Cucumber
Cucumber is a widely cultivated vegetable crop belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. It is a climbing vine plant that produces elongated, cylindrical fruits, commonly consumed fresh as a salad vegetable or processed into pickles.
Cucumbers are typically green-skinned with crisp, juicy, and refreshing flesh, though varieties also exist in light green, yellow, and even white shades. The fruit is composed mainly of water (about 95%), making it a hydrating, low-calorie food rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
There are different market types of cucumbers: slicing cucumbers (larger, eaten fresh), pickling cucumbers (smaller, used for pickles), and seedless/English cucumbers (long, thin-skinned, tender).
Cucumbers are grown extensively in India, China, Turkey, USA, Spain, and Russia, and are one of the most consumed salad vegetables worldwide. They are enjoyed raw in salads, sandwiches, smoothies, juices, or pickled in brine/vinegar for longer preservation.
Besides culinary use, cucumber extracts are widely used in cosmetics, skincare, and wellness products due to their cooling, soothing, and hydrating properties.

