Cucumber belongs to the same plant family as melons, zucchini, pumpkins, and winter squash. In many countries cucumbers are an important staple; worldwide, they rank ninth among vegetable crops with multiple uses.

Uses:

• Cucumbers are used mostly as a salad ingredient or as pickles.
• Cucumber juice is added to facial masks, creams and lotions, shampoos, and other cosmetic products.

Varieties:

• Armenian cucumbers are long, thin, and color varies from darker to lighter shades of light green or a yellowish-green. They have very soft seeds and a thin skin, requiring neither seeding nor peeling for eating. They are crunchy and are delicious simply sliced and eaten raw. They are not good for pickling.
• English cucumbers are sometimes known as gourmet cucumbers or seedless cucumbers are long, thin, with a dark green skin. This cucumber has a mild, almost non-existent flavor, and is valued for its thin skin and minimal seeds. English cucumbers are also best sliced and eaten raw and are not good for pickling. This variety is usually shrink-wrapped to seal in moisture because they are not waxed.
• Garden Cucumbers are relatively smooth skinned and dark green. Cucumbers sold at grocery stores tend to be waxed to help them retain moisture, which is why these cucumbers tend to need peeling.
• Kirby cucumbers are short and bumpy. Their skin color varies from yellow to dark green. Kirbys are nice and crunchy for eating raw, but flavorful enough to be perfect for pickling.
• Lemon Cucumbers. As its name implies this cucumber look like lemons. Yellow, round, the size of a generous fist. They are sweet, without that bitter edge that most cucumbers have, thin skins, minimal soft seeds, and flavorful. They are tasty raw, but make delicious pickles too.
• Persian cucumbers also known as "regular cucumbers" are very similar to English cucumbers. They are shorter, with bumpy skin, but have a mild flavor, edible seeds and thin skin. The skin is often waxed to seal in moisture.

Benefits:

• Low in calories. Because cucumbers are approximately 95% water, they are very low in calories; a cup of slices contains less than 15 calories.
• A good source of fiber (especially the skin). The fiber content of cucumber helps in regulating cholesterol levels in the body and contributes to bowel regularity.
• Cucumber juice can help to eliminate uric acid and other toxins from the body. It is therefore beneficial for people who have arthritis, gout, and other inflammatory disease.
• The potassium content of cucumber helps in proper regulation of blood pressure and promotes flexibility of muscles.
• Cucumber juice is said to promote hair growth especially when it is added to the juice of lettuce, spinach and carrot.
• Cucumber juice when used as face mask can help cleanse, cool, soothe and tone the skin. It can also relieve stress and reduce under-eye dark circles.
• Slices of cucumber placed on the closed eyes helps reduce eye bags and soothe the eyes.
• The magnesium content of cucumber helps in smooth blood circulation, relaxes nerves and muscles.
• Cucumber helps in preventing splitting of nails of the fingers and toes as it is rich in minerals.

Buying tip: It's important to look for firm cucumbers with rich green. Cucumbers that bulge in the middle, usually most likely means it's filled with large watery seeds and tasteless flesh.

Storage tip: Whole cucumbers should be refrigerated in a crisper for up to a week. Unwaxed cucumbers will easily lose moisture so keep them wrapped tightly in plastic.