What is a cucumber?
The cucumber is a creeping vine that roots in the ground and grows up trellises or other supporting frames, wrapping around supports with thin, spiraling tendrils. The plant may also root in a soilless medium, whereby it will sprawl along the ground in lieu of a supporting structure.
What do cucumbers look like on the inside?
Their outer skin can range from dark to pale green, and even whitish. The inner flesh is pale green- white and contains seeds in the center. The seeds are surrounded in a jelly-like substance that becomes more fluid as the cucumber ages.
What is pickled cucumber made of?
Pickling with brine, sugar, vinegar, and spices creates various flavored products from cucumbers and other foods. Although any cucumber can be pickled, commercial pickles are made from cucumbers specially bred for uniformity of length-to-diameter ratio and lack of voids in the flesh.
What are slicing cucumbers?
Cucumbers grown to eat fresh are called slicing cucumbers. The main varieties of slicers mature on vines with large leaves that provide shading. Slicers grown commercially for the North American market are generally longer, smoother, more uniform in color, and have much tougher skin.
What is the skin of a cucumber called?
Cucumbers are members of the melon family. This means cucumbers are actually a fruit instead of a vegetable. Cucumbers are green and are shaped like a tube. The outside skin of the cucumber is called the peel.
Why are cucumbers hollow?
Hollow cucumbers, or any hollow fruit, result from a combination of lacking nutrient absorption or surplus, irregular watering, and/or inadequate pollination. Environmental conditions are the most likely cause for a cucumber that is hollow inside.
Are all parts of a cucumber edible?
In cucumber, the mesocarp and endocarp are both edible parts. Complete answer: Cucumis sativus or the cucumber is a widely cultivated plant that belongs to Cucurbitaceae, the gourd family. The cucumbers are roughly cylindrical, elongated with tapered ends.
Which part of cucumber does it derive?
Scientifically speaking, cucumbers are fruits because they grow from the flowers of the plant and hold the seeds.
Is it OK to eat cucumber with holes in it?
There's a chance a cuke with holes like this might taste a little bitter, but I encounter this frequently and have never noticed any off flavors. Ultimately, it's a purely cosmetic problem that shouldn't get in the way of your salad.
Is it safe to eat a cucumber with a hole in the middle?
Cucumbers with hollow heart are edible, and not dangerous to people in any way. However, you might find cucumbers with this issue may taste a little bitter. You can also still use them in your pickling and relish making. Whether you are canning or doing refrigerator pickles, they are still safe to use.
What is the outer part of a cucumber called?
The outer part of a cucumber is called the peel; this is the green skin surrounding a cucumber. The inner part of a cucumber is called the flesh; this is the soft, light green mass inside the peel. The centre part of a cucumber contains seeds. Some cucumber varieties do not have any seeds.
What is the best part of a cucumber?
The peel and seeds are the most nutrient-dense parts of the cucumber. They contain fiber and beta-carotene. "Beta carotene is an antioxidant that helps with immunity, skin, eye and the prevention of cancer," said Lemond.
Should you eat cucumber peel?
You can eat the peel of a cucumber. In fact, it will add fiber and vitamin A to your diet. Just be sure to wash the cucumber first.
What is found in cucumber?
Nutrients. Cucumbers are packed with them. In just a single cup of cucumber slices, you'll get 14% to 19% of the vitamin K you need for the day. You'll also get vitamins B and C along with minerals like copper, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium.
What is cucumber stem?
The cucumber plant is a tender annual with a rough, succulent, trailing stem. The hairy leaves have three to five pointed lobes, and the stem bears branched tendrils by which the plant can be trained to supports. The five-petaled yellow flowers are unisexual and produce a type of berry known as a pepo.
Does cucumber count as 5 a day?
Although sliced cucumber, tomato or lettuce in a sandwich can contribute towards your 5-a-day, it's unlikely that there will be 80g of vegetables in your salad, which is how much you need for it to count as one portion of vegetables.
Overview
Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is a widely-cultivated creeping vine plant in the Cucurbitaceae family that bears usually cylindrical fruits, which are used as vegetables. Considered an annual plant, there are three main varieties of cucumber — slicing, pickling, and burpless/seedless — within which several cultivars have been created. The cucumber originates from South Asia, but no…
Description
The cucumber is a creeping vine that roots in the ground and grows up trellises or other supporting frames, wrapping around supports with thin, spiraling tendrils. The plant may also root in a soilless medium, whereby it will sprawl along the ground in lieu of a supporting structure. The vine has large leaves that form a canopy over the fruits.
Nutrition, aroma, and taste
Raw cucumber (with peel) is 95% water, 4% carbohydrates, 1% protein, and contains negligible fat. A 100-gram (3+1⁄2-ounce) reference serving provides 67 kilojoules (16 kilocalories) of food energy. It has a low content of micronutrients: it is notable only for vitamin K, at 16% of the Daily Value (table).
Depending on variety, cucumbers may have a mild melon aroma and flavor, in part resulting from …
Varieties
In general cultivation, cucumbers are classified into three main cultivar groups: slicing, pickled, and seedless/burpless.
Cucumbers grown to eat fresh are called slicing cucumbers. The main varieties of slicers mature on vines with large leaves that provide shading.
Slicers grown commercially for the North American market are generally longer, smoother, mor…
Cultivation history
Cultivated for at least 3,000 years, the cucumber originated from India, where a great many varieties have been observed, along with its closest living relative, Cucumis hystrix. It was probably introduced to Europe by the Greeks or Romans. Records of cucumber cultivation appear in France in the 9th century, England in the 14th century, and in North America by the mid-16th century.
See also
• Armenian cucumber, a variety of muskmelon that resembles a cucumber
• Cucumber blessing
• Cucumber cake
• Cucumber juice