The bright side of the cucumber
Cucumber is probably one of the favorite vegetables of Poles – in 2014, the average annual consumption of this vegetable was 6.24 kg / person. We eat them in the form of pickled, sour, cucumber salad or as an ingredient in salads. Most people who have ever prepared a dish with the addition of green cucumber probably know that it should be peeled from the light tip – further from the stem. Otherwise, the cucumber will have a bitter aftertaste. But why is this the case?
The substance that gives cucumber bitterness is cucurbitacin, found in plants of the gourd family. Chemically, cucurbitacin belongs to the group of tricyclic triterpenoids. This substance has a protective function in plants against pests and herbivores. In the case of cucumbers, the greatest amount of cucurbitacin is located in the leaves, the stem and the dark end of the vegetable (which is also closest to the stem). That is why, when peeling the cucumber from its darker side, we spread the bitter substance over its entire surface, thus creating the characteristic bitter aftertaste of the vegetable. So let’s peel the cucumber on its bright side and enjoy its bitter taste.
A bit about the properties of cucurbitacin:
- paralyzes the nervous system of parasites, thus accelerating their removal from the gastrointestinal tract;
- works cholagogue, increases the secretion of digestive juices;
- has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Based:
Polish production of cucumbers – PPR
Horie H., Ito H., Ippoushi K. et al .: Cucurbitacin C – bitter principle in cucumber plants. Jpn Agric Res Q, 2007, 41, 65-68 Lee D., Iwanski G. B., Thoennissen N. H .: Cucurbitacin: ancient compound shedding new light on cancer treatment. Sci World J, 2010, 10, 413-418 Tomczyk A .: Effect of spider mite feeding on the content of selected secondary metabolites in cucumber leaves. Zesz Probl Postęp Nauk Rol, 2006, 509, 405-412 Rekiel A., Grzesiuk K., Sońta M .: Fodder pumpkin – cultivation, harvesting, research, fodder use. Przegląd Hodowlany, 2019, 2, 11-14 Kurzeja E., Synowiec A., Stec M. et al: Assessment of the antioxidant potential of juices from selected vegetables from the pumpkin family. Bromat Chem Toksykol, 2011, 44, 911-915