Tomatoes and cucumber are delicious. Chances are, we’ve all had the combination at some point in our lives, whether as part of a salad or just as a snack.
However, this delightful duo might not be as healthy as you might think. If you’re reading this, you are probably wondering if you should actually be eating tomato and cucumber together.
Cucumbers are great sources of water and fiber. These fruits are also high in vitamin K and A and are great for our bodies. Not only does this food help you stay hydrated, but it is good for keeping us regular on a daily basis.
The cucumber has been linked to keeping your brain healthy, as well as your kidney. Because of this, the cool, refreshing taste of these fruits is a great snack and is even used to help rejuvenate skin (we’ve all seen someone with cucumber slices on their eyes, right?).
Tomatoes, on the other hand, are fruits that are high in vitamin C and K, as well as potassium and folate.
They are great antioxidants and are thought to be linked to boosted general health and reduced risk of cancer and heart disease.
You can find this food in many daily foods, including one of the most popular condiments – ketchup. Like anything, however, consuming too much of a good thing can do more harm than good.
For both these fruits, it is important to have a healthy balance. Both are incredibly healthy when eaten in reasonable amounts, but you can overdo it.
For many, a great way to kill two birds with one stone is to have these fruits in a salad. However, there has recently been some controversy regarding this.
The short answer? No. This might surprise a lot of you if you know little about digestion and the science behind the human body.
Experts like Tanya S. Kapoor, who is a Dietician and Nutritionist, claim that consuming these two fruits together might not be so good for your body.
Both ingredients have very different ways of being digested. This can lead to acid-forming in your body after eating them and bloating.
Moreover, the fruit act in a way that is not beneficial to the body. While tomatoes have more vitamin C than an orange, cucumbers have properties that actually interfere with how your body absorbs it.
Because of this, it is advised that tomato and cucumber should never be eaten together.
As you just learned, the digestion process is vastly different for these two ingredients. When you mix foods that do not go well together when being digested, you put yourself at risk of experiencing stomach aches, bloating, gas, fatigue, and nausea.
Cucumber is easy to digest and is very light on the stomach, while tomatoes need more time to ferment.
These kinds of bad food combinations could potentially aggravate other underlying digestive issues you may have, too. In the long run, they could also reduce your metabolic rate.
Having a low metabolic rate means that losing weight is more difficult. Because of this, this combination can be particularly unpleasant for individuals who wish to start their weight loss journey.
By choosing when you have certain foods, you can increase your chances of losing weight and be more successful in your endeavors.
When food ferments, gases, and fluids are released. If there are two foods that are vastly different are in the stomach and one digests quickly and the other does not, the process can be unpleasant.
Other gases and secretions can lead to ailments that could otherwise be avoided. Things like bloating and acid reflux can be made worse when these fruits are consumed together.
How Important Is It To Avoid Eating Tomato and Cucumber Together?
So, the experts say that you should not eat these two ingredients together, but if you haven’t noticed, humans have been eating them in salads.
Millions of people all over the world eat salads on a daily basis, and so many also have cucumber and tomato on their burgers and a number of other meals.
The truth is, while experts warn of the potential dangers of eating specific food combinations, we have been doing it for many years.
Of course, these warnings are needed by some, but the majority of the population pays little attention to them.
The combination of cucumber and tomatoes is not something for most people to worry about. Experts also suggest that you should not drink tea with milk, eat yogurt with fruit, or have melon with anything.
While there can be small truths in the warnings for some, these combinations pose no threat to the everyday person.
If you have an extremely sensitive stomach, then you will want to heed the warnings, but if your stomach is pretty normal, eating tomatoes and cucumber will have little to no effect on you.
Cucumbers do have an enzyme that affects vitamin C, but a lot of fruits and vegetables do, too.
You can find this enzyme in other ingredients like cauliflower, bananas, apples, and cabbage, so don’t spend too much time worrying about that.
Besides, the vitamin C risk only exists when the fruits are cut up and put together, but vinegar (which is frequently put on our salads) does the same thing.
As soon as the food is ingested, the enzymes are turned into amino acids, which pose no risk to your vitamin C. The concern over vitamin C is largely an unimportant one.
If you have a regular diet, there and plenty of sources of vitamin C, like orange juice.
If for some reason, your diet is very limited, you can also take supplements, or get your vitamin C from Brussels sprouts, potatoes, peppers, strawberries, and a whole host of other healthy foods.
Ultimately, however, the decision to mix these foods is a personal choice.
This combination is unlikely to negatively impact most of us, but you should take note of how you feel after having a salad with cucumber and tomato.
Final Thoughts
The combination of cucumber and tomato is a tale as old as time, and it is a very popular snack. Unless you are someone who is especially sensitive to the effects of mixing these foods, you can continue to eat them just as you have for years.
Of course, it might be worth trying out separating them to see if there is an improvement for you, but if not, it isn’t something you should concern yourself with.
Eating tomatoes and cucumbers together is not something you should be afraid to do unless you have a reason for it.
Thankfully, for most of the population, this delicious salad snack is little more than a nutritious and refreshing meal.
Click here to discover how to make raw food taste delicious!
Hi, my name is Brett White, and I have a passion for cooking, and following a raw diet. Eating raw has completely changed how I view food, and has led me down a much healthier and happier path in life over the last three years.
Through Addicted To Veggies, I want to share with you my favorite raw recipes. From brownie recipes, to recipes containing pumpkin, my site is full of delicious and wonderful options to consider.
