Start Eating One Cucumber a Day, See What Happens to Your Body

4. Lower Blood Sugar

Uncontrolled blood sugar is the trigger behind diabetes, and the Type 2 variety is especially linked to diets high in sugar. Doctors now understand that even if you don’t yet have full-blown diabetes, a chronic high blood sugar level puts an incredible strain on the body and greatly increases your risk of developing the disease. This condition is called prediabetes, and hundreds of thousands of people have it without even knowing.

It just makes sense to take steps to control your blood sugar now. Several studies in animals and test tubes indicate that cucumbers may have the ability to reduce blood sugar levels and protect against diabetes. One animal study looked at the effects of several different plants on blood sugar levels, and cucumbers were found to reduce them. Another animal study concluded that cucumber peel extract can reverse diabetes-associated changes in mice with the disease.

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