Cucumber can keep your body cool and hydrated, even if it prevents diseases like diabetes.

This popular pumpkin family product (along with melon, squash and pumpkin) has been used in traditional medicine since ancient times for its myriad health benefits.

Cucumber is rich in polyphenols and cucurbitacin, plant compounds known to have antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, antihyperglycemic, diuretic, antimicrobial and pain relieving (pain relievers), and others.

And while you might be used to thinking of cucumbers as vegetables, seeded snacks are actually fruits.

1. Maintains water balance. Cucumbers are approximately 96 percent water, so they can be especially effective at keeping you hydrated and meeting your daily fluid needs.

2. Useful for weight loss. Each half-cup serving of cucumber contains only 7.8 calories. According to the analysis, the consumption of low-calorie foods with a high water content was associated with significant weight loss.

3. Helps heal liver damage. Thermally processed cucumber juice has shown significant protective effects in alcohol detoxification in animals, suggesting its potential use in the treatment of liver damage from excessive alcohol consumption.

4. May lower blood sugar levels. A number of animal studies show that cucumbers can effectively lower and control blood sugar levels. Another study caused diabetes in animals, gave them a cucumber peel extract, and found that the peel reversed most of the changes associated with diabetes, causing a drop in blood sugar levels.

5. Antineoplastic effects. Cucumber water extract contains biologically active compounds with anti-cancer activity.

"Our finding supports further in-depth study of this pharmacological activity as a cancer agent," the researchers wrote in the Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences.

6. Supports brain function. Fresh cucumbers were crushed and made into a paste of various concentrations. In their conclusion, the researchers wrote in the Pharmacognosy Journal: they helped improve cognition in animal models.

7. Soothes the skin. Cucumber is known for its soothing effect on skin irritations and its ability to reduce swelling. It can also relieve pain from sunburn.

8. Helps prevent the appearance of wrinkles. Clinical trials have shown that cucumber juice can be an effective skin care ingredient as it helps prevent wrinkles by restoring the skin's natural elasticity.

9. Strong anti-inflammatory effect. The amino sugar amino acid in cucumber, called idoBR1, may act as an anti-inflammatory, so its importance in diet warrants further study, according to a 2020 study.

10. Supports bone health. A half cup serving contains 8.53 mcg of vitamin K. Based on a review of the current literature, supplementation with vitamins K1 (a type found in cucumbers) and K2 may reduce the incidence of fractures in postmenopausal women.

11. Serves as a natural eye mask. Research shows that applying cucumbers to the eyes can have a cooling effect on the skin, moisturize the eyes and surrounding areas, and help reduce dark circles due to vitamin K levels.

12. Supports cardiovascular health. Cucurbitacins in cucumber may prevent atherosclerosis, in addition to proven efficacy against inflammation, cancer, and diabetes.

13. Reduces the risk of mortality. Beta-carotene, which is abundant in cucumber, is an important provitamin carotenoid. A meta-analysis showed that dietary or circulating beta-carotene was inversely associated with the risk of all-cause mortality, citing the possibility of prolonging a person's life.

14. Helps fight prostate cancer. Cucurbitacin B, a compound found naturally in cucumber and other vegetables, significantly and specifically inhibits the growth of prostate cancer cells.

15. Protects against complications of diabetes. In a study, cucumbers were able to prevent oxidative stress and carbonyl stress, which is considered a safe and appropriate way to protect against complications commonly seen in diabetes.