Bioactive Compounds in Cucumbers That Fight Heart Disease and Cancer
by Twain Yobra, Natural News:
We all know that cucumbers are good for weight loss. They contain fiber, lots of water and are low in calories. But did you know that eating cucumbers regularly can help fight cancer and heart disease?
Lucky for us, there’s no shortage of cucumbers. They are one of the most cultivated veggies in the world. And recent studies show that cucumbers can help treat different diseases. Even though they don’t contain lots of vitamins and minerals, they’re rich in bioactive compounds that have been proven very powerful.
According to research, these bioactive compounds have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antifungal, anticancer, radioprotective , antimicrobial, antioxidant, antihyperlipidemic, antihyperglycemic, and antihypertension properties. These properties enable cucumbers to fight diseases like cancer and heart disease.
Here are the bioactive compounds in cucumber and how they fight diseases.
Lignans
These are polyphenols which are usually found in veggies such as cabbage and Brussels sprouts. And now research shows that they can also be found in cucumbers. The 3 lignans in cucumber (pinoresinol, secoisolariciresino, and lariciresinol) haven been proven to fight different cancers such as ovarian, prostate and breast cancer. And they can also improve cardiovascular health.
One study found that these compounds can improve heart health and circulation since they reduce vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels.)
Cucurbitacins
These compounds can hinder growth of cancer cells. In fact, curcubitacins are so effective that researcher speculate they could be used as an anticancer drug in the future.
Cucurbitacins B can fight pancreatic cancer. This study shows that this compound can kill up to 80 percent of pancreatic cancer cells without significant signs of toxicity.
Legend has it that curcubitcans were traditionally used to fight diseases. These compounds can also be found in mushrooms, marine mollusks and so on.
96 percent of cucumber is water. The fact that cucumbers contain lots of water will also help keep you healthy. You have to be properly hydrated for organs to function properly.
And if the above benefits are not convincing, here are other benefits of cucumbers you may not know.
