‘Sometimes,’ the TikTok star known as ‘Cucumber Guy’ says, ‘you need to eat an entire cucumber’.
Then, the 23-year-old slices. Canadian influencer, Logan Moffitt, has set off a worldwide wave of chopping, pickling, and crunching by sharing viral recipes for cucumber salads prepared in plastic containers.
His videos routinely rack up more than 10 million views and have sparked a wave of copycats on social media, which are proving equally popular.
In Iceland, the virtual craze has even seen suppliers battle a nationwide shortage of the vegetable.
But experts today suggested that eating too many cucumbers could trigger unpleasant side effects including diarrhoea, flatulence and kidney problems.
Canadian influencer, Logan Moffitt, has set off a worldwide wave of chopping, pickling, and crunching by sharing viral recipes for cucumber salads prepared in plastic containers
While the salad regular is safe and healthy for regular consumption, excessive amounts of anything can lead to negative side effects.
US-based registered dietician and nutrition advisor Carolina Schneider said: ‘The high water and fibre content might cause digestive discomfort if consumed in large quantities.
‘That’s because fibre stimulates bowel movements, and for some individuals, especially those not accustomed to a high-fibre diet, this can lead to bloating, gas, or even diarrhea.’
Cucumbers provide plenty of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin K, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, fiber and manganese.
However, research has also suggested excessive vitamin K can affect blood clotting, while too much potassium may trigger hyperkalemia — when blood potassium levels are higher than normal.
Many people have few, if any, symptoms of hyperkalemia.
If symptoms do appear, they are usually mild such as muscle weakness, numbness, tingling, nausea, according to the National Kidney Foundation.
The content creator, from Ottawa, Canada, starts most videos by saying: ‘Sometimes you need to eat an entire cucumber, let me show you the best way to do it’
Sudden signs could include heart palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain or even nausea and vomiting.
Experts told MailOnline it would ‘very hard to overdose’ on such nutrients but still cautioned those on blood thinning medication should watch their vitamin K intake.
Registered nutritionist and author Rob Hobson said: ‘There is nothing wrong with eating cucumber and even if you ate a lot it is unlikely you would continue to do so for very long as the novelty would probably ware off.
‘It is very hard to overdose on nutrients from food as this normally happens with supplements.
‘Cases of too much potassium and vitamin K are likely to occur in individuals with very specific health concerns rather than healthy individuals.
‘For instance, people on blood thinners like Warfarin would need to watch their intake of vitamin K but this is a specific case and could be addressed by changing their dosage.’
He added: ‘Of course it a good idea to vary your intake of fruit and vegetables and not just rely on a single one.
‘Considering the average intake of fruit and vegetables is already below the five a day recommendation I would not be deterring anyone from eating cucumber.’
Meanwhile, Professor Gunter Kuhnle, an expert in nutrition and food science at the University of Reading, told MailOnline: ‘Excessive potassium can have adverse effects, but it would probably be difficult to achieve this with cucumbers.
‘It would need around 2.5 kg of cucumber to achieve the daily recommended potassium intake – that’s a lot.
‘The safe upper level of the vitamin K is about 1mg/d, that would be the equivalent of 6 kg of cucumber, which would also be difficult to achieve.
‘However, someone who is on blood-thinning medication and decides to suddenly consume large amounts of cucumbers might want to check whether this will interfere with their medication.’
Research by the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology also suggests that people with allergies to melons, courgettes and bananas may also suffer a cucumber allergy.
Cucumbers provide plenty of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin K, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, fiber and manganese. However, research has also suggested excessive vitamin K can affect blood clotting, while too much potassium may trigger hyperkalemia — when blood potassium levels are higher than normal
But consumers are not the only ones left in a pickle by the viral TikTok trend.
Icelandic supermarkets and suppliers have been racing to keep up after an unprecedented surge in demand for the vegetable has seen stocks dwindle.
Farmers in Iceland — which has a population of 393,600 — produce about six million cucumbers.
Iceland’s farmers association, the Horticulturists’ Sales Company, has said they cannot currently keep up consumer demand, but hopes supply will be back to normal ‘in a week or so’.
In 2021, a TikTok frenzy for a baked feta pasta dish stripped the Greek cheese from the shelves of several supermarkets.
That same year, a salmon rice bowl recipe that went viral also tested the supplies of Kewpie mayo.
