Cucumbers provide an abundance of essential nutrients. They are an excellent source of vitamin K which aids calcium absorption. Furthermore, cucumbers also contain calcium, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium – all key bone health nutrients.
Studies show that cucumbers help strengthen cells and connective tissues to keep them hydrated and working at peak performance, potentially slowing the degradation associated with ageing.
Vitamin K
Cucumber (Cucumis sativus), one of the gourd family plants, has long been used as food. Made primarily of water, cucumber is also an important source of ascorbic acid and caffeic acid (antioxidants) as well as fatty acids and silica that contribute to maintaining healthy connective tissue.
Vitamin K is one of the most essential fat-soluble vitamins for bone health, helping osteocalcin reach its site in bone matrix for calcium absorption. Furthermore, Vitamin K prevents calcium depositing in soft tissues like arteries and veins. Studies have demonstrated a correlation between intake of Vitamin K1 and K2 with increased bone density and decreased risk of fracture for postmenopausal women.
This randomized double-blind controlled study’s primary aim was to assess the effect of oral cucumber extract supplementation in patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis pain as measured by Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Secondary objectives included changes in quality of life, functional mobility, isokinetic/isometric muscle strength changes and plasma levels of inflammatory/cartilage degradation biomarkers.
The cucumber extract used in this study consisted of 80% Cucumis sativus L, 18% maltodextrin, and 2% anhydrous colloidal silica as excipients. It was manufactured through an eco-friendly continuous water extraction process with advanced tangential flow filtration technology; finally yielding a dry powder with particle sizes below 5 microns as its final product.
Calcium
Calcium is an essential mineral for maintaining bone health. It can be found in bones and teeth where it provides structural integrity; blood, extracellular fluids, muscles and nerve cells where it facilitates muscle contraction, vasodilatation and nerve impulse transmission. Around 99% of calcium stored by our bodies resides within bones while the remainder resides elsewhere such as in blood or other tissues.
Cucumbers are one of the top alkaline foods, helping balance body’s pH levels and combat an acidic diet that contributes to osteoporosis and arthritis pain. Rich in vitamins K, C, potassium magnesium as well as phosphorus manganese copper; cucumbers offer great nutrition value!
Recent results of a randomized controlled trial demonstrated that oral supplementation of 20 mg/day natural cucumber extract (Cucumis sativus) for eight weeks reduced knee pain intensity measured using Visual Analogue Scale in patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Furthermore, cucumber extract significantly improved quality of life and mobility among study participants while simultaneously decreasing plasma levels of inflammatory biomarkers associated with cartilage degradation biomarkers.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is an essential mineral, used alongside calcium for building strong bones and teeth. Phosphorus also helps release energy in your body while playing an integral part in creating DNA and RNA, cell signaling pathways, nerve transmission, as well as DNA repair processes.
Human bodies contain the highest concentrations of phosphorus as phosphate (PO43-), with approximately 85% found in bone and teeth while remaining amounts can be found in blood, muscle tissue, organs and other locations. Phosphorus is required for normal cell functioning and its presence helps produce energy, protein production, cell signaling and mineral homeostasis regulation.
An optimal calcium/phosphorus ratio for bone health is one of 1:1; however, American diets far exceed this recommended amount with many of their intakes exceeding what’s necessary and much of this excess phosphorus coming from inorganic sources such as soda beverages, salad dressings and processed meats with high absorbable forms of inorganic phosphate additives – these high dietary phosphate intakes being linked with adverse effects on both animal and human metabolic studies.
Recent results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial demonstrated that supplementing with oral cucumber extract for 8 weeks resulted in significant improvements to pain, stiffness and functional knee strength and reductions in inflammation- and cartilage degradation-related biomarkers in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee as compared with placebo. This research proves that natural approaches like plant-based medicine offer safe and feasible approaches for improving joint health that complement conventional therapies.
Antioxidants
Though technically cucumbers are fruits, they’re commonly considered vegetables. That’s because cucumbers contain both vitamins A and C – two nutrients essential for bone health – with just one cup of diced cucumbers providing over 20% and 30% respectively of their recommended daily allowance of vitamin A and vitamin C respectively.
Studies have established a correlation between diets high in antioxidants and decreased risks for osteoporosis. Antioxidants appear to help decrease production of oxidative stress that leads to bone loss.
Cucumbers are an excellent natural source of several important antioxidants, including quercetin and kaempferol flavonoids. Furthermore, cucumbers provide ample vitamin K, essential for bone health and the prevention of osteoporosis.
One study demonstrated that patients experiencing early knee OA who supplemented with 20 mg/day of cucumber extract experienced less pain, improved quality of life, mobility and muscle function; plus decreased plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines like tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFa) and matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP-3).
Due to its cross-sectional design, this research cannot establish causality. However, other studies have revealed a correlation between higher intakes of certain vitamins, minerals and foods and greater bone mineral density over time, and slower rates of BMD loss over time. Furthermore, increased consumption of specific phytochemicals has been shown to stimulate bone formation while simultaneously inhibiting its breakdown.
