Cucumber has a moderate iron content. A cucumber contains up to 0.62 mg of iron, or slightly more than 3% of the recommended daily intake.
Health benefits of iron
Iron is necessary for good health. It’s a key component of hemoglobin, which is a protein of red blood cells that transfers oxygen from the lungs to the tissues.
Additionally, iron supports muscle metabolism and healthy connective tissue. Also, it’s crucial for energy metabolism, cellular functioning, physical growth, neurological development, and the synthesis of some hormones, amino acids, and collagen.[1,2]
But, iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide! It may lead to serious side effects, such as gastrointestinal disturbances, impaired cognition, weakened immune function, fatigue, and low body temperature. Moreover, iron deficiency during pregnancy increases the risk of premature delivery, and miscarriage.[3]
How much iron do we need a day?
The recommended daily intake of iron is 18 mg for women and 8 mg for men. Women require much higher doses due to menstruation period.
Pregnant women require high iron dosages of 27 mg a day. On the other hand, women older than 51 years require only 8 mg of iron.
It may be tricky for women of reproductive age to get all the iron they need from food alone. They may benefit from taking iron supplements. You’ll find a wide variety of iron supplements on iHerb.
What’s the iron content of cucumber?
Cucumber is low in iron. It has only 0.22 mg of iron per 100g.
A small, medium, and large cucumber has about 0.35 mg, 0.44 mg, and 0.62 mg of iron, respectively. Therefore, a large cucumber can provide approximately 3% of the recommended daily intake of iron.[4]
Cucumber pickles have a moderate iron content as well. Pickles contain about 0.26 mg of iron per 100g.
Other common foods high in iron
Common foods high in iron are meat, poultry, fish, eggs, whole cereals, legumes, beans, as well as certain fruits and vegetables.
Regular consuming of beans is the easiest way to really boost iron intake. White beans with 44% DV (Daily Value per serving), lentils (17% DV), tofu (17% DV), kidney beans (11%), and chickpeas (11% DV) are great dietary sources of iron!
Spinach has a good iron content as well. A serving provides 17% of the recommended daily intake!
Actually, there are many plant-based foods containing decent amounts of iron, which can help us meet our daily needs. For instance, a serving of cabbage provides about 2.5% of the recommended daily intake. Potatoes and chocolate are also favorite foods high in iron!
Last, but not least, you could boost your daily iron intake by drinking certain fruit juices!
Why should I eat cucumber daily?
Cucumber has many health benefits. It’s low in calories, carbs, and sugars. Therefore, even people with diabetes and people who follow a ketogenic diet can consume it regularly.
Moreover, cucumber is great for weight loss. As it’s rich in fiber and contains some protein, it can keep us full for a long time, helping us consume fewer calories in a day.
In addition, cucumber hydrates the body. It’s almost 97% purified water. It contains electrolytes as well.
Most noteworthy, cucumber has a cleansing action within the body. It helps remove old waste materials, chemical toxins, and heavy metals.[5,6]
