Photo: RF._.studio

Do cucumbers make you pee?

Cucumbers have sulfur and silicon which increase urination by stimulating the kidneys into better removal of uric acid. Loaded with water and potassium and low in sodium, cucumbers also inhibit the production of nitric acid and inflammatory enzymes, thus reducing swelling.

goodhousekeeping.com - 9 Foods That Are Natural Diuretics — Bloat-Reducing Fruits and Vegetables

What should I eat immediately after waking up?

Take a peek at my favorite foods for a burst of natural energy! Avocado. Avocados are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats that give...

Last updated Aug 28, 2018

Why is dark chocolate good for the elderly?

Boosts Cognitive Health Eating dark chocolate regularly can help aging adults increase their brain function due to the theobromine and caffeine it...

Last updated Dec 19, 2018

Promotion

My feet were puffed up like pierogis. New York City was experiencing a record-breaking heat wave and I was a week beyond my due date. I was anxious to have the baby. For relief for my swollen feet, I turned to a bit of Old World magic I'd learned from my grandmother and sent my husband out for a head of cabbage. When he returned, I ate some of the cabbage and wrapped a few of the raw leaves around my puffy feet. I put on my socks over the cabbage, elevated my feet, shut my eyes, and let the cabbage work its magic.

Related Story 4 Foods That Lower Blood Pressure

Besides being extremely nutritious, cabbage is also a natural diuretic. Diuretics help your body get rid of salt and water mainly by stimulating your kidneys to release sodium into your urine. Water is then pulled from your blood to concentrate the sodium levels. That produces more urine and decreases the amount of fluid flowing through your blood vessels, providing relief from water retention if you're suffering from edema, high blood pressure, and other conditions where chronic water retention presents an issue.

More From Good Housekeeping

But it’s not just chronic conditions that can be helped by diuretics. They can help relieve bloating after a salty meal or from monthly hormonal fluctuations. Over-the-counter diuretics are available in pill form, but there are a couple of reasons you might want to avoid them. While generally safe for occasional use, they can have side effects like hypokalemia, caused by too little potassium, which can lead to heart problems. Other potential side effects include dehydration, muscle cramps, dizziness and rashes. You can avoid these by pairing over-the-counter diuretics with foods high in potassium like bananas, sunflower seeds, apricots, or oranges. Happily, natural diuretics — like my cabbage — can offer relief from water retention and bloating without taking any pills at all. "In general, veggies and fruit are high in water and potassium (and some are higher in magnesium and calcium), which can help to offset the constriction of your blood vessels that make you feel bloated when you’ve had excess sodium," explains Jaclyn London, MS, RD, CDN, Nutrition Director at the Good Housekeeping Institute. "Choosing foods like grapes, celery, watermelon, other types of melon, cherries, apples, grapefruit, oranges and lots of leafy greens is automatically your best bet for feeling better, faster. While no single food in isolation is ever a miracle cure, making sure to add more of these foods to your day will set you up for greater success." Here are nine natural diuretics you can snag in the produce aisle of your grocery store.

Is dark chocolate anti-inflammatory?

70% cocoa dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants, which have some major anti-inflammatory effects. Flavanols help to reduce inflammation and keep...

Last updated Aug 15, 2018

What drink opens blood vessels?

Pomegranate juice is rich in antioxidants, which help open the blood vessels to allow more blood to flow through. It is also known for keeping the...

Last updated Jul 10, 2020

Promotion

Asparagus

Related Story How to Make the Best Asparagus Ever

From the time of the ancient Greek and Romans, asparagus has been used for its diuretic properties. The vegetable’s diuretic effects come from the amino acid asparagine and has been used to treat swelling, rheumatism, and premenstrual water retention. The distinct smell of urine after eating asparagus comes from asparagusic acid, which is broken down into a sulfur-containing compound when digested.

Beets

Beets are high in potassium, which helps eliminate fluid. (Here's more about why beets are great and how to grow them.) Betanin, which gives beets their color, has been associated with lower levels of C-reactive protein, making beets an anti-inflammatory as well.

Cabbage

Cabbage can help reduce water weight. The popular "cabbage soup diet" deploys the diuretic properties of cabbage, along with its high fiber and water content to support weight loss. The Romans used cabbage for hangovers and to help alcoholics "dry out." Red cabbage is also an anti-inflammatory because it contains anthocyanins. Remember: If your feet are always swollen or you're regularly retaining water, a visit to your doctor is a good idea to check for an underlying medical condition.

Celery

Hippocrates recommended celery to eliminate excess fluid. Now scientists have identified that the phthalides in celery contribute to its diuretic effect. Uric acid levels in the body are reduced by the COX-2 inhibitors in celery, which makes it an ideal treatment option for gout edema, which results from excess uric acid crystals collecting in the joints.

Cranberries

Native Americans identified the diuretic effects of cranberries, using them to treat a number of conditions including scurvy, which they believed was caused by too much salt. Cranberry juice has been used by women worldwide to prevent and treat UTIs and other bladder disorders, although research results have been mixed. While the jury is out on the proanthocyanidins in cranberries and their antibacterial effect, as a diuretic, cranberries are especially beneficial for removing fluid without eliminating potassium.

Cucumbers

What are symptoms of high PSA?

However, high levels do not always mean a person has cancer. Other health conditions may also cause an increase in PSA levels. ... Prostatitis...

Last updated Jul 12, 2021

What features makes a man attractive?

Traits Of Attractiveness In Men #1 Facial Hair. ... #2 Sincerity. ... #3 Ability To Tell A Good Story. ... #4 Body Hair. ... #5 Signs Of Physical...

Last updated Oct 15, 2018

Promotion

Garlic

The same sulfur-based chemical that gives garlic its distinctive smell, allicin, gives it medicinal properties as well. The International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research found garlic to be effective as a diuretic. It is also works a potent antioxidant and contributes to the breakdown of fats.

Parsley

Parsley, especially as a tea, is a traditional remedy for water retention. Parsley reduces the reabsorption of sodium and potassium salts in the kidney. This causes increased urine volume, which helps reduce bloating.

Watermelon

Related Story 50 Genius Things to Do With Watermelon

Watermelon, with its 92% water content and high potassium content, also has diuretic properties. It contains the amino acid citrulline, which relaxes blood vessels and keeps fluids from leaking into nearby tissue, thus reducing the retention of water. Weight loss, health and body image are complex subjects — before deciding to go on this diet, we invite you gain a broader perspective by reading our exploration into the hazards of diet culture.

goodhousekeeping.com - 9 Foods That Are Natural Diuretics — Bloat-Reducing Fruits and Vegetables

What are the 12 health indicators?

Health indicator examples Life expectancy at birth. Number of years a newborn is expected to live based on current mortality trends. Infant...

Last updated Oct 18, 2019

Why do people touch their balls and cough?

By asking you to cough while cupping your testicles, the doctor is checking for the possibility of a hernia – a lump which can occur from a...

Last updated Sep 30, 2018

Promotion

Can your bowels affect your prostate?

When the bowel is full, it can exert pressure on the prostate and the bladder. The straining required to defecate affects the pelvic muscles, which...

Last updated Feb 26, 2022

Promotion

Can too much turmeric cause hair loss?

Hair Type Consideration “In some cases, I've seen turmeric aggravate inflammatory scalp conditions that are caused by allergies or ongoing chemical...

Last updated Apr 20, 2019