The cucumber is a herbaceous plant , with the scientific name Cucumis sativus . It belongs to the group of cucurbits , like melon and pumpkin .
It is interesting to know that its etymological origin is found in Greek. Specifically, it derives from the word "pépon", which means "ripe". It was used in an expression that was "pépon sikyos", which can be translated as "ripe cucumber."
Its stems are hairy and creeping and can measure up to three meters long. This vegetable has petiolate leaves, yellowish flowers and a cylindrical, pulpy fruit that is edible . The concept of cucumber, in fact, is usually used to refer specifically to the fruit of the plant .
Cucumbers are first green on the outside, and then turn yellow as they ripen. Inside, however, they are white and contain numerous small oval seeds .
The fruit is harvested before maturity: that is, when it is still green. It can be consumed raw in salads or as an ingredient in sandwiches and hamburgers .
We also have to emphasize that it is one of the main ingredients of the popular Spanish dish known as gazpacho. This is a cold soup that is widely consumed during the summer and is made with cucumber, tomato, bread, olive oil, salt and egg, mainly.
Many people include cucumber in their diet and do so because it is considered to have important health benefits. Specifically, among the most significant we can highlight the following:
-It provides very few calories, since 95% of it is water. Precisely for this reason it works when it comes to avoiding fluid retention.
-It is very rich in vitamin K. Although it also provides vitamin C and vitamin B1.
-It is also considered to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
-Helps prevent constipation.
-It is believed that it is a very good food to prevent and combat cancer.
-In the same way, cucumber is very useful for keeping the heart in perfect condition and helps reduce blood pressure.
In addition to everything indicated, it must be established that there are several types of cucumber such as the common one; the Japanese, which is more elongated and has dark green skin; the Dutch, which is ideal for salads; and the Persian, which is the one used to prepare detox juices .
A very popular option is to consume cucumber as a pickle (preparing it in brine). In this case, the cucumber is known as gherkin . It is also possible to coat raw cucumbers and fry them or use them in making soup .
Holoturia , on the other hand, is called sea cucumber . It is an echinoderm animal with a soft and elongated body that lives on the seabed.
Sea cucumber is used in gastronomy , especially in Southeast and East Asia . It is usually prepared stewed or in soups .
Cucumber, finally, is something without value or importance . For example : "I don't give a damn what that man says!" "Juan didn't give a damn about what I told him last night."