Whether you call them cucumbers, cukes or gherkins, cucumbers are one of the most popular home garden vegetables. A few years ago, cucumbers weren’t so easy to grow. Older varieties were prone to disease and insect pests and often failed to set fruit. The fruit was often bitter, … [Read more...]
Cucumbers: Calories and Nutritional Information
Looking for a cool, low-calorie summer snack? Why not munch on cucumber rounds? At just 16 calories per cup, cucumbers are a dieter’s dream food. Although fairly low in fiber (0.9 grams), they’re also low in carbohydrates (2.9 grams), fat (0.2 grams) and sugars (1.8 grams). … [Read more...]
Healthy Cucumber Salads
Summer heat got you down? Restore your appetite and your spirits with a crunchy cucumber salad. Cucumbers belong to the melon family and are more than 60 percent water, so they’re perfect for hot summer days. They’re also naturally low in calories. In fact, one cup of sliced … [Read more...]
How to Avoid the Problem of Bitter Cucumbers
If you have ever bitten into a bitter cucumber, you know it’s not something you want to do again. If you grow your own cukes, a few simple techniques will help you avoid bitter fruit. Why Cucumbers Taste Bitter Cucumbers contain the natural compound cucurbitacin, which causes … [Read more...]