cucumber

Cucumber
Biological name: cucumis sativus
Family: cucurbitaceae
Other names:काकडी (marathi),खिरा (hindi).
cucumber  are used as vegetables but it is actually fruit.There are main varieties of cucumber  slicing,pickling, and burpless/seedless.cucumber originated from south Asia.cucumber is creeping vine that roots in ground and grows up trellises or other supporting frames wrapping around supports with thin tendrils.
The fruit of the plant is roughly cylindrical &elongated with both ends.cucumber consists of 95% water .Depending upon variety cucumber may have a mild melon flavors.
Varieties of cucumber :
1)Labanese cucumber: These ate small,smooth,skinned,and mild.These are nearly seedless cucumber.
2)East Asian cucumber:These are mild,slender & dark green in color and having a bumpy,ridged skin.
3)Persian cucumbers:These are mini,seedless  and slightly sweet available from Canada during the summer.
4)Belt Alpha cucumber:These are small ,sweet,parthenocarpic cucumbers adopted to dry climate of middle east.
5)Apple cucumber:These are short round grown in New Zealand and Europe.Light yellow to green in color &slightly sweet in flavor .
6)Kheera cucumber :  These are cucumber available in different regions of India .These are dark green in color and has thin skin.
7)Dosakaya or kekiri:These are smooth skinned or yellowish in color.
Cucumber cultivated for at least 3000 years.The cucumber originated from India.

Nutritional value of cucumber:
In 100 grams serving raw cucumber with peel is 95-96% of water,cucumber provides 16 kilocalories of food energy.It containing unsaturated aldehyde as (E,Z)-nona-2,6dienal and the cis-and trans-isomers of 2_nonenal. Slightly bitter taste due to cucurbitacins.
Uses of cucumber:
*In just a single cup of cucumber slices you will get 14% to 19% of vitamin K .you also get vitamin B and vitamin C with mineral's like copper,phosphorus,potassium &
Magnesium
*mostly cucumber used in salads.
*cucumber are low in calories and it containing 95%of water which making them ideal for promoting hydration.
*Cucumber containing Antioxidants .Antioxidants are molecules which blocks oxidation .cucumber rich in antioxidants that may reduce the risk of the oxidation due to free radicals.
*cucumber containing flavonoids &tennis.
*cucumber containing 95% of water which involved in process like temperature regulation and transportation of waste products and Nutrients in body.also help in proper hydration which helps in smooth metabolism.
*cucumber low in calories so it helps in weight loss.
*Cucumber has cooling effects which are good for eyes.

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