Pin It Cucumbers contain many nutritional benefits, including hydrating properties and valuable nutrients.are classified as being for either slicing or pickling, according to Cornell University’s Growing Guide. Slicing cucumbers are cultivated to be eaten fresh, while pickling cucumbers are intended for the brine jar. Slicing cucumbers are usually larger and thicker-skinned than pickling ones.
While most people think of cucumbers as vegetables, they are actually a fruit. They contain seeds and grow from the ovaries of flowering plants. Cucumbers are members of the plant family Cucurbitaceae, which also includes squashes and melons. The most common type of slicing cucumber found in a grocery store is the garden cucumber, Cucumis sativus, according to World’s Healthiest Foods.
Nutritional profile
Cucumbers are good sources of phytonutrients (plant chemicals that have protective or disease preventive properties) such flavonoids, lignans and triterpenes, which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits, according to World’s Healthiest Foods. The peel and seeds are the most nutrient-dense parts of the cucumber. They contain fiber and beta-carotene, a form of vitamin A that is good for eyes, reports Livestrong.com. A study published in the Pakistan Journal of Nutrition found that cucumber seeds were a good source of minerals, and contained calcium.
“Cucumbers are naturally low in calories, carbohydrates, sodium, fat and cholesterol,” said Megan Ware, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Orlando, Florida. There are just 16 calories in a cup of cucumber with its peel (15 without). You will get about 4 percent of your daily potassium, 3 percent of your daily fiber and 4 percent of your daily vitamin C. They also “provide small amounts of vitamin K, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, manganese and vitamin A,” Ware said
Here are the nutrition facts for cucumbers, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which regulates food labeling through the Nutritional Labeling and Education Act:
| Principle | Nutrient Value | Percentage of RDA |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 15 Kcal | <1% |
| Carbohydrates | 3.63 g | 3% |
| Protein | 0.65 g | 1% |
| Total Fat | 0.11 g | 0.5% |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.5 g | 1% |
| Vitamins | ||
| Folates | 7 µg | 2% |
| Niacin | 0.098 mg | <1% |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.259 mg | 5% |
| Pyridoxine | 0.040 mg | 3% |
| Riboflavin | 0.033 mg | 3% |
| Thiamin | 0.027 mg | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 105 IU | 3.5% |
| Vitamin C | 2.8 mg | 4.5% |
| Vitamin E | 0.03 mg | 0% |
| Vitamin K | 16.4 µg | 13.6% |
| Electrolytes | ||
| Sodium | 2 mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 147 mg | 3% |
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 16 mg | 1.6% |
| Iron | 0.28 mg | 3.5% |
| Magnesium | 13 mg | 3% |
| Manganese | 0.079 mg | 3.5% |
| Phosphorus | 24 mg | 3% |
| Phosphorus | ||
| Zinc | 0.20 mg | 2% |
| Phyto-nutrients | ||
| Carotene-ß | 45 µg | -- |
| Crypto-xanthin-ß | 26 µg | -- |
| Lutein-zeaxanthin | 23 µg | -- |
Nutrition Facts
Protein & Amino Acids
Amounts Per Selected Serving
%DV
Protein
0.3
1%
2.6
9.9
10.9
15.1
15.1
3.1
2.1
9.9
5.7
11.4
22.9
5.2
12.5
21.3
102
12.5
7.8
10.4
~
Amounts Per Selected Serving
%DV
Vitamin A
54.6
1%
0.0
2.6
5.7
23.4
13.5
0.0
12.0
Vitamin C
1.5
2%
Vitamin D
~
~
Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol)
0.0
0%
0.0
0.0
0.0
Vitamin K
8.5
11%
Thiamin
0.0
1%
Riboflavin
0.0
1%
Niacin
0.1
0%
Vitamin B6
0.0
1%
Folate
3.6
1%
3.6
0.0
3.6
Vitamin B12
0.0
0%
Pantothenic Acid
0.1
1%
Choline
3.1
Betaine
0.1
Amounts Per Selected Serving
%DV
Calcium
8.3
1%
Iron
0.1
1%
Magnesium
6.8
2%
Phosphorus
12.5
1%
Potassium
76.4
2%
Sodium
1.0
0%
Zinc
0.1
1%
Copper
0.0
1%
Manganese
0.0
2%
Selenium
0.2
0%
Fluoride
Amounts Per Selected Serving
%DV
Total Carbohydrate
1.9
1%
0.3
1%
0.4
0.9
15.6
395
452
0.0
5.2
0.0
Amounts Per Selected Serving
%DV
Total Fat
0.1
0%
0.0
0%
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
~
2.6
0.0
14.6
0.0
2.6
~
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
~
~
0.0
2.6
~
~
0.0
0.0
~
~
~
0.0
~
14.6
~
~
~
~
~
~
2.6
~
~
0.0
0.0
0.0
~
~
0.0
~
~
0.0
~
0.0
0.0
~
~
~
2.6
14.6
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