermint or even some basil for a different and refreshing flavor.

Some strawberries, or blue berries might be pretty good too.

I gotta say I was surprised at how good cucumber water was. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Not just for the insides

You might be surprised to learn that cucumber isn’t just great for hydrating the insides.

You can use them to help hydrate your skin too.

They have a wonderful hydrating action for windblown, sunburnt or just simply dry skin.

Here’s an easy recipe to try for any of your skin that might need some soothing hydrating action.

Some folks can get belly aches from eating cucumbers. I always thought it was the peel that caused the indigestion and gas. But I’ve also heard it’s caused the by the seeds on the inside of the cucumber.

Either way, everything I’ve read says it can happen when you eat a lot of them. This issue started with me when I was using them as a snack when I was dieting. They’re crunchy, low in calories and tasted great and I was eating a LOT of them.

I guess it’s another case of “everything in moderation”.

Do you love cucumbers? Let me know what you think after trying a one or both of the recipes. I’d really love to hear what you think!