Home Perennial flowers Where did the cucumber come from? The history of vegetables in Russia, or what vegetables our ancestors ate. Use in medicine

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Where did the cucumber come from? The history of vegetables in Russia, or what vegetables our ancestors ate. Use in medicine

In the summer, every table is sure to have a large number of tasty and healthy vegetables. But does everyone know where the homeland of the cucumber is and what beneficial properties it has? Why is it worth setting aside a place of honor in the garden for growing this crop?

Which country is the birthplace of cucumber?

This vegetable is a herbaceous plant. By the way, cucumber (like pumpkin) is a berry. This plant is an annual. It is known that in Russia it has been grown for only 400-500 years. In ancient times, cucumbers in Greece were called “aguros,” which translated means “unripe.” It is believed that the smaller the fruit, the tastier it is. The homeland of the cucumber is India. It has been grown there for 5,000 years. There, this vegetable is a wild plant, and it can be found even in the forest.

Landing Features

Where cucumbers are native (in India), tropical and subtropical climate prevails. It is important to know that for a good harvest it is necessary to plant “aguros” when the temperature reaches 15-17°C. The most favorable month for sowing is June.

In the first month of summer, the air temperature is not yet very high, and over the next sixty days of summer the crop will reach sufficient growth and ripen.

Little known facts

The homeland of cucumber is the largest country in South Asia. Surprisingly, in India, cucumbers are not planted specifically. They wrap themselves around trees and fences. It is also curious that earlier, when this vegetable was rare, the Turkish Sultan ordered the bellies of his servants to be opened to find out who stole and ate the “aguros” that his acquaintance brought him in small quantities.

Often this vegetable, familiar to us, ends up in the Guinness Book of Records. A cucumber is registered there, the length of which is 1.83 m. It was found in Hungary.

Also among the record holders is the heaviest vegetable, weighing more than 6 kg.

Where are cucumbers valued?

The homeland of the cucumber is not only India, but also China. It is there that cucumber seedlings are now grown in boxes on the roofs of houses and then transplanted into the ground. The vegetable was also valued in Greece: the city of Sikyon, which translates as “city of cucumbers,” was named after it.

It is known that the plant was depicted in ancient Egypt on frescoes that have survived to this day. In Suzdal, to this day, Cucumber Day is celebrated every year in June, and in Lukovitsy, a two-meter bronze monument was erected in honor of the plant.

Useful properties of the plant

How many beneficial properties does a cucumber have?

The homeland of the plant is associated with youth and endless vitality, and this is no coincidence. The fact is that cucumber has a lot of useful vitamins and elements. Thanks to them, many diseases can be prevented or their development slowed down. These diseases include cardiovascular problems, obesity, poor kidney and liver function, and slow metabolism. Cucumbers not only contain a huge amount of iodine, which, by the way, prevents thyroid diseases, but also have a very small amount of calories. This plant fits perfectly into the diet of those people who are overweight or watching their figure. The minimum calorie content is due to the fact that the vegetable consists of more than 90% water.

Not only the fruit itself, but also its seeds have beneficial properties. They remove excess cholesterol from the human body. In addition, consuming cucumbers and their juice improves skin condition and improves memory.

Cucumbers and skin care

Cucumbers are an excellent vegetable to use for skin care. The plant tones and refreshes the face. Cucumber masks are suitable for any skin type. For those who have dry skin that constantly flakes, cosmetologists recommend wiping their face every day with a swab dipped in a special mask. To prepare it, you need to mix diced cucumber without peel with olive oil in proportions of 1 and then let it brew for a day. This daily procedure will help prevent and get rid of flaking.

Contraindications

In addition to a lot of positive aspects, cucumbers also have contraindications. They are not recommended for use by nursing women, people with stomach diseases and those who are addicted to diuretics, as well as for some endocrine diseases.

Conclusion

Cucumber is a fairly popular vegetable in our house, but does everyone know where its homeland is? Not everyone knows about the beneficial properties of the fruit, thereby underestimating the universal plant. It’s not for nothing that cucumbers were depicted on the walls of temples in Ancient Greece. This plant is an endless source of health, youth and beauty. Cucumbers, if you follow all the recommendations, are easy to grow and then benefit the body all summer, and the result lasts all year. That is why gardeners recommend studying in detail the beneficial properties of cucumbers and allocating some space for them in your garden.

Cucumber is an annual herbaceous plant. Family - pumpkin, genus - cucumber. Species: common cucumber (Cucumis sativus). Closest relatives: pumpkin, melon, zucchini, watermelon. From a botanical point of view, a cucumber should belong to ... berries (the type of fruit is defined as pumpkin, or false berry), but, nevertheless, from a culinary point of view, a cucumber is usually perceived by us as a vegetable.

Cucumber has been known as a vegetable plant for several thousand years. Its homeland is the tropical and subtropical regions of India and China, where it still grows in forests under natural conditions, twining around trees like vines.

It is believed that the cucumber entered Europe thanks to the conquests of the ancient Greeks in Asia. The image of a cucumber can be found in ancient Greek temples.

The Greeks called the cucumber “aoros”, which translated means “unripe”, since the fruits were eaten unripe. The word “aoros” gradually turned into “auguros”, and in Rus' it was transformed into “cucumber”.

The cucumber has been known for more than six thousand years. At the very beginning of our era, the plant spread throughout the globe. In India, cucumber came into use about 3000 years ago.

Cucumbers have been a favorite vegetable among Russians for a long time. However, there is no exact information about when the cucumber first appeared in Rus'. It is believed that it was known to us even before the 9th century, having penetrated to us, most likely, from East Asia. The first mention of cucumbers in the Muscovy state was made by the German ambassador Herberstein in 1528 in his notes on a trip to Muscovy.

Travelers from Western Europe were always surprised that cucumbers are grown in huge quantities in Rus' and that in cold northern Russia they grow even better than in Europe.

The Russian people have always considered cucumbers their national food.

In 2003, in the village of Istobinsk, Orichevsky district, Russia’s first bronze monument in honor of the pickled cucumber, 6 meters high, was erected. Today in Russia there are already three monuments to the cucumber. 🙂

In 2007, in Belarus, in Shklov, a miraculous cucumber appeared in a jacket with pockets.

Lukhovitsky cucumber (photo of his monument in the picture) is small in size, with pimples, crunchy, suitable for pickling, with a rich content of potassium and glucose. Lukhovitsky cucumbers are pickled as follows. The washed fruits are placed in a jar. Prepare a brine with the addition of salt and spices, pour it over cucumbers and place in a warm place for two to three days until foam appears. It is removed, the brine is poured out and boiled. Then spices are added again and the cucumbers are poured hot, the jars are closed with plastic lids and placed in the basement.

Cucumbers are the most ancient vegetable crop. Cucumbers have been cultivated for about 6 thousand years.

India is considered the birthplace of the cucumber, where you can still find wild cucumbers, cucumbers, like vines, entwining trees in forests. Fences of Indian villages are woven with cucumbers. In India, the cucumber came into use at least 3000 BC. Its purpose in Sanskrit is unambiguous for the name of the legendary Indian prince, who allegedly had 60 thousand children, which, in all likelihood, is associated with both the large number of grains in the cucumber and the abundance of fruits it bears.

Beautiful images of cucumber on sacrificial tables, found on the monuments of the ancient Egyptians, prove that they knew and loved this vegetable. In the temple of Dakhirel-Bars, green-colored cucumbers are depicted along with grapes.

It is believed that the cucumber entered Europe thanks to the conquest of Southeast Asia by the ancient Greeks. The image of a cucumber can be found in ancient Greek temples. The Greeks called the cucumber “aoros”. This word is translated as “unripe”, since the fruits were eaten unripe. The word “aoros” gradually turned into “auguros” (in Rus' it was paraphrased into “cucumber”).

In Greece, during the time of Homer, there was even a city of Sikyon - “the city of cucumbers”. The ancient Romans grew cucumbers in greenhouses all year round and salted them in tubs.

Already in ancient times, cucumber juice has established itself as an indispensable cosmetic product that cleanses and protects the skin. Crushed cucumber seeds were mixed with powder, and crushed cucumber was used to smooth out wrinkles.

The Slavs were perhaps the first of the peoples who communicated with Byzantium to grow cucumbers. From them, the cucumber came to the Germans and therefore the name of this crop in German is consonant with Russian.

When the cucumber first appeared in Russia, it is impossible to say for sure. It is believed that it was known to the Russians even before the 9th century. The first literary mention of cucumbers in the Muscovite state was made by the German ambassador Herberstein in 1528. Somewhat later, in the 30s of the 17th century, the German traveler Adam Olearius (Elschläger) gave a commendable review of Russian cucumbers in his “Detailed description of the trip of the Holstein embassy to Muscovy and Persia.” Peter the Great, by his highest command, issued a decree on the creation of a special farm for growing cucumbers. This was in the 17th century, but on the tables of ordinary Russian people, cucumber was no longer an exotic product. Travelers from Western Europe noted that cucumbers are grown in incredible quantities in Rus' and could not understand why they grow better here than in Europe.

One of the most common dishes in Russia in the 16th century was “black ukha” - a soup in which meat was boiled in cucumber brine mixed with various spices and roots.

Cucumber was the first crop in Russia to be grown in protected soil. In the beginning (until the 18th century), cold beds and warm nurseries with light-proof shelters, steam beds, ridges and heaps (with manure as soil heating) were used for cucumbers. Since the 18th century, they began to build classic Russian greenhouses with biological heating (the same manure). In the 19th century, semi-greenhouses with glazed frames and the famous Klin lean-to greenhouses with hog heating appeared.

At the beginning of the 20th century, many different protected ground structures appeared in Russia. Glass and oiled paper were used as a transparent cover. Since the second half of the 20th century, mass construction of industrial greenhouse plants began. Cucumber was still the main protected soil crop.

Cucumber belongs to the Pumpkin family. The fruit of a cucumber, like a pumpkin, is a berry. Young unripe fruits - greens - are eaten as food: fresh, salted and pickled. Cucumbers consist of: 95% water, 0.7 - 1% protein, 2% sugars, vitamins C, B1, B2, P, provitamin A, enzymes, aromatic substances and mineral salts. Alkaline salts (they make up 75% of the total amount of mineral salts contained in the cucumber fruit) reduce the acidity of gastric juice, and the high potassium content (174 mg per 100 grams of wet weight) helps remove water from the body and has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart and kidneys , liver.

Cucumber is a very popular vegetable in our country.. It is consumed fresh as an independent dish or as part of salads. We always associate fresh crispy cucumbers from the garden with summer and warmth. Every gardener grows this crop. Everyone loves green and juicy cucumbers.

We use it not only fresh, but also canned, pickled and sour cucumbers are prepared by housewives in large quantities and delight the whole family in the cold winter. We all know how to prepare their cucumbers. Where did this green vegetable come to us from? Where and how is cucumber used? What benefits do cucumbers bring to our body? We will try to find answers to all these questions to the maximum.

History of the origin of the cucumber

Cucumber came into our lives so long ago that no one even knows when exactly they began to eat it. It is believed that the first cucumbers appeared in India, this assumption is well founded. Even today, India is the only country in the world where wild cucumber grows. This wild cucumber is fundamentally different from the modern one, it is smaller than an ordinary cucumber and it is simply not possible to eat it because of its incredibly bitter taste.

It is known for sure that cucumber was consumed in ancient Rome. The ancient Romans had sacrificial tables for making sacrifices to the Gods; various vegetables and fruits were depicted on these tables, and among these images there was a cucumber, which confirms that even then the cucumber was in people's lives.

From the 3rd to the 4th centuries, the cucumber gradually reached Greece and all European countries from Asia. The cucumber spread throughout Europe quite quickly. Cucumber seeds have become an item of trade between countries. But it was grown in those days, not as we are used to now. Cucumbers were planted in boxes and wheels were attached to them so that they could be easily turned towards the sun. Cucumbers in those days were not adapted to growing in any climate, because varieties were not yet bred, but one variety was simply collected and sold throughout all countries.

The cucumber arrived on the territory of Rus' much later, around the 10th-11th century. It is believed that cucumbers were brought to Rus' from Byzantium, but this is not an exact fact, but only an assumption. During archaeological excavations on the territory of Novgorod, seed shells were found; these shells are presumably from the 10th century.

At that time, cucumber was not very common; it gained great popularity in the territories of Russia and Ukraine in the 16-17th century. In the 70s of the 17th century, Peter the first issued a decree to create a vegetable growing farm in Izmailovo, where cabbage, melon and cucumber itself were grown in large quantities over large areas. Since that time, cucumber began to be grown in very large quantities.

In the same 17th century, many cucumbers were already pickled and a hot dish appeared - it was a soup that was prepared on the basis of cucumber brine, meat and various roots were added, this soup was called “Black Ear”. And our favorite pickling varieties were not bred here at all, these varieties came to us again from India and Nepal.

The first pollinated varieties appeared in India and Nepal; they became the ancestors of each pollinated variety, and from these varieties, breeders bred all the others. But the first varieties of long-fruited cucumbers appeared in China; these varieties became the ancestors of all varieties capable of reproduction without pollination.

Cucumbers are most popular in Russia and Ukraine; these two countries grow the largest number of cucumbers in the world. About 130 thousand hectares of land are allocated for planting this crop. Of this, approximately 65-70% of cucumbers are grown in greenhouses.

Composition of cucumber

Cucumber is a very tasty and healthy product. What is in this delicious green vegetable?

Everyone knows that a cucumber consists of at least 80% water, it would seem that there could be something useful in it when there is so much water in it, because there are no vitamins and minerals in water, but this is a big misconception. In fact, it contains quite a lot of different useful components.

Cucumber, like any vegetable, contains vitamins, not as much as some vegetables, of course, but still quite enough. Cucumber contains vitamin A, B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, C, E, H, PP. It also contains Beta-carotene and Choline.

Cucumber also contains minerals, and there are quite a lot of them and are quite sufficient for the body. It contains such minerals as Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Phosphorus and Iron.

But that's not all there is to a cucumber. It also contains Iodine, not too much, but still there is iodine in it.

Use of cucumbers

Cucumber has entered our lives very firmly and has found its use in all areas of life. People use cucumbers wherever they can.

Cucumber in nutrition

Cucumber in human nutrition for more than one century, and during this time people have learned to eat cucumbers in various forms. First of all, of course, it is the use of fresh cucumber. In hot summer weather, nothing is more refreshing than a cucumber from the refrigerator; a salad with fresh cucumber and other vegetables always goes great with any side dish.

Every housewife in the summer tries to prepare as many cucumbers as possible for the winter, their pickled in various ways, sour, pickled, canned salads with cucumbers. And lightly salted cucumbers with new potatoes in the summer are the favorite food of our people. In general, cucumber has its place of honor in our diet and is far from the last.

Cucumber in cosmetology

The beautiful half of humanity always tries to make the most of everything that surrounds us to maintain beauty and youth. And women were not spared the cucumber. It has excellent moisturizing properties and is very suitable for summer fresh cucumber masks. The famous cucumber lotion, known to many generations, is made from its extract; this extract is also added to tonics to cleanse the skin.

Cucumber is also used in making moisturizing creams for the face, hands and body.
Cucumber is also used to relieve swelling of tissues.
Cucumber juice is used to moisturize and restore hair.
Cucumber perfectly fights eye fatigue, just put a circle of cucumber on your eyes and fatigue will be relieved instantly, and cucumber will also remove bags and circles under your eyes.
Cucumber gruel applied to the scalp and hair will help you reduce excess oiliness in your hair. The same paste is used for acne.
If you rub a piece of cucumber on your face, you can get rid of age spots and freckles.
If you suffer from oily skin, then cucumber pickle will come to your aid. It should be used as a lotion.
For hand skin problems, such as chapping and cracks, a mask of cucumber pulp will help you; it will soften and moisturize the skin and help heal cracks.

Cucumber in folk medicine

Cucumber is also used quite widely in folk medicine.. Useful properties of cucumber have long been known to mankind and people use it to the maximum.

Most of the cucumber consists of water and has a strong diuretic property; consuming it will help you get rid of edema if you are prone to it.
Cucumbers are recommended for people who suffer from urolithiasis and kidney disease. Thanks to its diuretic properties, it perfectly cleanses the kidneys and the entire urinary tract. And regular consumption during the ripening season will protect you from such diseases, because cucumber serves as an excellent prevention of kidney and urinary tract diseases.
Regular consumption of cucumbers helps cleanse blood vessels. People who love this vegetable and eat it a lot are less likely to suffer from vascular disease.
Thanks to its magnesium content, cucumber helps reduce the risk of heart disease. Sufficient consumption of this vegetable significantly reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
People suffering from thyroid diseases need to eat as many cucumbers as possible. Everyone knows that iodine helps improve the functioning of the thyroid gland, but there is not a lot of iodine in cucumber, but this iodine has the ability to be easily absorbed by the body and iodine is completely absorbed from cucumber.
Cucumber can reduce acidity in the stomach. People suffering from gastritis with high acidity are recommended to drink cucumber juice in the morning and before meals to reduce acidity in the stomach.
Cucumber helps not only reduce but also increase acidity. To increase acidity, not fresh cucumbers are used, because we already know that they reduce acidity; to increase acidity, it is recommended to use cucumber pickle.
Cucumber also helps increase metabolism and eliminate bloating by removing excess gases from the body.
Cucumber juice will relieve irritable bowel syndrome; just drink half a glass of cucumber juice in the morning.
If you are often tormented by constipation, then a crispy cucumber will help you here too. If you drink a glass of cucumber juice in the morning on an empty stomach, the problem will be solved quite quickly.
Cucumber will also help you if you can’t cure an annoying cough or suffer from bronchitis. Juice will also come to the rescue here, but you really have to add honey to it, drink this delicious sweet drink and the cough will certainly subside quite quickly due to the easier release of phlegm.
If you have problems with the gallbladder, then cucumber decoction will help you out. It will improve the flow of bile and help flush sand and small stones from the gallbladder.
If you like to eat ripened cucumbers with already large seeds, then they will help you cleanse your body of excess cholesterol. Eat more cucumbers and you won't be afraid of cholesterol.
Since cucumber is rich in liquid, it provides a sufficient amount of it to the body, which helps preserve youth for longer. Our skin especially needs such liquid; regular consumption of cucumbers will give the skin a sufficient amount of necessary moisture.
Cucumber helps improve digestion and normalize your body's metabolic processes, which will help you better absorb all the benefits from all the foods you eat.
Cucumber is the most dietary product; in case of increased body weight and obesity, it is recommended to arrange fasting days on which only cucumbers and kefir are consumed. Such fasting days will help reduce body weight by burning fat and removing excess fluid from the body.
Gnawing on a fresh crispy cucumber is not only very tasty, but also very beneficial for the health of your teeth and gums. Eating cucumbers reduces the risk of caries and periodontal disease.
Cucumber is an excellent diuretic and helps lower blood pressure. If you suffer from hypertension, then you simply need to eat cucumbers; they will help you lower your blood pressure faster without resorting to medications.
At elevated body temperatures, it is also recommended to eat cucumbers in any form.
Cucumber seeds have an antitumor effect. To combat various types of tumors, it is recommended to consume dried cucumber seeds.
It is also recommended that cucumber seeds be consumed by people suffering from tuberculosis; its components help to quickly cope with this disease.
Traditional medicine also uses cucumber flowers and leaves; they are used in the form of a decoction to treat malaria.
If you are overheated in the sun in the summer and get a sunburn, apply a grated cucumber to the burn area; it will help moisturize the skin and soothe it.
Few people know, but cucumbers contain a component that can replace insulin. Therefore, it is simply necessary for patients with diabetes to consume cucumbers.

Contraindications for eating cucumber

Although cucumber is tasty and healthy, there are cases when the consumption of this vegetable must be limited.

Such cases include reduced acidity of the body, because it is able to reduce acidity in the stomach.
Their use should also be limited to people with hypotension, because it has a strong diuretic property and lowers blood pressure, so people with low blood pressure should use it with caution.
You should also not eat cucumbers during periods of exacerbation of gastritis and peptic ulcers of the stomach and duodenum.
People with individual intolerance to the components should also not eat cucumbers.

Eat cucumbers for your health!

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Cucumber is an annual herbaceous plant. Family - pumpkin, genus - cucumber. Species - common cucumber (Cucumis sativus). Closest relatives: pumpkin, melon, zucchini, watermelon. From a botanical point of view, a cucumber should belong to... berries (the type of fruit is defined as pumpkin, or false berry), but, nevertheless, from a culinary point of view, a cucumber is usually perceived by us as a vegetable.

It is believed that the cucumber entered Europe thanks to the conquests of the ancient Greeks in Asia. The image of a cucumber can be found in ancient Greek temples.

The Greeks called the cucumber "aoros", which translated means "unripe", since the fruits were eaten unripe. The word "aoros" gradually turned into "auguros", and in Rus' it was transformed into "cucumber".

The cucumber has been known for more than six thousand years. At the very beginning of our era, the plant spread throughout the globe. In India, cucumber came into use about 3000 years ago.

Travelers from Western Europe were always surprised that cucumbers are grown in huge quantities in Rus' and that in cold northern Russia they grow even better than in Europe.

The Russian people have always considered cucumbers their national food.

In 2007, in Belarus, in Shklov, a miraculous cucumber appeared in a jacket with pockets.

Lukhovitsky cucumber (photo of his monument is on the right in the picture) is small in size, with pimples, crunchy, suitable for pickling, with a rich content of potassium and glucose. Lukhovitsky cucumbers are pickled as follows. The washed fruits are placed in a jar. Prepare a brine with the addition of salt and spices, pour it over cucumbers and place in a warm place for two to three days until foam appears. It is removed, the brine is poured out and boiled. Then spices are added again and the cucumbers are poured hot, the jars are closed with plastic lids and placed in the basement.