How RDs Really Feel About Those Viral Cucumber Recipes

There is no shortage of viral snacks that steal the hearts of TikTok users. Between cottage cheese flatbread, spicy pickled garlic, and feta fried eggs, social media enthusiasts seem well-fed and ready to experiment. The latest food craze to spiral out of control? Eating a cucumber a day.

Snacking on a daily cucumber seems pretty doable and mundane, but the trend was coined by content creator Logan Moffitt, and it refers to experimenting with new flavors and combinations to create a cucumber salad every day.

Moffitt is not a new cucumber lover, though. He started sharing his cucumber recipe videos in 2021, and now has 4.7 million loyal followers who create and share his unique concoctions. Because sometimes, in Moffitt's words, you just need to eat an entire cucumber...and he knows the best way to do it.

But are these cucumber recipes "healthy?" And is it safe to have an entire (large) cucumber every day? We asked three registered dietitians for the lowdown on what you need to know before snacking on the crunchy produce.

Claire Rifkin, RDN, is a registered dietitian and founder of Claire Rifkin Nutrition.

Jason Levee, RD, is a registered dietitian and founder of Whole Family Nutrition.

Jenn Baswick, RD, is a registered dietitian and founder of The Intuitive Nutritionist.

Yes. Cucumbers are low in calories, fat-free, and contain essential nutrients that contribute to overall health, so they can be an awesome part of a healthy diet, says Claire Rifkin, RDN, a registered dietitian and founder of Claire Rifkin Nutrition. The average cucumber is also about 95 percent water which can help up your hydration and increase food volume, therefore enhancing satiety, she says.

In addition, cucumbers contain cucurbitacin and fisetin which are powerful antioxidant and anticarcinogenic compounds that fight inflammation and may reduce cancer risks, says Jason Levee, RD, a registered dietitian and founder of Whole Family Nutrition. They can also help promote digestion and support gut health since the average cuke has about 1.5 grams of dietary fiber, he says. Plus, the fruit (yes, I'm sorry, cucumbers are a fruit!) provides a solid source of vitamin K which is an important nutrient for bone and heart health, Rifkin adds.

In terms of general healthy eating, yes, it is perfectly safe, and even potentially beneficially, to eat a cucumber a day, Rifkin says. "Eating a cucumber every day can support your daily hydration needs, provide a good source of vitamins and minerals like vitamin K and potassium, and contribute to your daily fiber intake," she says.

What's more, since a cucumber is mostly made of water, low in calories, and doesn't contain any negative ingredients that may pose a health risk, they're generally safe to consume on the daily, says Jenn Baswick, RD, a registered dietitian and founder of The Intuitive Nutritionist. "Whether you actually want to eat a cucumber a day, or get sick of it quickly, is totally up to you."

That said, it's always important to include a variety of fruits and vegetables into your diet to ensure you're meeting all your nutritional needs, Rifkin says. Also keep in mind that "healthy eating" is not a one-size-fits-all approach, and particular health conditions involving the kidneys, where a person's fluid intake (including fluid from food) needs to be monitored, may require a scaled back dose of cucumbers, she adds. When in doubt, clear any food questions or concerns with your doctor or a registered dietitian.

First, it's worth mentioning that if you actually like cucumbers and want to eat one a day, go for it, but remember that you don't have to follow everything that is trendy, Baswick says.

With that in mind, here are dietitians' thoughts on a few of the most popular viral cucumber recipes, and whether or not they should stake claim in your kitchen.

This recipe includes a unique combo of cucumber, jalapeno, and red onion, which adds a great variety of vegetables to the dish, Levee says. There's a fair amount of dairy from the cheese and sour cream, which can be a solid source of calcium and protein, but may be undesirable if you're lactose intolerant, he adds.

Rifkin also gives the recipe a subtle red flag since it's high in saturated fat and sodium from the sour cream, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and bacon bits, so she suggests eating this one in moderation.

The kimchi in this recipe gets a gold star for gut health, since the fermented veggies offer a great source of fiber and probiotics, Baswick says. The sesame oil and sesame seeds are also both sources of unsaturated fat, which is considered a "healthy" type of fat known for supporting heart health and reducing inflammation, Rifkin says.

Just note that pickles veggies and kimchi can have a high sodium content, so the dish may not quench your thirst like Moffitt claims, Levee adds.

A sushi-inspired dish in cucumber form sounds delicious, and Levee says it's generally a healthy snack. The smoked salmon adds a bit of protein and omega 3's which are beneficial for fighting inflammation, and if you like spice, the wasabi offers a nice kick, he says. However, there is not enough protein in the dish to be considered an entire meal, so it's best to pair with another protein source like chicken, tofu, or fish, he adds.

The recipe does include a generous portion of mayonnaise which contains saturated fat — the type of fat you generally want to limit in your diet — so it's best to reduce the amount of mayo or eat in moderation, Rifkin says. If you're looking to reduce sodium intake, Baswick also suggests using a low sodium soy sauce.

If you're craving your own cucumber salad creation, Levee loves a simple Israeli salad with chopped cucumber, tomato, lemon juice, and a dash of dill and olive oil. You can also add feta cheese or avocado for heart healthy fats, he adds.

Rifkin's personal favorite? Add sliced cucumber, rice wine vinegar, coconut aminos, garlic, ginger, scallions, lime, sriracha, and sesame seeds to a bowl and let it marinate overnight. By morning you'll have a fresh cucumber salad that's great for adding into other meals throughout the week.

Andi Breitowich is a Chicago-based freelance writer and graduate from Emory University and Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Her work has appeared in PS, Women's Health, Cosmopolitan, and elsewhere.