When the cucumber became important as a health food in the eighteenth century, it did not take long for people to forget those medical properties which had been well-known first of all to the Greeks and Romans and then later to the Arab physicians.

Today we see the cucumber as a provider of a very healthy juice beneficial for its properties as an increaser of the flow of urine and as a complement to the effects of celery and carrot juice for rheumatic conditions, while at the same time being a soothing skin lotion.

Japanese research in the first half of this century indicated that there was a valuable substance present in the cucumber juice for the treatment of the whole intestinal tract. Sad to say this work has not been pursued and the active factor still retains the secret of its identity.

Other health benefits of cucumber is derived from the fact that it is very low in calories, about 4 per ounce (54KJ per 100g) being an average figure. Very high potassium contents have been claimed for the plant which from the most up-to-date analyses available would seem to be an exaggeration. The vitamin content is also generally to be found between low and average for the edible vegetable.

Nevertheless, cucumber juice is certainly beneficial the treatment of rheumatic conditions. It does not matter too much that the reason for this effect is not clear. What is important is that it helps many sufferers.

Although the whole juice is the best skin lotion it is worth remembering that the peel itself, like lemon peel, should always be retained and used on the hands especially after they have been in a strong detergent or in very hot water. It is not necessary to rub hard - indeed skin care with cucumber should be a gentle, fragrant art.