Medicinal plants

CUCUMBERS (Cucumis sp) are plants of the gourd family - Cucurbitaceae, to which some well-known fruits as the melons or the pumpkins belong. They are natives from the India and they already were used abundantly, together with the melons, in the old Egyptian culture. Later on, Greeks and Romans also consumed them habitually. It was so appreciated in the antiquity that Israelis in the exile complained to Moses about having lost the main luxuries of Egypt that, according to them, they thought to be cucumbers and melons. In recent times they appear as cultivated plants in warm climates in many countries of the world. Different species exist, some bigger ones used to eat fresh in salads (Cucumis sativus); other smaller ones, as the Indian species Cucumis anguria that is used as a species to put in vinegar. Some have a more exclusive use, as the Cucumis myriocarpus, a species from South Africa , with potent vomitive properties or the Arabic species Cucumis prophetarum that constitutes a strong purge. Besides these properties, they are used by the perfumery industry for their wealth in aromas to provide odour to certain products.

A detail of the fruit

The fruits of the ordinary cucumber (Cucumis sativus) are specially suitable for those who want to reduce weight. They are formed in 95% of water and possess scarce caloric value, ( about 20 calories for each 100 gr.) which makes them extremely light and suitable to combat the obesity. A diet of cucumbers in spring will be something very appropriate for people undertaking weight diets or suffering from serous accumulations in the extremities - edemas -. Cucumbers will also help them to detoxify the organism, purifying the blood by eliminating the uric acid, expelling the excess of water from the organism and, because of its laxative properties, and cleaning the intestine of fecal residuals. Cucumbers are very interesting for diabetes diet.

They constitute a good reinforcer of the intestinal mucous , reason why their consumption is very appropriate for those people who want to protect the stomach, although it is necessary to be cautions about chewing them very well, since, being very rich in cellulose, they can become indigestible if little chewed. Equally they are not very advisable for people with a delicate stomach or for those who have a tendency to suffer from diarrhea. Neither grown-ups should abuse of their consumption or those people suffering from intestinal gases. Except in these cases, in general, they constitute a very appropriate food to protect the stomach and to clean the bowels, by regulating the intestinal flora, a action due to a component called erepsine.

Cucumbers , for their wealth in water, vitamin E and natural oils, are one of the best remedies for the external care of the skin. Applied externally on it , they contribute with all their oils and water to soften and hydrate this organ, returning it all the freshness and texture it has had been losing as a consequence of the environmental aggressions or because of a natural degradation mainly caused by the action of the free radicals. Therefore it is very appropriate for skins that have suffered the consequences of a prolonged exposure to the sun. A good way to carry out a softening cream after being in the sun for a long time consists on crushing a couple of cucumbers with a blender and extending the crushed pulp in form of cream on the red skin during half an hour or so . This same treatment is very appropriate to alleviate skins suffering from skin spots, dermatitis or fire burns. The application of this pasta on faces affected by juvenile acne improves their aspect and reduces the number of pimples.

Besides the emollient properties for the skin, it is necessary to mention their cosmetic properties,so they can contribute to improve and rejuvenate the skin resemblance. Their external application on the skin reduces the wrinkles better than most of the most expensive creams in the market. A very appropriate cosmetic preparation to remove the wrinkles which , as stated in John Heinerman's " Encyclopedia of vegetable Fruits and Herbs" is a simple remedy which Cleopatra, a famous queen in Egypt, used:

CUCUMBER MASK 2 cucumbers, cut in slices without peeling. Half a glass of milk cream 1 spoonful of olive oil 1 spoonful of honey 1 spoonful of mud. Mix the ingredients with the blender. Cool during 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Clean the face and the neck with lemon and, without drying it , apply during one hour and a half a mask on the face and the neck. Clean it with milk cream, applying it in circular rubbings and allow it to dry to the air. Other masks for oily skin

 

The world of plants

Copyright ©1999-2009 Botanical-online SL. All rights reserved

Design:

www.dibujosparapintar.com