Cucumbers are all too common on our dinner tables. Crisp and delicious, full of moisture, and not low in nutritional value, it contains a variety of vitamins and minerals, which are great for the body.
However, there is some minor controversy about cucumbers, especially those with flowers. Some people worry that this may be a "hormone melon", doesn't it sound a little scary? Actually, it's just a big misunderstanding.
Hormone melon?
The so-called "hormone melon" is thought to be a cucumber that is born with hormones. This statement actually comes from a misunderstanding of plant growth regulators.
These regulators are not hormones, they are a class of chemicals that promote or inhibit plant growth.
These things are both synthetic and extracted from natural plants, and they are used to help crops grow better, produce more, and be of better quality.
Scientific studies have shown that one of the miraculous genes in cucumbers, the all-female gene, is what gives cucumbers new and wonderful abilities.
This gene, called ACS1G, is busy in the early stages of cucumber flower bud development, working hand in hand with another gene, ACO2, which determines the formation of female flowers.
This breakthrough discovery provides valuable molecular clues to our understanding of how cucumbers are sexually differentiated.
In addition, the cucumber breeding team from Shanghai Jiao Tong University explored the secret of how ethylene promotes female flower differentiation. Through their efforts, the intricate regulatory network in the process of cucumber sex determination has gradually become clear.
Many people may frown when they hear the words "plant growth regulator", worrying if this is another chemical that is harmful to the human body.
But in fact, plant growth regulators are safe as long as they are used strictly in accordance with the dosage, period, and method of use on the label. This is also confirmed by research by the Institute of Plant Protection of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
Compared to herbicides, fungicides or insecticides, the dosage of plant growth regulators is actually very low, so you don't have to worry too much when buying cucumbers with flowers.
Of course, you can't use too much of any good thing. Plant growth regulators, if used incorrectly, such as in excessive amounts, may not only affect the yield and quality of plants, but may even cause harm to the environment.
Therefore, for agricultural producers, complying with regulations and using growth regulators rationally is the basic requirement to ensure food safety and environmental protection.
Cucurbitacin in cucumbers
Cucurbitacin is not an artificially added chemical, but a naturally occurring component of cucumber over a long evolutionary process.
Cucurbitacin is mainly hidden in the leaves and fruit stalks of cucumbers, and is their super "bodyguard", helping cucumbers resist the harassment of small insects.
In addition to defending against pests, it also involves the ability of cucumbers to grow, develop, reproduce and even adapt to various environments. But with such a powerful cucurbitacin, people are often worried about whether it will have health effects.
Especially now that food safety is becoming more and more of a concern, this concern seems to be justified.
Although cucurbitacin has a slightly bitter taste (which is also a "housekeeping skill" of its insect prevention), it is safe for the human body and will not have any bad effects under the amount of cucumber we eat normally.
If you really eat too much, for example, if you eat cucumbers all day long, you may have a bit of nausea and vomiting side effects, this is because the high concentration of cucurbitacin will stimulate our gastrointestinal tract.
But this situation is really rare, because the cucurbitacin content in cucumbers is not high in the first place.
Different varieties of cucumbers have different levels of cucurbitacin content. Even for the same cucumber, the amount of cucurbitacin will vary at different growth stages and environmental conditions.
For example, in the adversity of drought or high temperatures, cucumbers may produce more cucurbitacin in order to better adapt to the environment.
So how to reduce the intake of cucurbitacin when eating cucumbers? In fact, it is very simple, just remove the cucumber skin and fruit stem, because these two parts of cucurbitacin are relatively more. In addition, proper cooking of cucumbers also helps as cucurbitacin breaks down during heating.
Protect heart health
Summer is coming, and when it comes to relieving the heat, how can we miss cucumbers? Not only because it is refreshing and delicious, but also because it contains a lot of nutrients that are beneficial to the body. In particular, its potassium content is particularly helpful for our heart health.
What you may not know is that potassium is one of the indispensable electrolytes in our body, especially for heart function and blood pressure.
Potassium helps the heart muscle contract normally and keep the heart rhythm stable, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease.
In addition, potassium can also work together with sodium to help maintain the balance of water and salt in our body, control blood pressure, and avoid the high blood pressure caused by too much sodium.
When it comes to the potassium content of cucumbers, cucumbers contain about 147 mg of potassium per 100 grams. Although this number is not particularly high, after all, it is not as good as a root vegetable such as potatoes, but considering the low-calorie and high-moisture characteristics of cucumbers, it is already very good.
Especially in the hot summer, everyone loses a lot of potassium through sweat, and eating cucumbers can well replenish this part of the lost potassium, and at the same time, you can also feel the refreshment of a bite.
In addition to potassium, cucumbers also have a good stuff called vitamin K, which is especially beneficial for blood clotting and heart function. Cucumbers contain about 16 micrograms of vitamin K per 100 grams, which is about 20% of the recommended daily intake for adults.
This means that eating cucumbers consistently will not only help us maintain blood flow, but also keep our heart functioning healthily.
Promotes detoxification
Cucumbers have a water content of up to 96.7%!making them a hydrating and detoxifying superfood.
On a hot summer day or after an intense workout, a crisp cucumber can not only quickly replenish lost water, but also help the body get rid of unwanted garbage.
Moreover, cucumber also has a special ingredient - cucumber acid, which is a good thing. It can promote the peristalsis of our intestines, speed up the discharge of waste products from the body, and help the body detoxify better.
In addition, cucumber also has a good diuretic effect, which can help clean the urethra and promote the kidneys to excrete toxins from the urinary system. You see, eating cucumbers can not only quench your thirst, but also clean up the environment inside and out.
Cucumber is also rich in vitamins A, C, K and some important minerals such as magnesium, silicon, potassium, etc., which are very helpful for our body's metabolism and immune function.
Therefore, cucumber is not just a simple cold dish or snack, whether it is eaten raw, made into a delicious salad, or combined with other ingredients to make a salad, cucumber is a very good choice.
Antioxidant effect
What you may not know is that cucumbers are also hiding a bunch of surprising antioxidant substances.
The vitamin C in cucumber can not only help us neutralize those troublesome free radicals and slow down cell aging, but also promote collagen synthesis, which is super helpful for maintaining skin elasticity and health.
In addition, the β-carotene in cucumber is not simple, it can be converted into vitamin A in the body, which is involved in visual protection, immune function enhancement and cell growth regulation.
Flavonoids, a secondary metabolite of plants, are also uncommon in cucumbers. Flavonoids not only help with anti-inflammatory, but also have antibacterial, antiviral, and antitumor potential, making them versatile.
Scientific studies have shown that these antioxidants are effective in fighting oxidative stress, a condition triggered by an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants that can lead to structural and functional damage to cells.
Long-term oxidative stress can even accelerate the aging process and is associated with the development of several chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and certain types of cancer.
The antioxidants in cucumber work through a variety of mechanisms, such as reducing DNA damage, blocking the chain reaction of lipid peroxidation, and enhancing the activity of antioxidant enzymes, thereby helping to reduce the risk of these diseases.
In addition, cucumbers contain a variety of beneficial natural molecules, such as flavonoids, isoflavones, tannins and polyphenols, which have excellent antioxidant properties and can help improve cardiovascular and nervous system health.
Therefore, adding some cucumber to your daily diet can not only replenish necessary water and nutrients, but also use its antioxidant effect to help us resist environmental stress, maintain good health, and prevent the occurrence of diseases.
This cucumber is indeed to be eaten sparingly
Eating cucumbers is not without being particular, especially on an empty stomach. You may not know that although cucumbers have a high water content and look refreshing and harmless, if you eat cucumbers on an empty stomach, especially for those friends with a cold constitution, it may make your spleen and stomach uncomfortable, and even aggravate the cold in the body, resulting in spleen and stomach dysfunction, feeling stomach discomfort and even diarrhea.
Even for those healthy people with normal physique, it is not recommended to eat too much at one time, and it is advisable to control it to no more than 1 stick per day.
Let's talk about the cleaning of cucumbers. Many people may think that cucumbers can be eaten directly, after all, the appearance is so green and very attractive.
But did you know that during the growing, picking, transportation and marketing of cucumbers, these seemingly fresh cucumbers can be contaminated with various microorganisms, such as E. coli, dysentery bacillus, and even pathogens such as roundworm eggs?
Therefore, if you want to eat cucumbers safely, you can't be sloppy in the early cleaning work. After washing, it is best to peel off the cucumber skin before eating, which will minimize the intake of possible germs.
In addition, for those who have a weak spleen and stomach, or who are suffering from cold and cold, have a severe cough, or often have abdominal pain and diarrhea, eating raw cucumber may aggravate the symptoms.
Because cucumbers are cold, raw food may cause a certain burden on the spleen and stomach. Therefore, this part of the population should be more cautious when eating cucumbers, and it is best to eat them after cooking, which can not only reduce the coldness of the food, but also retain the nutrition and taste of cucumbers.
References are as follows:
[1] [China Science News] The "truth" of plant growth regulators
【2】张忠华教授在《The Plant Cell》发表论文揭示黄瓜全雌基因分子作用机制
[3] Research progress on cucumber gender differentiation
[4] Molecular mechanism of cucumber sexual differentiation