Pickles in a Diabetic Diet

Ancient Asian medicine taught that the cucumber detoxified the liver. Modern science has partially confirmed this property of the fruit. Experiments with laboratory animals confirm that cucumber protects liver cells against damage by the chemotherapy drug cyclophosphamide and the common pollutant benzo[a]pyrene. There may be a measurable extent to which diabetics would find raw cucumbers "detoxifying" in a diabetic diet, but to be honest, no scientific research conclusively confirms that benefit. There is just good reason to suppose the occasional fresh cucumber would be of benefit to diabetics who take multiple prescriptions.

That isn't to say there's no scientific research about the value of cucumbers in diabetic diets.

The more important health property of pickled cucumbers is their ability to offset the “whiteness” of white bread, white rice, and potatoes. Eating pickled cucumbers with these foods slows down the rate at which they release sugars into the bloodstream. Organic acids created in the pickling process also signal the pancreas not to release excess insulin, limiting the conversion of sugars into body fat. Fresh cucumbers do not have this effect.

How do you preserve the nutritional value of fresh cucumbers?

Cucumbers should not be washed until just before they are used. They do not have to peeled unless the peel has been waxed; scoring the peel with the tines of a fork tenderizes it. Older cucumbers may have bitter seeds that should be removed before serving. Yellowing of a dark-green skin means the entire cucumber has become bitter and should be discarded.

The simplest cucumber salad is a toss of peeled cucumber in vinegar. You can add basil, chile, chives, cilantro, curry powder, dill, fish sauce, garlic, oregano, peppers, plum sauce, rosemary, Tabasco, or Worchestershire sauce to taste to season the salad. Other vegetables, such as green onions, green peppers, jicama, purple peppers, red peppers, yellow peppers, or tomatoes and even chili peppers and peanuts are compatible with cucumbers, as are apple, mango, orange, papaya, and watermelon. You can make a creamy cucumber salad by adding sour cream or yogurt, but serve the salad quickly after adding any creamy ingredient.