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5 Surprising Cucumber Health Benefits

It's more than refreshing.

Eating healthy doesn't mean subsisting on superfoods like kale alone.

The lowly cucumber is a delicious source of vitamin K and C, magnesium, potassium and manganese, but the real reason you should be eating it on the regular is to reap all of the amazing health benefits it's been linked to.

Of course, there's the obvious plus — hydration. Since cucumbers are 95 per cent water, they're an ideal hydrating food.

In the video above by Oxygen Two, we discover five more health benefits of cucumbers you may not have expected.

For example, did you know cucumbers can actually help curb bad breath? It's true. The next time your mouth starts to taste a little stale, chomp on some cucumber sticks instead of gum. The watery veggie increases saliva production, washing away odour-causing bacteria.

Cucumbers can also be used to improve your beauty game. No, we aren't talking about using them to reduce eye-baggies (although that trick does work) — cucumbers are proven anti-aging agents.

Which is kind of ironic considering the scent of cucumbers is most commonly associated with seniors.

Looking for more ways to add cucumber into your diet? Check out the slideshow below.

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