Keto Means
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Why do chefs take the seeds out of cucumber?

Like tomato and pepper seeds, cucumber seeds add excess moisture to recipes if they're left intact. This can cause your crunchy cucumber salad boats or cheese-stuffed cuke snacks to get soggy.

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Cucumbers bring a crispy crunch to all sorts of salads and snacks. Find out why seeding a cucumber is sometimes necessary—and how to get the job done. Fresh cucumbers are fantastic to snack on, seeds and all, but seeding a cucumber is sometimes a key step when cooking. If a recipe calls for a seeded cucumber, it’s aiming for a light, earthy, refreshing taste—for example, this cucumber melon smoothie. Why? Like tomato and pepper seeds, cucumber seeds add excess moisture to recipes if they’re left intact. This can cause your crunchy cucumber salad boats or cheese-stuffed cuke snacks to get soggy.

2 Easy Ways to Seed a Cucumber

Here are two methods that will have your cucumbers seed-free in no time flat.

Method 1: Halves

Thoroughly rinse the cucumber in cool water. Lay the cucumber on a cutting board and cut the cucumber in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Gently scoop out the seeds by gliding the tip of a spoon or a butter knife across the length of the flesh. Be careful to only remove the seeds and not too much of the flesh.

Method 2: Quarters

Just like in the above method, rinse the cucumber with cool water and cut it in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Then, after the cucumber is cut in half, lay the halves flesh side down on the cutting board. Once more, cut the cucumber halves down the middle lengthwise, creating four quarters in total. Using the tip of a spoon or butter knife, carefully remove the seeds with a gliding motion. Pro Tip: After removing the seeds, the cucumber can be sliced, diced, cut into straws or peeled. If a recipe calls for peeled cucumber, be sure to use a sturdy, ergonomic vegetable peeler to get the job done.

But Wait—Here’s a Reason to Keep the Seeds

After you remove a cucumber’s seeds, think before you ditch ’em! Cucumber seeds are packed with plenty of proteins, minerals and healthy fats. As a matter of fact, the seeds and skin of cucumbers are the most nutrient-rich parts of the cucumber. They offer all kinds of health and beauty benefits, including the power to hydrate thirsty skin, keep your digestive system moving and more.

So if you’re just snacking, keep the seeds in.

Note: Every product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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Are unpeeled cucumbers healthier?

To maximize their nutrient content, cucumbers should be eaten unpeeled. Peeling them reduces the amount of fiber, as well as certain vitamins and minerals (3). Summary: Cucumbers are low in calories but high in water and several important vitamins and minerals.

Antioxidants are molecules that block oxidation, a chemical reaction that forms highly reactive atoms with unpaired electrons known as free radicals. The accumulation of these harmful free radicals can lead to several types of chronic illness ( 4 ). In fact, oxidative stress caused by free radicals has been associated with cancer and heart, lung and autoimmune disease ( 4 ). Fruits and vegetables, including cucumbers, are especially rich in beneficial antioxidants that may reduce the risk of these conditions. One study measured the antioxidant power of cucumber by supplementing 30 older adults with cucumber powder. At the end of the 30-day study, cucumber powder caused a significant increase in several markers of antioxidant activity and improved antioxidant status ( 5 ). However, it’s important to note that the cucumber powder used in this study likely contained a greater dose of antioxidants than you would consume in a typical serving of cucumber. Another test-tube study investigated the antioxidant properties of cucumbers and found that they contain flavonoids and tannins, which are two groups of compounds that are especially effective at blocking harmful free radicals ( 6 ).

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