TikTok viral cucumber recipe: What are the health benefits? Should you eat a whole cucumber in one go?

Iceland was recently in a pickle over a cucumber shortage – and it’s all thanks to a TikTok recipe that has made its rounds all the way from Canada.
The salad by Ontario-based foodie Logan Moffitt, dubbed “cucumber guy”, consists of soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, garlic, spring onion, sugar, MSG and a whole cucumber, sliced – all shaken in a covered plastic tub.
Yes, a whole cucumber because “sometimes, you just need to eat a whole cucumber” as is the 23-year-old influencer’s go-to phrase at the start of his videos. And his 6 million followers seemingly couldn’t get enough of the viral summer salad recipe, especially those in Iceland.
Moffitt also has non-Asian cucumber recipes such as the one that uses tuna and mayonnaise, a seemingly Italian-inspired one that has salami, pickled peppers and bocconcini, and another that combines smoked salmon, cream cheese and capers.
OTHER THAN THE RECIPE, WHAT ELSE CAUSED THE CUCUMBER SHORTAGE IN ICELAND?
Despite producing an annual yield of about six million cucumbers, the Nordic country struggled to feed its population’s unusually high appetite for cucumber this year, according to Iceland’s farmers association, Horticulturists’ Sales Company (SFG).
Besides the recipe, SFG’s marketing director Kristín Linda Sveinsdottir told the BBC that other factors also had a hand in creating the shortage. For instance, farmers grow their crops in cycles and the TikTok trend hit them during a lull period of their cucumber yield.
In addition, schools returning from the summer holidays were putting additional pressure on supplies. “Everything is happening at the same time,” Sveinsdottir told the BBC.
As popular as Moffitt’s recipes are (they can rake up over 10 million views), can eating a whole cuke at one go pose potential health risks? And what’s the difference between the crunchy slices in your chicken rice and those Japanese cucumber strips in rice rolls?
HOW ARE THE DIFFERENT CUCUMBER VARIETIES DIFFERENT?
Cucumbers, no matter the variety, come from the cucurbitaceae family, which also includes the various types of squashes, pumpkins, melons, gourds and even luo han guo. Cucumbers typically comprise 95 per cent water, making them nature’s water bottles. They also taste great in water. 
Like real water bottles, cucumbers come in all shapes and sizes. They can have stripes, splotches, bumps or an all-over green appearance. Some, like the zucchini or courgette, can be yellow; others such as the lemon cucumber are round (no lemony flavour though).
“Here’s a fun fact: A cucumber is botanically a fruit,” said Jaclyn Reutens, a dietitian with Aptima Nutrition and Sports Consultants. “Zucchini has a slightly higher fibre content than the local and all-green Japanese cucumbers but the difference is insignificant.”
Which cucumber variety to go for depends on your recipe. In general, choose cucumbers with small bumps or burps for pickling as they are harder and have tougher skins. If you need garnish or are making a sandwich or a salad that calls for raw cukes, opt for a softer variety with thinner skin as well as smaller or no seeds.
DOES RUBBING THE CUT ENDS OF A CUCUMBER REALLY HELP TO REMOVE BITTERNESS?
The compounds that make cucumbers bitter are called cucurbitacins, said Reutens, and they can be found in the white, milky fluid when you cut a cucumber.
“Rubbing the ends does draw out that liquid and significantly reduces the bitterness,” she said. “Salting through osmotic action can also draw out this bitter, milky fluid.” To minimise the bitterness, Reutens recommended washing and repeating either method until no more white liquid appears.
“Depending on where the cucumbers are grown, their bitterness can vary,” said Reutens. Cucumbers that grow wildly or organically tend to be more bitter as the plant develops the flavour to keep animals from eating the fruits, she said.
“Those grown in controlled environments tend to be less bitter with a higher water content.”
HOW GOOD ARE CUCUMBERS NUTRITIONALLY?
Cucumbers are a weight watcher’s ally. Each serving (100g or one third of a cucumber) contains just 15 calories. Together with their high-water content, cucumbers can help with weight loss, according to a 2016 analysis that looked at 13 studies.
“Cucumbers are also an excellent source of Vitamin K, potassium and folate,” said Reutens, along with “some fibre and minerals such as zinc, magnesium, manganese in smaller amounts”.
To maximise the nutrient content, including fibre and certain vitamins and minerals, eat cucumbers unpeeled. 
SHOULD YOU EAT A WHOLE CUCUMBER AT A GO?
“A whole cucumber can weigh about 300g. That is too much to eat at one go,” said Reutens, who noted that the recommended amount of vegetables and fruits to eat per serving is 100g.
Moreover, “a word of caution for those on blood thinners, such as aspirin and warfarin”, she highlighted. “Vitamin K promotes blood clotting, therefore too much of this vitamin can contraindicate the action of blood thinners. Do not overeat cucumbers if you are on blood thinners.”