By Kate Leahey, Education intern
Pre-Covid Photo - Every precaution is taken to keep you safe.
You’ve probably heard someone say “they’re as cool as a cucumber!” We might say it when a person is acting very calm and laid-back -- very cool. But have you ever wondered where this comes from? It originated from the fact that cucumbers are always much cooler on the inside than the outside temperature, sometimes up to twenty degrees cooler! This is because cucumbers are made up of 95% water, and water does not absorb heat as readily as the surrounding air, keeping the temperature lower. In the 17th century, physicians sometimes used cucumbers to cool down feverish patients due to this fact. Today, they are still a wonderfully refreshing veggie for summertime snacking -- that’s why we are celebrating them this July as our Harvest of the Month! When it gets hot outdoors, just take a bite of a cucumber, and you’ll be “cool” in no time.
What else can we learn about cucumbers? For starters, they are in the same family as some other familiar favorites: watermelons, pumpkins, and squash. Like these crops, cucumbers are creeping vine plants, meaning that they send out tendrils that can wrap around other objects, such as trellises, allowing the plant to climb -- or “creep” -- along. Cucumbers come in three main varieties. Slicing cucumbers are the most common and are usually grown to eat fresh. Pickling cucumbers, as the name suggests, are great for pickling. Did you know that the average American eats almost nine pounds of pickles each year?!? That’s a lot of pickles! Thank goodness for cucumbers. The last variety is Burpless or Seedless cucumbers, which lack seeds and can be easier for digestion. These cucumbers can be up to two feet long!
Though people all across the world eat cucumbers today, cucumbers initially originated from South Asia (modern-day India). Archaeologists have found through cave excavations that cucumbers have served as a food source for over 3,000 years! Now, thousands of years later, they’ve spread all across the world and are one of America’s Top Five Favorite Vegetables. It’s clear that cucumbers taste good, but they’re also good for us! As we already learned, cucumbers are 95% water, so they can help us stay hydrated. They also contain vitamins K and C, especially when eaten with the skin intact. Also, antioxidants, which can help lower the risk of chronic diseases, are found in cucumbers. Some people find that they are helpful with digestive health as well.
