We are always trying to find the next best thing when it comes to diets. There are a couple of different types of diets, one of which is rather restrictive diets.
The cucumber diet falls into that category, and it is something you practice for 7 to 10 days, and nothing more. After that, you can return to a more normal and healthy lifestyle.
We are not saying that the diet is not healthy. Far from that. But it is a diet that is rather low on calories, and one that can cause side effects if you practice it for more than 10 days.
With that in mind, if you want a simple and easy diet that will help you lose between 5 and 10lbs in a week, this is the diet for you to try. All you need is a few specific products which you can prepare in a minute.
cucumbers
- Simply said, the main ingredient in the diet is cucumber, a vegetable made mostly of water 1.
- During the 7-day diet plan, you can eat as many cucumbers as you like. And whenever you feel hungry, you can just grab a cucumber. In any meal, you can add as many cucumbers as you like.
- Cucumbers are great as they stimulate metabolism, help you detoxify your body, improves digestion, and cleanses your intestines.
- We will look at the benefits of cucumber later on, but for now, what you need to know is that cucumber helps you get rid of excess water, fat, and toxins.
- And that is how the diet helps you lose weight, even though you can consume 10 or 15 cucumbers per day.
The meal plan
- As mentioned previously, the main ingredient in this diet is cucumber.
- But that doesn't mean you are not going to eat anything else.
- After all, this is not the lemonade diet popularized by Beyonce.
There are other ingredients you can consume as well. The staple in the diet is the cucumber salad.
With that in mind, here is a quick breakdown of how a meal plan would look like.
Breakfast
- Low-fat yogurt with no added sugars
- 200g of sliced cucumbers
- Slice two peaches or one apple
Lunch
- The large plate of cucumber salad
- Slice of dried bread
- An alternative would be 2 potatoes, 300g of fresh fruits, cucumber, and coffee without sugar
- The second alternative is 3 slices of whole wheat bread or 2 potatoes, 150g of tuna, 2 eggs, and cucumber
Preparation Method
- If you go for the alternative lunch, start by boiling or baking the potatoes. Add some slices of whole wheat bread and sliced cucumber. After you are done with lunch, you can grab some fresh fruits later on as a snack, or even prepare a fruit salad.
- Your beverage options are limited to coffee or tea without sugar, and of course, water.
- For the second alternative, whether you go with bread or potatoes, it is up to you. Grab any of them with some tuna and sliced cucumber. If you dislike the taste of tuna, grill the white meat without oil and eat with some boiled eggs.
Dinner:
- 300g of any fruit you like
- The Cucumber shake
- the cucumber shake
- Between meals, you can drink the cucumber shake, which is a great way of grabbing snacks that comes without many calories.
- You can drink the shake in an unlimited amount.
Ingredients
- 20g of almonds and walnuts
- 1 apple
- 1 cucumber
- Ginger
- A handful of spinach
Preparation Method
- Add the apple, cucumber, and spinach to a blender and then blend them well.
- Make sure not to peel the ingredients. Add some ginger and continue blending.
- Once you get the desired consistency, your shake is ready for consumption.
- If you want to make it look fancy, decorate the glass with walnuts and almonds.
- It is important that you drink it immediately. If you let the drink rest, it will lose its healing properties.
- The drink is rich in minerals and vitamins including vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B, iron, magnesium, calcium, and fiber.
The cucumber salad
As mentioned previously, the main ingredient in the 7-day cucumber diet is the cucumber salad.
Ingredients
- 400g of cucumbers
- 200ml of sour milk or yogurt
- 1 onion
- A pinch of salt
Preparation Method
- Start by peeling the cucumbers, and then cut them into small pieces. Do not slice the cucumber
- Add a pinch of the salt, mix, and then add the sour milk or yogurt. Fold the salad
- Add the chopped onion and enjoy your refreshing salad
In between meals, you can drink the cucumber shake, which we explained previously. If you want to lose more pounds, you will have to go through a more rigorous diet.
For example, for breakfast, that means just yogurt and 200g of cucumbers, without any fruit. For lunch, that means only a large plate of cucumber salad and a piece of dried bread.
Benefits of cucumber
- The reason why the diet with cucumbers is getting popular is that cucumbers are tasty, and low-caloric vegetables. And they are quite healthy 2.
Here are some of the main benefits of cucumbers.
- Help you stay hydrated as they are made of 95% of water, meaning a 5-ounce serving delivers 150ml of water, which is more than 25% of the daily water intake through food 3. Because they are high in water content, cucumbers are very low in calories
- Cucumbers contain potassium, around 152mg per cup, which greatly improves heart health by lowering blood pressure.
- The daily recommended dose of potassium is 4,700mg per day, and less than 2% of adults in the US get that much.
- Cucumbers are a great way to increase potassium consumption
- Cucumbers are very popular in skincare treatments, as they are as effective as anti-wrinkle agents in cosmetic products.
- Consuming cucumbers will protect your skin from the effects of aging
- Cucumbers help you lower inflammatory response in your body as they contain polyphenols that can also reduce the risk of cancer 4
- Cucumbers also contain flavonoids, another anti-inflammatory substance that can limit the release of free radicals in the body 5.
- By doing this, cucumbers slow down the aging process, but also reduce pain.
- If you feel pain in the joints or anywhere in the body due to aches, cucumbers will help
- Cucumbers carry many other lifestyle benefits, including improving your bad breath.
- If you didn't know, bad breath is usually caused by bacteria in the mouth, and water-rich vegetables like cucumbers can boost the saliva production which will wash away any bacteria causing the odor in the mouth
- Protect your bones, as cucumbers are a great source of vitamin K.
- Just one cup of cucumbers contains more than 20% of the daily intake of vitamin K, a vitamin essential for bone health
- Cucumbers prevent constipation because they are rich in water, and their skin contains insoluble fiber, both of which help food move through the digestive tract quicker and easier
- Because they are low in calories, just 16 per cup, and contain a lot of fiber, cucumbers help you maintain a healthy weight once you lose as much as you like
- What after the cucumber diet?
- After you've lost enough weight, it is crucial that you maintain healthy eating habits.
Here are some quick tips:
- Drink enough water to stay hydrated
Consume lots of fruits and vegetables, at least 3 servings per day
Stay away from processed foods
Consume whole wheat or whole grain products
Consume lean meat, as it is the best source of protein
Make the difference between good fats and bad fats
Do not drink sugary drinks that are rich in sugar
Stay away from refined and processed sugar
Exercise regularly
source: http://waytosteelhealthy.com
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