A nutritional expert has lifted the lid on the fruit he hails as a natural pick-me-up, boasting it’s packed to the brim with vitamins and minerals to beat fatigue.
Dr Blake Livingood enjoys quite the following with 177,000 fans on TikTok, where he dishes out regular health tips. Recently he’s shone a spotlight on cucumbers, touting their wealth of healthy benefits.
“They contain most of the vitamins and the minerals and the micronutrients that you need every single day all in one single vegetable,” he declared as reported by Surrey Live.
Dr Livingood was eager to share how cucumbers, packing B1, B2 and B3 vitamins, not only pep up your energy levels but bolster “lots of other processes” within the body. He further noted: “Then we’re getting minerals including calcium, magnesium and phosphorus that most people are deficient in.”
He also mentioned that many energy drinks rely on B vitamins and electrolytes to ramp up performance and energy, but these don’t compare to what you can get from natural sources. “We’re also getting extra fibre, which is going to aid in weight loss and make us more full,” he added.
Cucumbers were recommended by Dr Livingood especially for fighting that slump in energy in the latter part of the day, advising against energy drinks and caffeine-heavy options during that time.
His advice was straightforward: “Ignore sodas, simply pick up a cucumber.” The post prompted reactions, with one TikTok user sharing their own preference: “Cucumbers and hummus are my favourite lunch!” The user described a personal revelation through the video: “I never understood why I enjoyed it so much until hearing this. I am low in B vitamins which would explain why I crave it.”
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One person asked: “So how many cucumbers do you need to eat to get your daily recommended dose of these nutrients because the percentages for one cup is pretty damn low?” as the doctor responded “We recommend 1/2-1 cucumber per day!”
When it came to the age-old debate of whether a cucumber is a fruit or a vegetable, Dr Livingood clarified that it’s actually both. He responded to one sceptic: “Yes, botanically cucumbers are a fruit, and culinarily they are treated as vegetables!”
“Do you have to eat the skin?” another follower of Dr Livingood queried. His answer was: “We recommend keeping the skin on! You can peel it if you prefer, but it may not have the exact same nutrients listed in this video.”
Another TikTok user, intrigued by the effects of pickling the plant, received this explanation from the doctor: “Pickling has great benefits! They will not maintain all of the exact same vitamins and minerals, but it will be similar!”
Healthline backs up Dr Livingood’s advice, stating: “It’s high in beneficial nutrients, as well as certain plant compounds and antioxidants that may help treat and even prevent some conditions. Cucumbers are also low in calories and contain a good amount of water and soluble fibre, making them ideal for promoting hydration and aiding in weight loss.”
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