Summertime and cucumbers go together. Cucumbers are nutrient-rich, cooling, and crisp, making them one of the healthiest foods you can eat. The ideal way to take cucumbers, which are rich in nutrients, vitamins, and electrolytes, is raw. Cucumbers are a crucial component of countless summer recipes, including sandwiches, salads, smoothies, and raita. In the summer, eating a light, healthy diet is crucial. Nutritionists frequently advise having a tonne of cooling cucumbers in your diet because cases of food poisoning and diarrhoea are more likely to occur in the summer than in the winter.
According to research, you should also make sure to drink a lot of water in this oppressive weather. Yet there seems to be disagreement among specialists over the clubbing of the two (cucumber and water). It's a frequent misconception that drinking water too soon after eating cucumbers is not advisable. So, does the widespread belief have any basis in reality, or is it just a myth? Let's check
Water makes up 95% of a cucumber's weight. Not just cucumber, experts advise avoiding drinking water after consuming any fruit or vegetable that is high in water, such as melons, pineapple, or strawberries. The majority of the advantages of consuming these water-rich fruits and vegetables could be reversed as a result. "Cucumber is loaded with critical nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin K, copper, magnesium, potassium, manganese, and most importantly silica, which is fantastic for skin and hair health," says Macrobiotic Nutritionist and Health Practitioner Shilpa Arora ND. Since water makes about 95% of cucumber, it makes little sense to have water and dilute these vital nutrients. For optimum nutritional absorption, it is always advised to avoid drinking water right before eating fresh vegetables and fruits. "Consumption of water immediately after having cucumber could increase GI motility and affect the natural process of digestion and absorption," says Ms. Priya Palan, Consulting Dietician, Zen Hospital, Chembur. The body maintains extra water in the colon as a result of the interaction between the fibre and water, which could interfere with the normal process.
The optimal pH level needed by the body to digest food is also thought to be disturbed by drinking water before or after consuming cucumber. The pH levels could be diluted by too much water, which could prevent the acids needed to break down food from working properly and ultimately result in poor digestion. If you struggle with digestive issues and issues like constipation, cucumbers are an excellent vegetable to eat in large quantities. It softens the poop and makes it easier for the digestive walls to absorb it. However, due to very smooth bowel movements, there is an increased risk of loose stools and diarrhoea if you drink more water on top of the cucumber. So go ahead and eat a lot of the nutrient-rich vegetables; just try to wait at least 20 minutes between eating cucumbers and downing a glass of water.