Fresh cucumbers have a water content of almost 95.23% when freshly picked. Per 100g, cucumbers contain 15 calories. They also contain protein (0.65g per 100g), fat (0.11g per 100g), carbohydrates (3.63g per 100g), fibre (0.5g per 100g) and sugar (1.67g per 100g).


Fresh cucumbers are protected in various ways during transport so that they can be displayed in the shops or at the market for a few days. The cucumbers are either sealed in plastic or treated with vegetable wax so that as little water as possible escapes from the vegetables and causes the cucumber to shrivel. The cucumbers are stored at 10 degrees and 95% relative humidity so that they can be kept for about two weeks after harvesting. Slightly shrivelled cucumbers can be made fresh again by placing them in ice water overnight to allow them to reabsorb the lost moisture and smooth out the wrinkles.