Monday, January 11

Who Knew?

The Amazing Cucumber
This information was in The New York Times several
weeks ago as part of their "Spotlight on the Home" series
that highlighted creative and fanciful ways to solve common
problems.

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every

day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2,

Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C,

Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated

soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source

of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick

pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower?

Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate

the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a

few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests

all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the

aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive

garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before

going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers

along your problem area for a few minutes, the photochemical in the

cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming

up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works

great on wrinkles too!!!

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a

few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed

and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins

and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost,

keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover

and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking

binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used

by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to

thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize

that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub

a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide

a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also

repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a

cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila,

the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for a massage, facial or

visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a

boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the

cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released

in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has

been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students

during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or

mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of

your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate

bad breath, the photochemical will kill the bacteria in

your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks

or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the

surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish

and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm

you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the

cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works

great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!


17 comments:

Fran aka Redondowriter said...

Well, this is all news to me, Judy. My MIL always put cucumbers in salad and she would cut the ends off and then rub the exposed cucumber with the ends. She said it took the acid out of the cucumber. Hmmm.

Gilly said...

Goodness! 13 facts I didn't know about cucumbers! I'm going to try that slug repellant in the spring!

Tabor said...

Amazing. It really does all this? Guess I should remember to carry a cucumber in my purse.

Arkansas Patti said...

Gosh, I hope it works in pickle form for that is the only way I can eat a cucumber--they don't like me.
I wonder about putting something in my stomach that will remove tarnish.

Granny Annie said...

Tabor, I want to be there when you spill your purse and the cucumber falls out! LOL

Judy, I've never heard of these and that last one could put Mr. Clean Magic Erasers out of business.

LL Cool Joe said...

I'm definitely going to try out some of these tips. Thank you. :)

Evil Twin's Wife said...

I love cucumbers and now I have loads of new reasons to keep loving them! Thanks!

robin andrea said...

I certainly didn't know any of this. Although, it did remind me that people used to put cucumbers on their eyelids to reduce puffiness.

Tracie Nall said...

Lots of great uses for cucumbers that I never knew about. I do love putting cucumber slices in ice water....very yummy!

Dianne said...

I'm off to buy cucumbers!! ;)

rosemary said...

Hum....do I really want to eat something that will kill slugs, remove cellulite and give me all of the vitamins I need if I ingest them?

Grannymar said...

Is this the new Vinegar?? LOL!

Looking to the Stars said...

Great tips! Thanks for sharing, I will be trying them out :)

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

On my trip to the grocery today - forgot to get some cucumbers!!

Pat said...

'Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated
soda and pick up a cucumber.'
And then what?
I've always found sliced ones good for tired eyes. I do eat them a lot but find then a bit boring.

Kay Dennison said...

Amazing!!!!!!

Maria said...

Who'd have thought the lowly little cucumber could star in so many ways.