CUCUMBER

• Cucumis sativus
• Cucurbitaceae

General information: cucumber appeared 6 thousand years ago. Its motherland is tropical and subtropical regions of India and China, where it still grows naturally (cucumber Hardvika). Fruits of wild-growing cucumber are small and inedible because of containing bitter parts cucurbitacins. In our regions this vegetable became known from 16 century.

Cucumber contains only 4-6 % of dry basis, 2 % of saccharose, 1% of protein substances, 0,7 % of cellulose and 0,1 % of fats. Fruits are not rich in nutrients, calorific value is low (113-148 kkal), but it is valuable for eating and dietary qualities that have tonic agents, encourage protein adoption, enhance digestive secretion. Fresh taste and smell of cucumbers determined by existence of free organic acids and essential oil. Cucumber has a lot of mineral salt, different vitamins, iodine. There is varieties and hybrids of cucumbers for outdoor and undercover growing, mellittophilae and parthenocarpic (fruit formation without insects).