We’ve seen countless fad diets that focus on eating a specific food: the cookie diet, the cabbage soup diet, the grapefruit diet. They all claim to help you lose a significant amount of weight very quickly, and the cucumber diet is no different.
The cucumber diet is a quick weight loss diet that is said to help people lose weight quickly by eating (you guessed it) a large amount of cucumbers. But it works?
These are the rules, benefits and disadvantages of the cucumber diet.
What is the cucumber diet?
Cucumbers are naturally low in calories: a whole cucumber just 45 calories – so it’s no surprise that they end up at the center of a fad diet.
While there are different variations of the cucumber diet, there is a common thread: a lot of cucumbers are eaten. We’re talking smoothies, salads, sticks, and cucumber slices.
What are the rules of the cucumber diet?
Specific cucumber diet rules may vary depending on which source you refer to. While there is a book appropriately titled The cucumber diet: the power of conscious eatingYou can find several variations of the diet online.
The main diet guideline is this: Eat cucumbers when you’re hungry, along with a handful of other “approved” foods. Because cucumbers are so low in calories, the idea is that you’ll probably create a calorie deficit by eating mostly cucumbers.
What foods can you eat on the cucumber diet?
Needless to say, you can eat cucumbers. Most diets have no limitations on how to eat them and how much to consume, although some stricter versions of the diet do limit how much cucumber you can consume.
Some other foods are usually incorporated, including:
- lean proteins such as fish, chicken and eggs
- greek yogurt
- curd
- olive oil
- Integral rice
- low-calorie vegetables such as spinach, celery, and tomatoes
There is also one Protocol from 10 to 14 days That means eating as much cucumber salad as you want, plus:
- two boiled eggs or 150 grams of tuna without oil or 150 grams of chicken breast
- two large boiled potatoes or three slices of whole wheat bread
- 500 grams of organic fruit
What foods can’t be eaten on the cucumber diet?
One benefit of the cucumber diet: Aside from whole-grain bread, which is allowed in some versions of the diet, the diet eliminates most processed foods, including chips, baked goods, and sweetened drinks.
But if you followed the protocol mentioned above, you would also skip many healthy foods, such as unapproved fruits and vegetables.
Can I lose weight with the cucumber diet?
Yes, but it will most likely be temporary.
You can lose weight on any version of the cucumber diet, because there simply aren’t that many non-cucumber foods you can eat, and that means you’ll probably reduce your daily calorie intake.
By consuming mainly cucumber at each meal, which has a high water contentIt may be difficult to eat enough of other permitted foods.
“You’re putting so much volume into your digestive system that you won’t have much room for anything else,” says Andrea N. Giancoli, MPH, RD.
But the cucumber diet is not designed to be followed for more than two weeks, so it is not a sustainable diet for long-term weight loss. Any weight you lose on the cucumber diet is likely to come back once you eat normally again.
And there are plenty of other healthier ways to eat cleaner without eliminating so many food groups.
The disadvantages of the cucumber diet
You don’t need us to tell you that cucumbers are low in calories and can be part of a healthy and balanced diet.
“There’s nothing wrong with eating cucumbers with every meal, as long as it’s a moderate amount,” says Giancoli.
but there is are Some disadvantages of making cucumbers your main food source. Here’s why you should think twice before following the cucumber diet:
1. It has few nutrients.
If you eat mainly cucumbers, you will miss out on many important micro and macronutrients. Compared to other fruits and vegetables, Giancoli says, “cucumbers aren’t exactly rich in vitamins and minerals.”
2. You won’t get the variety you need.
Eating a variety of foods helps ensure you get all the nutrients you need.
“We’re supposed to eat a wide variety of foods, a variety that gives us a balance of macronutrients, fiber, vitamins and minerals and all kinds of things that our body needs,” Giancoli says.
3. It can slow down your metabolism.
Excessive calorie restriction can actually hinder your weight loss goals.
Of the cucumber diet, Giancoli says: “It’s going to be very difficult to meet your caloric needs, and once you drop below your basal metabolic rate with calories, you won’t be giving your body the calories it needs just to stay alive in repose”. .”
That means your metabolism is likely to slow down to conserve energy.
What’s more, you probably don’t have the energy to go to the gym, and exercising regularly goes hand-in-hand with healthy weight loss that you can maintain.
4. You are likely to regain the weight.
As with many other very low-calorie fad diets, you are likely to regain any lost weight.
With prolonged calorie restriction, the human body can go into starvation mode: “Your body says, ‘You’re not giving me what I need; I need to do something about it and use less energy and burn fewer calories,’” Giancoli says.
Once you stop a restrictive diet, studies show that body weight usually returns to what it originally was or even exceeds it.
The final verdict
So does the cucumber diet work? Short term, maybe – but it’s not the healthiest approach to losing weight and it’s definitely not practical or sustainable.
But you can still enjoy cucumbers as part of your healthy eating plan, such as in a crudités platter or in a Greek salad.
