Is cucumber a berry, vegetable or fruit?
Is cucumber a berry, fruit or vegetable? Use and harm, application

Cucumber has become a familiar guest on our table.: what kind of vitamin salad will do without thinly sliced ​​green circles in it, but can you imagine winter preparations without it? This dweller of beds seems one of the simple and unpretentious friend gardener. He is familiar to each of us, but how much do we really know about this green vegetable, or maybe a fruit? Is cucumber a berry or a vegetable?

Is cucumber a berry, fruit or vegetable?

There is a lot of controversy about the true affiliation of cucumber to one of the types of plants. Someone calls it a vegetable, which is the most common opinion, someone - the fruit.

Referring to the genus of annual plants of the Pumpkin family, it really is a berry. This confirms the common myth of such an unusual origin of cucumber.

But at the same time it is very reasonably attributed to vegetable crops. In cooking, they are classified as vegetables.

No matter how familiar to our places cucumber seemed, in fact he is a native of fry and india at the foot of the himalayas, being the very tropical plant grown by the Egyptians and Hindus.

Nevertheless, in Russia he got accustomed with great success for himself.

Cucumber belongs to the pumpkin family and is a berry
Cucumber belongs to the pumpkin family and is a berry

Peculiarities of growing cucumbers

Cucumber is one of the most ancient vegetable crops, along with eggplants, beets and peas, which causes such a great variety of its varieties and types.

This representative of the plant world presented in the form of an elongated pumpkin. Often it has a rich emerald green color of the skin, covered with tubercles or pimples that are more familiar to us.

They are designed for breathing plants, and for the gardener are an indicator of the maturity of the fruit for pickling.

This crop can be grown in open ground or in a greenhouse. (greenhouse) seedling and seedless ways.

When planting in open ground due attention should be paid to the soil. It should be nourished and fertilized.

Experts of garden affairs advise planting cucumbers on a garden bed that was previously planted with cabbage, which will increase the quality of the crop.

Planting culture usually takes place in late Aprilwhen strong frosts are already behind, and their collection - from mid-August to late September.

Hothouse same way of cultivation guarantees usually more saturated in quantity and quality of the crop. Such fruits are juicier and more palatable and ripen one or two weeks earlier than their “non-celiac” relatives.

The most delicious and crunchy means unripe. You should not wait until it reaches its maximum size.

Mature and overripe fruits will be different watery taste and lack of the freshness that is required of them.

It can be grown both in open ground and in the greenhouse by seedling and seedless methods.
It can be grown both in open ground and in the greenhouse by seedling and seedless methods.

Useful properties for the body

A well-known fact is that cucumber is almost entirely made of water, namely 95%.

This makes it an excellent source of liquid, drinks from which on a hot day can replace any sweet carbonated water.The same quality leads to its benefit in accelerating metabolism or metabolism, removing slags and toxins from the body.

As well as a vegetable has the following useful properties:

  • is a great helper of the cardiovascular system, reducing blood pressure;
  • carries a light drainage effect;
  • useful in the prevention of diseases of the kidneys, liver and thyroid gland.

We must not forget about one of the main beneficial qualities of a vegetable: rejuvenation of the body. There are a great many cosmetic creams for the face and hands with an extract of this vegetable, as well as many recipes for masks based on it.

Vegetable contains 95% water, vitamins C and B, phosphorus, iodine, magnesium and iron
Vegetable contains 95% water, vitamins C and B, phosphorus, iodine, magnesium and iron

The rest of the composition is occupied by vitamins and minerals, the number of which can pleasantly surprise with its quantity.

This and vitamin C, familiar to everyone, as a source of maintaining immunity. AND B vitaminssupporting a stable state of the body.

And iodine, magnesium, iron and phosphoruswhich are important components of the body.

Dishes from it are a great help for those who aim to lose weight or just get healthier. So, per 100 grams of such a vegetable has only 16 calories.

And naturally no cholesterol and the fact that it can in large quantities worsen the condition of the body.

The program "About the most important" will tell about the benefits of the vegetable:

Is there any harm?

As already noted earlier, cucumber is a simple and familiar product for us, the use of which in reasonable quantities brings only benefit. But excessive eating it does not carry anything good.

There are a number of contraindications., knowledge of which will help protect against further consequences. There are only a few:

  • eating vegetables is contraindicated in diseases of the stomach with a high level of acidity;
  • special attention should be paid to vegetables bought in a supermarket or on the market. In poor quality fruits, the risk of heavy nitrates is high.

Benefits for expectant mothers and their children

Being a non-allergenic product, cucumber can be a great addition to the menu of pregnant women.

Dishes from it perfectly diversify the diet and improve the health of future mothers, speeding up the metabolism and having a laxative effect. This will help maintain weight normal.

Children can be taught to him from about one year old.starting to lure with small portions.

Non-allergenic vegetables can be included in the menu of pregnant women and children from the year
Non-allergenic vegetables can be included in the menu of pregnant women and children from the year

Use in cooking: recipes

The most common forms of cooking cucumbers are salting and pickling. We all are well aware of the long preparation of blanks for the winter.

In general, these Processes are represented by several stages.:

  • soaking fresh fruit in cold water for 6-8 hours;
  • sorting, allowing you to separate the good fruits from those with cracks and dark spots;
  • adding spices to taste (bay leaf, parsley, dill, pepper);
  • the process of pouring and rolling cans.

Salad with cucumber and kiwi and cucumber fresh cocktail:

Some interesting facts about cucumbers:

  • cucumber and melon - distant relatives;
  • cucumbers were brought to our lands in the 16th century;
  • a monument to a cucumber was erected in the city of Nezhin;
  • in Europe, cucumbers with thorns are called "Russians".
Thus, we can say that after passing through hundreds and thousands of years, cucumber remained and remains an excellent source of health, thanks to its rich composition and low calorie content.

And at the same time this culture is harmless if it is properly grown and use as intended.

It is very important to look closely to the simple, because it is usually more useful. And such a dweller beds is no exception.