Cucumbers belong to the same plant family as melons, pumpkins, and winter squash, but they are not as nutritious. One cup of sliced cucumber provides only about 6 mg of Vitamin C and smaller amounts of folate and potassium. The skin contains some beta-carotene, but cucumbers are often peeled, especially if they’ve been sprayed with wax to retard spoilage.

In North America, cucumbers are used mostly as a salad ingredient or as pickles. Commercially, they are used mainly to make pickles and relishes; cucumber juice and extracts are found in cosmetic products.