To Peel Or Not To Peel - Here's How You Should Prepare Cucumbers For Water - Tasting Table

"Cucumber water is a great way to make hydration more fun. It lacks the added sugars and chemicals of many drinks such as tea and soda, yet still gives you a pop of flavor that regular water lacks. They're also a great healthy option, as they add necessary nutrients like vitamin K, magnesium, and potassium to your diet. Making it is simple; just let sliced cucumbers and any other desired fresh ingredients sit and infuse in the water for a few hours."

"The short answer is: no. A sliced cucumber has plenty of surface area to infuse its flavor into the water even unpeeled, so peeling your cucumber will typically have no effect on the taste of the water. In fact, leaving the peel on is often recommended for cucumber-based recipes, including cucumber water, as many of the cucumber's valuable nutrients are found within it. Keeping the peels on your cucumbers gives you an even healthier, more nutritious water with a strong taste."

"Most cucumber water recipes recommend using garden-variety cucumbers, as other types can make the water too strong rather than light and refreshing. However, if you pick up a garden cucumber from the store, you might notice that it has a waxy coating. Cucumbers do naturally have a waxy layer, but what you'll find at the store is likely an artificial coating food manufacturers use to preserve the vegetable's shelf-life."

Cucumber water provides flavored hydration without added sugars, delivering nutrients such as vitamin K, magnesium, and potassium. Infuse sliced cucumbers and other fresh ingredients in water for a few hours to extract flavor. Peeling is unnecessary because unpeeled slices effectively release flavor and retain valuable nutrients concentrated in the peel. Thoroughly wash cucumbers before slicing to remove dirt and pesticides that could contaminate the water. If store cucumbers have an artificial wax coating and organic options are unavailable, peeling can remove that coating to avoid introducing it into the infused water.

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