Cucumber, with peel (raw)
About 95% water, so it adds crunch and volume to meals for almost no calories.
1 Amount
How it fits your macros
Get your daily targets with the macro calculator to see what share of your day this portion covers.
Cucumber, with peel for gym-goers
Per 100 g, cucumber, with peel (raw) provides 15 kcal, 0.7 g protein, 3.6 g carbohydrate (0.5 g fiber, 1.7 g sugars) and 0.1 g fat (0 g saturated). It's mainly a carb source, so pair it with some protein to make a complete meal.
A typical serving (1/2 cucumber, about 150 g) comes to roughly 23 kcal and 1.1 g protein.
These are typical averages. Brand, variety, ripeness and cooking method all shift the numbers, so weigh food in the same state (raw or cooked) as the entry you log.
About Cucumber, with peel
Raw cucumber with the peel on keeps a little more fiber than peeled. At roughly 15 kcal per 100 g and about 95 percent water, it's one of the least energy-dense foods there is. It has far less fiber and fewer micronutrients than leafy greens or brassicas, so you eat it for crunch, freshness and hydration.
In a gym diet
For adding volume on a cut, cucumber is ideal. Half of one barely registers on a calorie budget and makes a meal feel bigger. It's a cool side for spicy or heavily seasoned meal-prep dishes and a good base for snack plates. All that water counts a little toward daily fluids, but it doesn't replace drinking during training. It has almost no protein, so dip it in tzatziki or cottage cheese for a snack that lasts.
Preparation and cooking
You'll almost always eat cucumber raw, so prep mostly affects texture. Salting and draining slices pulls out water and keeps them crisp in salads. Peeling trims the already small fiber content, and pickling adds a lot of sodium while barely changing calories. Weigh it the way you eat it, peel on or off.
Buying and storage
Pick firm cucumbers with smooth, evenly green skin and no soft ends or yellow patches. Wrap them loosely and keep them in the fridge for about a week. Cut cucumber dries out fast, so cover the cut end.
Things to watch
Nutritionally there's little to flag, but pickles can be very high in sodium. If you eat the peel, wash it well, since the skin has touched soil and been handled in transport.
Meal ideas
- Tzatziki dip of Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, garlic and dill with chicken skewers.
- Cucumber, edamame and tuna salad with rice vinegar and a few sesame seeds.
- Snack plate of cucumber rounds topped with smoked salmon and light cream cheese.
Nutrient highlights
None of the tracked vitamins and minerals reaches 10% of the Daily Value per 100 g, so you're eating it mainly for its macros.
How it ranks among 19 Vegetables
| Protein per 100 kcal | 4.7 g | #14 of 19 |
| Protein per 100 g | 0.7 g | #19 of 19 |
| Fiber per 100 g | 0.5 g | #19 of 19 |
| Lowest calories per 100 g | 15 kcal | #1 of 19 |
Ranked within this category of the gym.diet food database (1 = best for that measure).
Similar foods
Tomato, red (raw)
18 kcal · P 0.9 · C 3.9 · F 0.2
→Cabbage, green (raw)
25 kcal · P 1.3 · C 5.8 · F 0.1
→Sweet corn, yellow kernels (raw)
86 kcal · P 3.3 · C 19 · F 1.4
→Beetroot (raw)
43 kcal · P 1.6 · C 9.6 · F 0.2
→Green beans (raw)
31 kcal · P 1.8 · C 7 · F 0.2
→Bell pepper, red (raw)
31 kcal · P 1 · C 6 · F 0.3
Source
Approximate per-100 g values compiled from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy / Foundation Foods), rounded. Daily Values are the U.S. FDA reference amounts for adults (2,000 kcal diet).
Frequently asked questions
How many calories are in cucumber, with peel?
Cucumber, with peel (raw) has about 15 kcal per 100 g, or roughly 23 kcal per 1/2 cucumber (150 g).
How much protein is in cucumber, with peel?
About 0.7 g of protein per 100 g and 1.1 g per 1/2 cucumber. That works out to 4.7 g per 100 kcal, so it's not primarily a protein source.
Is cucumber, with peel good for cutting or bulking?
It works in either phase. What matters is how it fits into your total calories and protein for the day.
Does cucumber count toward water intake?
Yes. Water in cucumber and other watery foods counts toward your total fluid intake, and food usually supplies a good share of daily water. It complements drinking, though, especially around training.
Should you peel cucumber?
Most of the cucumber's fiber and some of its pigments are in the peel, so leaving it on is slightly more nutritious. Peel it if the skin is waxed, very thick or bitter, or if you just prefer it that way.
Nutrition Facts
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. Values approximate.