Diabetes : Cucumbers - an excellent choice for diabetes patients

Duration: 2 minutes and 26 seconds

[Registered Dietician] Originally from South Asia, cucumbers are now grown across the globe and represent a versatile option to be used in the culinary sense as either a snack or salad. Comprised of 95% water, it is one of the least nutrient dense members of the vegetable family. The good news, however, is that even a vegetable that is relatively low in nutrients, still has a decent amount to offer nutritionally. Cucumbers contains several valuable nutrients including fiber, zinc, calcium, potassium, iron, and magnesium. These nutrients are not found in huge amounts, so we recommend you complement your diet with a variety of vegetables. Given that cucumber is generally well liked and easy to prepare, it's not unreasonable to consume multiple servings of cucumber in one sitting, and this will contribute beneficial nutrients to your diet.

In relation to diabetes, cucumber has a little to no impact on blood sugar levels and contains fiber which as part of a mixed meal helps contribute to a healthier blood sugar response, making it an excellent choice for diabetes management and diabetes prevention strategy.

[Endocrinologist] Cucumber is a non starchy vegetable with negligible impact on blood sugar levels. They contain fiber, which has a part of a mixed meal helps contribute to a healthier blood sugar response, making it a very suitable choice for diabetes management and or prevention strategy. Cucumber is a very low calorie food that has more than 96% water so they are filling and nutritious but not calorie dense. This high water, low calorie combination is great for weight management.

[Clinical Exercise Physiologist] If you or someone you know is trying to manage a chronic health condition, it's important to consider making healthy lifestyle choices. In conjunction with a prescribed exercise program, nutrition can also play a huge role in disease management recovery and mental health.

[Registered Dietician] For more information on the nutritional value of cucumber or how you can incorporate them in your diet, please reach out and speak to your local registered dietician.

Presenter: Dr. Akshay Jain, Endocrinologist, Surrey, BC

Local Practitioners: Endocrinologist