The plain jane cucumber. The cucumber is perhaps the most underestimated vegetable. Well, after you read this article I'm sure your ideas about the cucumber will change. The cucumber is actually quite a nutritious, healthy and tasty vegetable-a must for health and fitness. Check out some of these cucumber benefits, and then try out my own personal recipe: Salad Cucumber á La VinBar.

Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar Health Benefits

The cucumber is a vegetable that belongs to the same family as pumpkins, zucchinis and other squashes. When its dark green skin is peeled, a whitish or light green flesh can be seen. Pickles come in two main varieties: pickling and slicing. Of these, the pickling variety is relatively small, around 2 - 4 inches long. The most famous cucumber benefit is how they make you feel cool, including the coolness they give to the eyes, especially in the summer. However, they are associated with a number of other health and nutrition benefits too. To know about them, read on.

Vitamin and Nutritional Info for Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar

Below are the amounts of nutrients in 100 gm (a little more than 3 ounces) of the raw, unpeeled cucumber in Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar: Carbs - 3.63 gm, Sugars - 1.67 gm, Dietary Fiber - 0.5 gm, Fat - 0.11 gm, Protein - 0.65 gm, Thiamin (Vitamin B1) - 0.027 mg, Vitamin B2(Riboflavin) - 0.033 mg, Niacin (Vitamin B3) - 0.098 mg, Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) - 0.259 mg, Vitamin B6 - 0.040 mg, Vitamin B9(Folate) - 7 mcg, Vitamin C - 2.8 mg, Calcium - 16 mg, Iron - 0.28 mg, Magnesium - 13 mg, Phosphorus - 24 mg, Potassium - 147 mg, Zinc 0.20 mg

Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar: the Healthy 'Side Effects'

- Cools the skin to reduce heat and inflammation.

- Cucumber is a diuretic which, when eaten, brings cooling and cleansing properties to the skin.

- Cucumber water is great for heartburn, sour stomach and can even ease ulcer pain. Here's where you can find my cucumber water recipe.

- Placing a cucumber slice over the eyes not only soothes them, but also reduces swelling.

- Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar fights eczeman, gout and arthritis, as it has anti-inflammatory properties.

- Lung, stomach and chest issues are eased by cucumbers.

- Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar moderates the blood pressure because of its potassium content.

- Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar contains erepsin, an enzyme that helps in protein digestion.

- Cucumber water and juice is said to promote hair growth, especially when it is added to the juice of carrot, lettuce and spinach.

- Cucumber water and juice can help ease rheumatism by cutting down excessive uric acid in the body, especially when taken with carrot juice.

- Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar is good for the teeth and gums, including cases of pyorrhea.

- Being rich in minerals, Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar helps prevent nail splitting of the fingers and toes.

- Cucumber is a restorative to the kidney, liver, pancreas and urinary tract.

- Those suffering from diabetes have been found to benefit from the consumption of cucumber/cucumber water and juice.

Finally, the delicious recipe you've been trying to get to, Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar:

- 2 whole scrubbed unpeeled slicing cucumbers (preferably organic, of course) - quarter cup white vinegar - salt and pepper to taste - 1 tsp raw sugar (Remember, if it's white, it ain't right!)

Mix together, allow to mix and marinate for a little while, then voilá, you've got delicious Salad Cucumber á La Vinbar. It's simple, but it's succulent! For a delicious, cooling effect on a hot summer day, try adding some fresh dill or cilantro.