Remember that time on The Kardashians when Kendall Jenner had difficulty chopping up a cucumber? (Seeing is believing.) It was great PR for the humble vegetable, which has always been known for its hydrating properties and works brilliantly in a salad. And if getting Kendall’s seal of approval wasn’t enough, now the cucumis sativus (to give it its scientific name) is getting yet more airtime, courtesy of a guy called Logan on TikTok.
Logan, who racks up millions of views on his cucumber salad videos, hasn’t only garnered a loyal TikTok following, “viral cucumber salad” is also trending on Google. Proclaiming, rather fabulously, that “cucumbers are a lifestyle,” Logan creates easy one-pot cucumber recipes—including a kimchi blend and his “iconic” salmon, cream cheese and cucumber—that look (and taste) much more appealing than they sound.
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Spotting a fan in my friend and fellow journalist, Lucy Partington, who shared her own takes on his recipes on Instagram, I asked her what she thought of the trend. “I know cucumber salads are already really popular in Asian cuisine but I love the charming way in which Logan explains how to make them,” she says. “They are really easy, healthy and make a nice change from regular salads. Cucumber is cheap and cheerful and you don’t need to invest loads of money in ingredients to try one of these recipes, I had the majority in my cupboard. Plus it’s also quite novel to make and eat something in a jar. You literally shake it to make it.”
The health benefits of cucumber
The cucumber salad may be having a moment, but the vegetable more generally is packed with health benefits. “It’s the ‘eat your water’ beauty food that will nourish your gut,” agrees naturopathic nutritionist Jessica Shand. “It doesn’t often get the recognition it deserves, possibly because of its subtle taste and the fact it’s a bit of an old-school salad staple. But it’s a really wonderful cleansing beauty food to add to your meals in the summer.”
From a nutritional perspective, the cucumber is 95% water, so it’s super hydrating and great for all facets of your health, including your skin. “I like to think of cucumbers as a great way to eat your water, but with all the added benefits of containing soluble fiber to nourish the digestive tract, which helps flush the system of toxins, preventing constipation and creating a less acidic environment in the gut microbiome too,” she says.