Friday, June 14, 2013

Do Cucumbers Have Carbs? 10 Important Facts to Know

Do cucumbers have carbs? Cucumbers make good salads. Moreover, it also makes a good appendage to veal or chicken, or pork. However in the world of dieting, how many carbs does a cucumber have? Do cucumbers have carbs? Is there any existing cucumber diet plan? Here are ten basic facts on the question: how many calories in cucumber?

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1. Cucumbers are the food of choice for on-the-go dieters. Cucumbers make good substitute for crackers dipped in rich spreads and dips. Moreover, cucumber is painstakingly easy to prepare. One can eat it fresh, with dip, or grilled or whatsoever. Cucumber can be a great meal for dieters and non-dieters alike because of its crisp taste and distinct flavour.

2. Do cucumbers have carbs? Half a cup of sliced cucumber reveals 8 calories and 2 grams of carbohydrates; with peel; and 7 calories and 1 gram of carbohydrates without peel. That would mean that both calories and carbohydrates are in too minute levels that it could not cause any concern.

3. One medium-sized cucumber can yield 9 grams of carbohydrates and 45 calories.

4. Cucumber is an excellent source of vitamin K. Vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamin that aids in blood clotting to prevent bleeding and blood-related diseases.

5. According to the American Diabetes Association, cucumbers contain very little carbohydrates. So your blood sugar is not an issue when you’ve consumed a lot of cucumbers than usual. Carbohydrates are directly responsible for giving you an upbeat sugar rush, but too much of it can cause distressing symptoms – and might even result to chronic degenerative diseases in the long run.
6. Fiber is the main source of carbohydrates in cucumber. Thus, totally, carbohydrate content is not an issue in cucumber. Fiber does not affect the blood glucose but it can even help clean the colon and aid in losing weight.

7. Fiber can never increase your blood sugar. Fiber passes through the body undigested. It is barely broken down to sugar molecules so it does not have the opportunity to enter the bloodstream. It goes through in and out of the digestive system intact.

8. Although cucumber couldn’t contribute much to carbohydrates and calories content, but your dip might. Watch where you’re dipping your cucumber, it might be a highly fatty spread with exceeding calories.

9. The carbohydrates in cucumber is only enough to fuel you, not fatten you.

10. Cucumber also has caffeic acid to ease skin irritations and inflammation. Now, do cucumbers have carbs? They do but it minute levels that it cannot affect blood sugar.