The internet is eating entire cucumbers, and nutritionists are pleased that a food trend is focusing on a vegetable and promoting healthy eating to TikTok users.

"I've heard about the trend," Amy Goldsmith, founder and owner of Kindred Nutrition, told Newsweek. "As a dietitian, I am happy to see a vegetable highlighted as a food trend.

"A cucumber overall is a great food to add to your daily intake. The nutrient profile will change, obviously, depending on what you are eating with the cucumber."

It all started when Canadian TikTok content creator Logan Moffitt, @logagm, made a video back in June captioned, "Best way to eat an entire cucumber."

"Sometimes you need to eat an entire cucumber," he said in the video. "I'm going to show you the best way to do it."

The video, which has 15.6 million views and 1.2 million likes, involves slicing a whole cucumber with a mandolin and flavoring it with soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, MSG, sesame oil, garlic, scallion and sesame seeds.

"Can confirm, very proud to be TikTok's ambassador for the humble cucumber," Moffitt told Newsweek. "They are so crunchy and fresh, and go so well with MANY different flavors."

But Moffitt has made many more cucumber recipes—specifically designed for eat the entire vegetable—including sushi cucumber with 28.4 million views, satay cucumber with 13 million views, and salmon bagel cucumber with 36.4 million views.

He told Newsweek that he does indeed eat a whole cucumber in one sitting, on a regular basis.

In fact, Moffitt said he did so daily, "sometimes even more than one in a day when I have a lot of cucumber recipe ideas!"

The trend has taken off beyond Moffitt's account. For example, influencer Abby Baffoe made his original cucumber salad recipe in August and attracted 33.1 million views as a result.

Nutritional Pros and Cons of Cucumbers

Nutritional therapist Katharine Tate, founder and director of The Food Teacher, told Newsweek there were many benefits to eating cucumbers regularly.

"Cucumbers are dense, aqueous, easily absorbed by the body, and packed full of vitamins, minerals and electrolytes," she said.

"The nutrients packed in the flesh, seeds and skin can help to maintain water balance, support urinary function, promote a healthy digestive system and may even lower cholesterol.

"It's a perfect choice after a workout to restore some balance in the body."

Sunomono, Japanese cucumber salad: sliced cucumbers with an Asian dressing of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and sugar. Logan Moffitt's viral cucumber salad recipe also contains fish sauce, MSG, scallions, garlic and toasted sesame... Sunomono, Japanese cucumber salad: sliced cucumbers with an Asian dressing of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and sugar. Logan Moffitt's viral cucumber salad recipe also contains fish sauce, MSG, scallions, garlic and toasted sesame seeds, but doesn't contain rice vinegar. from_my_point_of_view/Getty Images

"Cucumbers are a great source of water, some protein (about 2 grams), some carbohydrates (about 10 grams), and a little fiber (about 1.5 grams)," said Goldsmith. "It also has other essential minerals, such as magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and folate."

However, Tate cautioned that the water in cucumbers could lead to "a mild diuretic effect"—meaning, it might make you need to pee—so she suggested trying smaller amounts, before eating an entire cucumber in one sitting.

She also said: "Be mindful that pesticide residues and waxes are often found on the skin of cucumbers, so if you can, try to buy organic to reduce toxin exposure."

Goldsmith added that, while a great addition to the diet, a whole cucumber was only one vegetable and "everyone should consume at least five fruits and vegetables a day."

"Also, a whole cucumber is not a meal replacement, or even enough as a snack alone," she said. "However, if you add lean fats, protein and additional nutrients, it can provide more adequate fuel."

The cucumber recipes circulating online do this, adding fats and proteins with oils, cheeses, yogurts, and so on. After all, the trend does not involve eating an entire unflavored cucumber in one sitting.

Overall, though, the nutritionists were pleased with the trend.

"America in general does not consume enough fruits and vegetables," said Goldsmith. "If this is a way to motivate someone to get more veggies in, then that's great."

How to make the viral cucumber salad recipe

  1. Slice an entire cucumber with a mandolin into a container that has a lid.
  2. Flavor it with 1.5 tablespoons of soy sauce, a dash of fish sauce, some sugar, some MSG, and a lot of soy sauce.
  3. Grate a garlic clove into the mixture or add two chopped garlic cloves.
  4. Chop two whole scallions into the mixture.
  5. Add some toasted sesame seeds and, optionally, red pepper flakes for heat.
  6. Put the lid onto the container and shake to combine. Optionally, leave to marinate for up to two hours.
  7. Enjoy on its own, with kimchi, with tofu, or with seaweed.

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