native to: western Asia or Middle East
in season here: late summer
Cucumbers, Cucumis sativus, are members of the Cucurbitaceae family, along with melons and squash, and are technically fruits rather than vegetables. There are two basic types of cucumber: slicing, which are generally larger and have thicker skins (at least in the US), and pickling, which can also be eaten fresh but their smaller size makes them fit into jars more easily and their thinner skins let them absorb brine more readily.
Of course, lots of different foods can be pickled, but cucumbers are the most common these days, so let's consider pickles for a minute. The word "pickling" refers to keeping food from spoiling by soaking it in a liquid or fermenting it. Fermenting allows food to soak in a solution for long enough that microorganisms can cause changes such as the buildup of lactic acid. Salt is the main ingredient in such brines, although vinegar, dill, garlic, and lime (calcium hydroxide or calcium oxide, not the citrus fruit) are also common. Fermented pickles are often referred to as "brined pickles" but in fact some pickles are "quick brined" or "quick pickled" and not fermented -- vinegar or some other already-acidic solution preserves the food, not lactic acid. "Quick brining" produces pickles in just a few days, while properly fermented pickles take several weeks at least.
"Seedless" cucumbers are produced by parthenogenesis, in which the plant produces fruit without pollination and therefore seeds are not developed. If cucumbers make you belch, you may prefer a seedless variety or remove the seeds, but the seeds and skin do have more of certain nutrients than the pulp. Thin-skinned varieties of cucumber generally have fewer seeds than thicker-skinned types, so that's a possible compromise.
When cucumbers have to travel or be stored any length of time, they'll probably be waxed. Even organic cucumbers can be waxed, they just have to use chemical-free, non-synthetic wax. If wax is a concern, you're better off buying nice local cucumbers at the farmers' market or removing the peel from grocery store cukes. You can also try removing the wax by thorough washing with a vegetable brush. Waxed or not, conventionally-grown cucumbers are members of the "Dirty Dozen," the 12 fruits and vegetables most likely to have pesticide residues.
Cucumbers contain lignans that have been connected with reduced risk of cardiovasular disease and several kinds of cancer. They have also been found to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. They provide phytonutrients, vitamin K, molybdenum, pantothenic acid, copper, potassium, manganese, vitamin C, phosphorus, magnesium, biotin, vitamin B1, and silica (which is good for your nails). On top of all that, a cucumber is 95% water and contains important electrolytes, which makes it a great snack choice on hot days or when you're working hard. A couple of slices over the eyes is a popular folk remedy for puffiness, an effect achieved by the high water content and some caffeic acid. Cucumber slices are also supposed to be good for treating sunburn.
Read more:
label-style nutrition information for raw cucumber (with peel)
label-style nutrition information for dill pickles
whfoods
Medical News Today
Versión en español: this post is also available in Spanish.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
