Cucumber belongs to the category of dietary products, which is often one of the main components in the formation of dietary, healthy or therapeutic nutrition.
At the same time, even though the beneficial effects of this vegetable on the human body are widely known, the possibility of its consumption by people who suffer from pancreatitis, as well as other problems related to the functioning of the pancreas, remains a mystery to many.
Based on this, experts point out the relevance of the question: is it possible to include cucumbers in a patient’s diet if they have pancreatitis of the pancreas?
Fresh cucumbers for pancreatitis
To the question of whether it is possible to eat fresh cucumbers with pancreatitis, official medicine answers unequivocally positively. In some cases, a cucumber diet is even prescribed, when patients are allowed to eat only cucumbers and drink water. For a patient with pancreatitis, it is enough to eat only cucumbers for several days to relieve the work of the pancreas and restore its normal functioning.
The vitamin-mineral complex contained in cucumbers has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the pancreas, has a stimulating effect and relieves inflammation of the mucous membrane. Despite the fact that 95% of cucumbers are water, they still contain enough nutrients. Vitamins present here are: A, B (1, 2,3,6,9), E, PP, C, H; as well as trace elements: iron, zinc, potassium, chromium, calcium, fluorine, magnesium, molybdenum, sodium, copper, phosphorus, manganese, chlorine, cobalt, iodine, aluminum.
People with pancreatitis can eat cucumber salad seasoned with vegetable oil. It is not recommended to prepare such a salad for future use. If you put the salad in the refrigerator, it will be less beneficial. It is better to peel the greens, which contain coarse fiber, which is not very beneficial for the inflamed pancreas. It is recommended to chop vegetables using a grater, so the absorption of the product will be more effective and complete.
Despite the obvious benefits, when consuming this vegetable you still need to observe moderation. The fact is that cucumbers have a diuretic effect and, along with substances harmful to the body, beneficial ones can be washed out. This leads to exhaustion of the body.
Important! Bitter greens are considered the most beneficial. The more bitter a cucumber is, the more obvious its benefits to the body.
Beneficial properties of cucumbers and consumption of vegetables for pathology
Cucumbers are not considered a healthy product due to the fact that they contain a small amount of nutrients and beneficial substances. They include:
- water percentage 90-95%;
- vitamins A, B, C;
- substances similar to enzymes that promote the breakdown of fat and protein compounds;
- micro- and macroelements;
- fiber of plant origin.
Despite this, cucumbers have a number of beneficial properties:
- The water contained in the vegetable completely meets the body's needs.
- Cucumber diuretics help with pathologies such as heart disease, hypertension, and kidney diseases, which are often accompanied by swelling.
- Plant fiber helps improve intestinal motility and the functioning of the digestive system as a whole, making nutrients better absorbed.
- The enzymatic component increases the digestibility of animal protein and also improves the taste of meat products.
- In some cases, cucumber juice is used as an additional remedy for gallstone diseases to destroy stones, since this pathology can be one of the reasons for the development of pancreatitis. Thus, cucumber juice helps reduce the likelihood of occurrence and exacerbation of pancreatitis.
- Cucumber puree helps relieve inflammation from the mucous membranes of the pancreas.
- Iodine and alkali salts, which are part of the vegetable, help improve metabolism. Of course, the amount of iodine in cucumbers is not medicinal in nature, but it is just right for maintaining the overall vitamin and mineral balance.
Fresh cucumbers have a number of beneficial properties.
Pickled cucumbers for pancreatitis
We are accustomed to the fact that traditionally in winter there are marinated tomatoes and cucumbers prepared for future use on the table. Without pickles, the table seems meager to us, and the food seems bland. Unfortunately, people suffering from diseases of the pancreas, including pancreatitis, will have to reconsider their attitude to nutrition.
Pickled and pickled cucumbers should not be consumed if you have pancreatitis, no matter what form the disease takes: chronic or acute. The fact is that when preparing vegetables for the winter, ingredients are used that are not only harmful, but also dangerous in case of pathologies in the functioning of the pancreas. These ingredients are: salt, vinegar, citric acid, black pepper, garlic, hot pepper and horseradish.
I would like to note that patients with pancreatitis should not be too upset about the fact that they will have to give up “salty foods.” The fact is that these products are not healthy for healthy people either. During heat treatment, all vitamins and microelements are destroyed, and vegetables become useless on their own, and salt and vinegar make them harmful. Therefore, no one should eat pickles uncontrollably, even if there are no gastrointestinal diseases.
Rules and principles for eating cucumbers for pancreatitis
In addition to these benefits, one must also take into account the stage of the disease. Pancreatitis is divided according to the course of the pathology: during exacerbation and during remission.
Cucumbers for pancreatitis during an exacerbation of the disease
When pancreatitis worsens, it is necessary to give your body the opportunity to completely unload. That is, for the first 3-5 days, patients are shown therapeutic fasting. Next 1-2 weeks, preference is given to liquid and slimy dishes: broths, jelly, water porridge, etc. Vegetables and dishes made from them are contraindicated in acute pancreatitis. This is due to the fact that despite the high percentage of water content, cucumbers are a rather heavy product for absorption by the gastrointestinal tract, which will create additional stress for the inflamed pancreas.
Preference should be given to cucumbers grown on your own plot
Cucumbers are allowed to be administered only after the symptoms of acute inflammation of the pancreas have passed, which are most often expressed in the following:
- abdominal pain;
- nausea, vomiting;
- diarrhea and other dyspeptic disorders of the digestive system;
- fever, etc.
The peel from the cucumbers should be cut off in a fairly thick layer.
Cucumbers for pancreatitis during remission
In the stage of remission in a stable form, the diet of a sick person has some concessions, which are strictly unacceptable during the period of exacerbation of the disease. When adding cucumbers to your menu, you need to follow some rules.
- Vegetables are consumed fresh. Moreover, preference should be given to those grown at home, preferably on your own plot, since in this case it will be known exactly whether any chemicals were used during cultivation. Store-bought cucumbers often contain higher levels of pesticides due to the use of special fertilizers.
- The peel of vegetables is cut off in a fairly thick layer, since it contains a large amount of coarse fiber, which is not useful even during the period of remission. In addition, it is in the peel that a greater amount of harmful substances (including pesticides) tend to accumulate. Coarse fiber enhances intestinal motility and activates the enhanced secretory functions of the digestive system.
- When the cucumber is initially introduced, it is pureed. This will make it easier to digest and assimilate.
- Vegetable dishes should only be freshly prepared. It is not allowed to eat yesterday's dishes that were stored in the refrigerator.
- The introduction of cucumber should be gradual (as with other products). You can try 1-2 teaspoons at first, gradually increasing the volume. This way the body’s reaction to the vegetable will be noticeable. If flatulence and other unpleasant sensations characteristic of pancreatitis appear, the introduction of the vegetable must be urgently discontinued.
- Cucumbers should be consumed in strictly limited quantities. This is due to its composition, or more precisely, to the large amount of water in the product, since it can wash out not only toxins from the body, but also useful substances (minerals, micro- and macroelements, vitamins). The maximum permissible volume is selected individually, but should not exceed 150-200 g.
- Cucumber dishes should not be heavily salted, as salt tends to retain water in the body.
When introducing cucumber into the diet for the first time, it is grated
Consequences of ignoring diet for pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is a disease that cannot be completely cured. The patient’s condition depends on the lifestyle he leads, how he eats and whether he undergoes treatment. If you ignore the symptoms of the disease, the consequences can be disastrous. Against the background of pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus, liver and kidney failure can develop. In some cases, with advanced pancreatitis, processes develop that require complete removal of the pancreas. After this, you will have to forget forever not only about pickles, but the diet in general will become very strict.
Important! You cannot self-medicate for pancreatitis. Diet alone is not enough; drug treatment is necessary. The earlier the disease is diagnosed and the correct treatment is prescribed, the more favorable the prognosis will be.
Healthful composition of green vegetables
By their nature, cucumbers belong to the category of vegetable crops, which contain a huge amount of vitamin complexes and microelements that contribute to the normal functioning of the body.
Cucumber contains:
- vitamin A, B, E, C in high concentration;
- a large amount of zinc, iron, potassium, calcium, iodine, as well as other substances necessary for the body, which have a positive effect on the body as a whole and the condition of the pancreas in particular.
The substances listed above take an active part in stimulating the normal functioning of the pancreas, as well as in preventing inflammatory processes that can occur in the mucous membranes.
All the benefits of cucumber
Even the wide list of beneficial properties of cucumber suggests that excessive consumption may lead to some negative consequences that should be avoided.
Thus, for people who abuse fresh cucumbers in their diet, there is a danger of active leaching, along with harmful substances, of those elements that are classified as essential. This situation causes exhaustion of the human body, which can no longer effectively resist the disease.
Based on the above, the main recommendation for patients is controlled consumption of cucumber, taking into account the recommendations of the attending physician. It is worth noting that the most useful cucumbers are those that have a bitter aftertaste and are not eaten by most people under normal conditions.
The presence of such medicinal properties as calming, fighting inflammatory processes, as well as actions aimed at cleansing the body is the key to including cucumbers in therapeutic and preventive diets. All these properties are especially important for disorders of the pancreas at various stages of pancreatitis.
At the same time, you should take into account the recommendation that indicates the need to consume freshly prepared cucumber salad in “one sitting,” since salad left in the refrigerator loses its properties and does not contain useful substances in the required quantity. That is why you should cook as much as you can eat in one meal.
