Cucumber Smoothie Recipes and Nutrition

Cucumbers add a crisp, refreshing flavor and texture to fruit and green smoothies. Keep cucumber smoothie flavors simple by using delicate base fruits such as pears or apples and flavor fruits such as melons, papaya or orange.

Cucumber Nutrition and Health Benefits

Cucumbers are a good source of vitamin C and also contain vitamin A, molybdenum, folate, manganese, silica, potassium and magnesium. Cucumbers are an excellent source of dietary fiber.

Cucumbers are known for their ability to improve the complexion of skin and studies suggest that they can even help lower blood pressure.

Smoothie Recipes
Cucumber-Pear

1 cucumber
2 pears
2 cups fresh baby spinach (or other leafy green)
1/2 cup of water

Low Calorie Cucumber-Melon
1 cucumber
2 cups or 1/2 ripe honeydew melon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup water

Cucumber-Cantaloupe
1 cucumber
2 cups or 1/2 ripe cantaloupe
1 cup watermelon
1 teaspoon lime juice
2 cups fresh baby spinach (or other leafy green)
1/2 cup water

How To Select Cucumbers

Cucumbers should be firm and rounded at the edges. Avoid yellow or puffy cucumbers. Also watch out for ones that are wrinkled at the tips or have sunken areas.

Cucumbers are right in the middle of the scale for potential pesticide residue, ranking 50 out of 100 according to research conducted by the Environmental Working Group. Most conventionally grown cucumbers are also heavily waxed to maintain freshness, and these waxes could contain toxic chemicals depending on their source. As with most fruits and vegetables, the peel is an important source of nutrition, so organic cucumbers are a better choice if possible.