Uses of Cucumbers

I received this information from a friend who says it comes from The New York Times.

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, like Vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6, C, Folic Acid, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Instead of a shot of coffee to cure your afternoon slump, eat a cucumber! The B Vitamins and carbohydrates can give you a "pick me up" that can last for hours.

3. Rub you bathroom mirror with a cucumber slice and it will eliminate fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. To get rid of grubs and slugs in your planting beds, place a few slices of cucumber in a small aluminum pie tin. The chemicals in the cuke react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans, but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

5. Cucumbers react with Collagen in your skin to tighten and firm the area.

6. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins, and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost during a night of drinking. Eat a few slices before bed and wake up refreshed and headache free.

7. Don't have a nice shine to your shoes? Grab a slice of freshly cut cucumber and rub it over the shoe. Not only will you have a nice shine, they will also repel water!

8. Have a squeaky hinge and no WD40? Rub a slice of cucumber over the hinge and the squeak is gone!

9. Stressed out? Cut up a whole cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water. The chemicals and nutrients will react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown to reduce stress.

10. No time to brush your teeth and you don't have any gum or mints available? Grab a slice of cucumber and hold it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 3 seconds to eliminate bad breath. The phytochemicals will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for bad breath. (note: I don't know about you, but I don't usually carry a cucumber around with me).

11. A "green" way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel is to take a slice of cucumber and rub it over whatever you want to clean. Not only will it remove years of tarnish and leave a shine, but it won't leave streaks and won't harm your fingernails!

12. Active, creative offspring have decorated the wall with crayon or markers? Take the outside of a cucumber and rub it on the marks slowly to erase the art.