Cucumbers are a "regular guest" on the family dining table, known as a "commoner's vegetable." They are crisp, sweet, juicy, and offer great value for the price. Additionally, they have benefits for beauty, weight loss, diuresis, and disease prevention. However, most people are in the habit of discarding the cucumber blossom end when eating or cutting cucumbers, which is actually a waste! The cucumber blossom end contains more cucurbitacin, and its bitter component, cucurbitacin C, is a rare food for detoxification and beauty.
When people eat cucumbers, they often discard the blossom end because of its bitterness. In fact, this bitterness is caused by a substance called cucurbitacin, and cucurbitacin C is a valuable detoxifying and beautifying substance. More importantly, cucurbitacin can prevent fatty degeneration of liver cells and inhibit hepatic fibrogenesis, thereby helping to prevent primary liver cancer.
How to eat the cucumber blossom end to prevent liver cancer
To preserve the cucurbitacin, we can mince fresh cucumber blossom ends and eat them cold; we can also juice the entire cucumber, including the blossom end, to drink for liver cancer prevention.
1. Mince and eat cold
When making cold dishes, try to mince the cucumber blossom end as finely as possible, then mix it with the cucumber into the dish.
2. Juice and drink
Put the cucumber and its blossom end into a juicer to blend into cucumber juice. Drinking it daily provides better beauty benefits.
Besides the blossom end, what other nutrients do cucumbers have? "Compendium of Materia Medica" records that cucumbers have the effects of clearing heat, quenching thirst, promoting urination, and reducing swelling.
Cucumbers are also a "slimming food." They contain cellulose, which helps promote intestinal peristalsis, accelerate excretion, and lower cholesterol. Cucumbers are very low in calories, making them an ideal dietary vegetable for people with high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and diabetes complicated by obesity.
The benefits and effects of cucumbers
1. Anti-tumor
Cucurbitacin C in cucumbers can enhance the human immune system to achieve an anti-tumor effect. In addition, this substance can also treat chronic hepatitis and persistent hepatitis, and it can extend the survival period of patients with primary liver cancer.
2. Anti-aging
Cucumbers are rich in vitamin E, which can play a role in prolonging life and anti-aging. The cucumber enzyme in cucumbers has strong biological activity and can effectively promote the body's metabolism. Applying cucumber juice to the skin can moisturize it and smooth out wrinkles.
3. Prevent alcohol poisoning
The alanine, arginine, and glutamine in cucumbers have a certain auxiliary therapeutic effect on patients with liver diseases, especially those with alcoholic cirrhosis, and can prevent alcohol poisoning.
4. Lower blood sugar
The glucosides and fructose in cucumbers do not participate in normal sugar metabolism. Therefore, diabetics can use cucumbers instead of starchy foods to satisfy their hunger, and their blood sugar will not rise; it may even decrease.
5. Weight loss and body strengthening
The malic acid in cucumbers can inhibit the conversion of carbohydrates into fat. In addition, the cellulose in cucumbers helps to promote the elimination of putrefactive substances in the human intestine and lower cholesterol, which can strengthen the body.
6. Brain-nourishing and mind-calming
Cucumbers contain vitamin B1, which is beneficial for improving the function of the brain and nervous system. It can calm the mind, stabilize the will, and assist in treating insomnia.