Äppelgurka - Apple cucumber

Apple cucumber.

Sedan några år tillbaka odlar jag denna växt i mitt växthus i Täby. Den kan odlas utomhus om sniglarna tillåter det. Har växt på friland så långt norrut som Söderhamn i Hälsingland. Jag fick frön för 10 år sedan av en god vän från Nya Zeeland och har fortsatt odlandet med sådd av frön från tidigare skördar. Jag har aldrig sett dessa frukter saluföras eller ens omtalas i fackpressen.

Nedanstående "text" har jag hämtat efter att ha "googlat" på "Apple cucumber". Ett synnerligen nyttigt och lättodlat bär (det är väl bär som övriga gurkor?) som får idel beröm av dom som smakar det för första gången.

Är inte växten värd att omtalas och att uppmuntra till odling?

Mvh Sven

"I use excess cuces in my morning juices. Even though they seem bland their value is really in the trace elements they contain. They provide Sodium, Potassium, Folacin, traces of Calcium, Niacin, Iron, Zinc, Vitamin C, Vitamin A and B6, manganese and silicon and sulfur. I use them to to dilute other juices like beets that can be rather thick and gluggy. They go well with carrot, reduce fluid retention and make a nice cooling juice on hot days. From my Ayurveda manual: The alkaline-forming minerals in the cucumber invests the cucumber with definite remedial and curative properties. It makes it useful in maintaining the alkalinity of the blood. It also operates as one of the best natural diuretics, secreting and promoting the flow of urine. It should always be taken raw as in cooking potassium and phosphorus are lost. The juice of cucumber is a valuable food medicine in the treatment of hyperacidity, gastric and duodenal ulcers. It gives immediate relief when there is a burning sensation in the stomach. Cucumber juice in combination with the juice of carrots, beets and celery, has a very beneficial effect in the conditions associated with accumulation of uric acid such as arthritis, gout and rheumatism. ( I use this regularly in the autumn and recommend it.) Cucumber seeds are rich in potassium. Emulsion of the shelled seeds, mixed with curd, is useful in dissolving the gravel in urinary tract and in reducing hyperacidity of the urine. It acts excellently by restoring the electrolyte liquid balance in dehydration. I am allergic to the sulphur in proprietary diuretics and find if I get any swelling of the ankles a couple of cucumbers in my juice soon fixes it. Grated cucumber applied over face, eyes and neck for 15 - 20 minutes has been found effective as tonic for the skin. When Its regular use prevents pimples, blackheads, wrinkles and dryness of the face. When we were kids we used to lie on the lawn with slices of cucumbers on our eyes so they wouldn't be puffy - no idea why we were not supposed to have puffy eyes - might have sent signals of depravity! Cucumber juice promotes hair growth due to its high silicon and sulphur content, particularly when mixed with carrot, lettuce and spinach juice. I make a hair rinse from cucumber juice, water, rosemary and cider vinegar. When I lost all my hair to chemo I massaged it into my scalp and it really did seem to promote hair growth because after two years I actually had a haircut! I've no idea about storage, so I tend to go cucumber overboard when there are too many - even chuck slices in the spa with other herbs and use it in fruit salads too. Hope you get some ideas. As a juicing maniac I rely on it quite a bit.