Last week a good friend was in town for his annual medical conference. I wanted to show him real Mexican food, so I took him to a grocery store/restaurant in South Phoenix called Ranch Market/Tradiciones. We spent about a half hour in the grocery store, taking in the various aguas frescas, ceviches, peppers, and other exotic Latin produce. Then we headed over to the restaurant for dinner.
I hate Tex-Mex, but I love real Mexican food. I had chicken mole enchiladas, and my friend had carne asada. And what I really enjoyed…was the cucumber-jicama margarita! It was crisp, refreshing, and the perfect complement to a wonderful dinner.
And that got me thinking about cucumbers. They don't really get much credit as a food, they're mostly water, not many calories…tend to be something dieters overdo when they're overly restrictive. I used to belong to a community supported agriculture group and during the two weeks when cucumbers were in season I got so many in my bag that I ended up living on cucumber sandwiches.
Curious, I decided to learn more. And, delightfully, I learned that for PCOS, especially if it's affecting your skin, they may actually have some therapeutic benefit! The following excerpt comes from one of my favorite websites, www.whfoods.com:
The silica in cucumber is an essential component of healthy connective tissue, which includes muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and bone. Cucumber juice is often recommended as a source of silica to improve the complexion and health of the skin, plus cucumber's high water content makes it naturally hydrating—a must for glowing skin. Cucumbers are also used topically for various types of skin problems, including swelling under the eyes and sunburn. Two compounds in cucumbers, ascorbic acid and caffeic acid, prevent water retention, which may explain why cucumbers applied topically are often helpful for swollen eyes, burns and dermatitis.
I did look for a cucumber margarita recipe to share, but was not successful. Apparently they are available in other restaurants, so keep an eye out. If you're juicing at home, why not throw a cucumber in with your other fruits and vegetables? Add them here and there in salads, and sandwiches.
Hopefully your skin will give this blog post a glowing review…