This cucumber and lemon juice recipe makes a refreshing beverage to overflow your body with nutrients.
It’s another favorite summer drink for us and can quickly become yours too.
Is Cucumber a Fruit?
Often mistaken for a crisp vegetable, cucumbers are actually fruits because they grow from the ovaries of pollinated female flowers. Cucumbers are related to squash, which are also fruits and not vegetables. (Surprise!)
There are three main varieties of cucumbers: slicing, pickling, and burpless/seedless.
“Slicing” cucumbers, like the name indicates, are specifically bred for culinary use. This variety is harvested green/immature because it develops a bitter taste as it ripens.
The ones used for pickling vary in shape and come in a noticeably smaller size. The fruits are typically thicker, and they have bumpy skin instead of smooth like the regular kind.
Burpless/seedless cucumbers have no seeds, which is a special breed we often don’t see at supermarkets. They are sweeter and have thinner skin than other varieties.
Does Cucumber and Lemon Juice Have Detoxification Property?
If you come here for a tasty detox water recipe, we’re sorry to inform you that it’s not. This cucumber and lemon juice recipe is nothing more than a formula for a refreshing beverage.
What you might be looking for is “cucumber and lemon water.” It is known as a special concoction, rumored to have detoxification properties, but is it?
The logic behind “detoxing” is when we steep fruits in plain water, it can flush toxins out of your body. The thing is, “there is little to no evidence that detox diets remove any toxins,” says nutritionist Adda Bjarnadottir.
Regular consumption of this fruity water, on the other hand, is known to improve digestion, moods and promote weight loss. All of this is true, which would also happen if you were to drink… lots of water.
The bottom line is that you can benefit from drinking detox water, as you would with just plain water. Our beverage, however, is even better than detox water.
How Healthy Is Cucumber Lemon Juice?
Unlike detox water with fruit slices steeped in it, our drink is made from the actual juices of cucumbers and lemons. One serving of this cucumber and lemon juice can provide you with the following benefits:
1. Cucumbers
If cucumbers are famous for one thing, it is their fluid content, which makes up 98% of this crisp fruit. Eat/juice 6-7 average-sized cucumbers, and you can meet half of your daily recommended water intake.
Cucumbers can help you lose weight, too, as they have few calories and contain pectin, a soluble fiber. As you digest pectin, it absorbs moisture and expands, thus creating a feeling of fullness and preventing overeating.
Thanks to the soluble fiber, cucumbers can also keep your bowel movements regular and possibly prevent constipation.
The only downside to cucumbers is that they have a limited nutritional profile compared to other fruits. We fixed that by including a healthy amount of lemon juice.
2. Lemons
This yellow fruit has been known to have remedial effects on our health, thanks to its nutritional content.
For starters, lemons are rich in vitamin C, an antioxidant that bears certain health benefits:
Vitamin C can boost the immune system by reducing free radicals that cause oxidative stress that damages your cells. Oxidative stress is the leading cause of severe diseases like cancer, diabetes, metabolic disorders, and more.
This nutrient also promotes heart health. It can help regulate cholesterol levels in your bloodstream and ease oxidative damage placed on the artery walls.
According to Healthline, anemia is a condition that commonly stems from iron deficiency. By consuming iron-rich foods and foods packed with vitamin C, view all our recipes for lemon juice here.
The fruit is also rich in citric acid, which gives lemons their signature tanginess and has a remedial effect. One study showed that citric acid helps prevent kidney stones by creating a less-favorable environment for the condition to develop.
For more drinks that are packed with vitamin C, check out our best lemon juice recipe collection.
Cucumber Lemon Juice Calories
One glass of beverage made out of this cucumber and lemon juice recipe gives you around 71 calories. Most of it comes from sugar, which accounts for less than 10 grams per serving, way less than what’s recommended:
Daily Calories | Calories from Added Sugar (10%) | Daily Recommended Added Sugar |
---|---|---|
2000 | 200 | 51 grams |
2100 | 210 | 54 grams |
2700 | 270 | 70 grams |
How to Make Cucumber and Lemon Juice
Here are the steps for our cucumber and lemon juice recipe:
Step 1: Deseed the cucumbers
Slice cucumbers in half and use a spoon to scrape off the seeds, lengthwise.
Step 2: Juice
Feed the the prepped cucumbers and basil leaves into a juicer. Collect the juice in a large pitcher.
Step 3: Add other ingredients
Add lemon juice and sugar to the pitcher and stir to dissolve.
Step 4: Pour and serve
Pour the juice into serving glasses and serve chilled or with ice.
You can omit cucumbers and make a healthy drink with just honey or a sweet and easy lemonade if you’d like to. On the other hand, it’s just as easy to turn this into homemade buttermilk using milk and lemon juice.
How Long Does Cucumber Lemon Juice Last?
We stored our leftover juice in the fridge covered with cling wrap, and it tasted fine after 4 days. The juice was a little light in color, but the flavor remained unchanged.
Here’s how to keep your juice as long as possible:
- Wash your hands thoroughly before juicing, as well as any kitchen equipment (spoon, bowl, glasses, containers, etc.). This basic act eliminates bacteria present, which, if skipped, can result in a spoiled drink.
- To reduce the chance of bacterial contamination, limit as much air exposure as possible. You can use an airtight container, a Ziploc bag, or simply place cling wrap over the holding glass/cup.
If you enjoy drinks with lemon, check out the best way to make ACV with lemon juice and you can have a go at making your own!
Cucumber and Lemon Juice Recipe
Print RATEIngredients
- 30 oz cucumbers
- 6 basil leaves
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 cups ice
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Instructions
- Deseed the cucumbers: Slice cucumbers in half and use a spoon to scrape off the seeds, lengthwise.
- Juice: Feed prepped cucumbers and basil leaves into a running juicer. Collect the juice in a large pitcher.
- Add other ingredients: Add lemon juice and sugar to the pitcher and stir to dissolve.
- Pour and serve: Pour the juice into serving glasses and serve chilled or with ice.
Nutrition
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