Who wouldn’t like to munch on the crunchy, cooling cucumber? Add it to your salads, pasta, or sandwich or just grill them with a seasoning of your choice! You can even bake them like your favorite potato chips! Though it offers a wide array of goodness, it also has many side effects. An embarrassing belch and an itchy skin are two of the most commonly reported negative impacts of eating cucumber.
I love cucumbers. They used to be my all time favorite snack and even a complete meal with protein packed sprouts. However, I developed sinusitis and ignoring the fact that eating cucumbers worsened the condition, I continued to munch on them. I just tried refraining from them for a while and the result was astonishing – my chronic sinusitis vanished. This is just one of the side effects of cucumber. There are many more!
Some Side Effects Of Cucumber
Just read on to know what more unwelcoming reactions your favorite veggie gives, which in turn will help you find an alternative way of enjoying it.
It Could Prove To Be Toxic
The presence of the toxins, such as cucurbitacins and tetracyclic triterpenoids in cucumber is a thing to worry about. Studies have proven that these elements trigger the bitter taste in these wonderful veggies. Researches point out that consuming cucumber beyond moderation could even be life threatening.
Excessive Loss Of Fluid:
Cucumber seeds are the source of cucurbitin, an ingredient that is known to possess innate diuretic properties. Even though the diuretic nature is mild, excessive intake could prove to be less harmful for you. When ingested in large quantities, this diuretic ingredients result in excessive elimination of fluid from your body, hampering the electrolytic balance. In extreme conditions, it could leave you gravely dehydrated!
Side Effects Of Excessive Vitamin C:
Vitamin C is an immune boosting element. Plus, it plays a major role in preventing and combating various health conditions, including flu and scurvy. It is also a powerful antioxidant. Nevertheless, exceeding the recommended limits come with its own set of harmful effects. Vitamin C, when ingested in extremely large quantities, acts like a pro-oxidant against its innate anti-oxidative nature. This, in turn, triggers the growth and spread of free radicals. And, when free radicals roam around, you will be at a higher risk of cancer, acne, premature aging, and so on.
Harmful For Renal System:
Hyperkalemia is a medical condition that arises due to the presence of high potassium content in the body. It leads to bloating, abdominal cramps, and intestinal gas, initially. The condition worsens over the time, hampering the functioning of the kidneys in an effective way. This, in turn, puts your renal system at the risk of succumbing to damages.
Watch Your Heart:
Cucumber, as you all know, contains more than 90% of water in it. And drinking excess leads to excessive ingestion of this fiber loaded veggie. The higher the water intake, the higher the net volume of blood will be. This, in turn, exerts pressure on the blood vessels and on the heart. The result – your heart and blood vessels will incur unwanted damages. Excessive presence of water could also create an imbalance in the electrolyte levels of the blood, which actually causes the seepage in cells. This will lead to frequent headaches and obstructed breathing.
Milk Allergy:
This sounds weird, but true. Many a time, farmers use wax to coat the skin of these fragile veggies to safeguard it from insects as well as shipping damages. Wax is made up of numerous ingredients, including milk casein, soaps, and ethyl alcohol. People who are allergic to milk can demonstrate an allergic reaction to milk casein as well.
Bloating And Flatulence:
Cucumbers, as mentioned above, contain an ingredient called cucurbitacin. This element can trigger indigestion in certain people, especially if they have a sensitive digestive system. Indigestion triggers bloating and flatulence, which your body tries to eliminate in the form of burps and farts. If you form gas in your stomach by eating onions, cabbage, and/or broccoli, then it is advisable to restrict the consumption of cucumbers as well.
Oral And Skin Allergy:
Study conducted by the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology on the allergic reactions of cucumber on human beings suggest that people who are allergic to ragweed pollen, melons, chamomile tea, bananas, and sunflower seeds could also experience allergy after consuming this green skinned veggie. Even though cooking or grilling cucumbers could possibly remove this threat, it is better to substitute zucchini for the same to avoid allergies.
It May Cause Sinusitis:
If you have sinusitis or any kind of chronic respiratory conditions, then it is advisable to stay away from eating cucumber. If Ayurvedic practitioners are to be believed, the cooling effects of these veggies aggravate such conditions, leading to complications.
Cucumber During Pregnancy:
While cucumber is generally considered safe during pregnancy, there are certain conditions which could make you uncomfortable if cucumbers are consumed excessively.
The diuretic nature of these veggies will trigger frequent urination, leaving you irritated and uncomfortable.
Cucumbers are good sources of fiber and hence, uncontrolled portions could leave you bloated. You might also experience a distended tummy along with abdominal pain.
Gassiness
Traditional cucumbers contain a compound called cucurbitacin, which provokes indigestion in some people. Look for “burpless” varieties in the supermarket. If you grow your own, seek out seed catalogues offering burpless cucumber seeds. Breeders removed cucurbitacin from some varieties of cucumber, resulting in less gas and a less bitter taste. If your can’t find this variety of cucumber, or indigestion continues to be a problem, Drugs.com recommends vegetable or vegetable dishes with a “no gas” reputation, including winter squash, summer squash, carrots and vegetable soup. Other veggies that provoke gassiness in some people include cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, green peppers, corn and onions.
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Allergies
Swelling or hives around your mouth, throat and tongue commonly occur with oral allergy syndrome. You may also experience itchy skin. If you have an allergy to ragweed, cucumbers may also cause allergic reactions, according to American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology. A phenomenon known as cross-reactivity explains why some people with ragweed pollen also experience allergic symptoms after eating certain foods. Cucumbers fall into the ragweed cross-reactivity group, as do melons, sunflower seeds, chamomile tea and bananas. Cooking the foods usually removes the threat of allergic reactions. Since cucumbers are traditionally served fresh, however, you may find it easier to find another crisp vegetable for your salad, such as raw zucchini.
Some people wonder if the waxy finish found on supermarket cucumbers contains harmful chemicals. The artificial wax coatings replace the natural waxiness on certain vegetable skins, including cucumbers, that are often lost in the handling of field-to-market produce. The system helps cucumbers retain moisture and resist mold growth or bacterial disease in the shipping process. Wax coatings are food-grade and considered safe, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The waxes may be shellac, vegetable, beeswax or petroleum-based. If you have sensitivity to any of those products, cucumber skins could theoretically cause side effects. Scrub or peel the cucumbers before eating, or buy non-waxed cucumbers from farm stands or organic produce dealers.
Here are a few handy tips that you could try to avoid the aforementioned side effects of eating cucumbers.
Wash the cucumber thoroughly under running water.
Ensure to remove the peels of the cucumber to safeguard yourself and your family from the toxins hidden on the peels.
If you find that raw cucumbers are giving you a tough time, then try sautéing or grilling the same.
The saying ‘too much of anything is good for nothing’ seems to be quite appropriate here. The ideal quantity of daily intake varies from person to person. Next time you want to eat cucumber, keep in mind these negative effects of this cooling fiber rich veggie.
Have you ever experienced any negative effects after eating cucumber? Share your views with us in the comments section below.
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