How to Eat Cucumber to Cure Acidity

Heartburn, nausea, bloating, excess gas or stomach discomfort after eating may indicate excess stomach acid. Over-the-counter pills, tablets and liquids can be unpleasant to swallow and may not work. Fortunately, if you eat cucumber, you are on your way relieving the acidity.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fresh cucumber
• Knife
• Grater
• Salt and pepper (optional)
• Yogurt (optional)
• Cottage cheese (optional)

A

1. Buy fresh cucumbers. Make sure the skin is dark-green without yellow or black spots and that the flesh is firm from end to end. Light-green, yellow or withered stems indicate a lack of freshness. Too big a diameter means that it is overripe and has a large seed core.

2. Cut the cucumber into slices about 1/4-inch thick. Eat 2 slices every 2 hours to cure acidity. You may eat the cucumber slices more or less often, depending on the severity of your symptoms.

3. Leave the skin on and the seeds in the cucumber to preserve freshness, nutrients and fiber.

4. Dress up the cucumber by combining it with other ingredients that ease stomach acidity, such as yogurt, cottage cheese, carrots, mint or raw garlic.

5. Make an easy version of Greek cucumber sauce ("tzatziki") from 1 cup of yogurt and half a grated cucumber with salt, pepper and fresh garlic to taste. You can eat this sauce on salads, meats or sandwiches with your meal to prevent acidity.

6. Use sliced or grated cucumber in salads, but don't use too much vinegar in the dressing, as this will cancel out the cucumber's effect on excess acid.

Tips & Warnings

• Grocers often wax the outside of cucumbers to seal in freshness. Wrapped in plastic wrap and kept in the crisper, a waxed cucumber will keep for about 10 days to 2 weeks, while unwaxed vegetables will keep for about a week. There is nothing unhealthful about the wax.
• Squeeze out and save excess water from grated cucumber and combine it with carrot juice for a liquid heartburn cure.
• If you have trouble digesting cucumbers, sprinkle the slices with a thin layer of salt. Let them stand for an hour before you eat them.
• Do not use pickles. They are likely to make your stomach acidity worse.
• Do not cook cucumbers. They will only be effective if you eat them raw.

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[tattooyu]

on 12/9/2009 I have to disagree about mixing the cucumber with mint or garlic. Both will relax the LES (Lower Esophageal Sphincter) and cause more reflux (heartburn).