Cucumber sandwiches originated in England, where they were served with afternoon tea. The traditional tea sandwich consisted of thinly sliced cucumbers between very thinly sliced and buttered white bread. More modern variations replace the butter with cream cheese and mayonnaise, which raises the nutritional value and fat content.
Some recipes suggest spreading a mixture of cream cheese and mayonnaise on the bread and using slices of cucumber, while others grate the cucumber and mix it in with the cream cheese. When served as a tea sandwich, each cucumber sandwich is sliced into halves or quarters, but the nutritional values here are based on USDA Nutrient Database information for one whole sandwich.
Basic Nutrition
One cucumber sandwich contains 136 calories, 17 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of dietary fiber. It has 3 grams of protein, which provides 5 percent of the recommended daily value, according to the Institute of Medicine. The sandwich contains 6 grams of total fat, including 3 grams of saturated fat and 14 milligrams of cholesterol. The Institute of Medicine does not provide daily intake guidelines for fat, but they recommend limiting total fat to 20 percent of your daily calories. You can cut the fat content of this sandwich in half by using reduced-fat cream cheese and mayonnaise.
Vitamins
One sandwich provides a small amount of antioxidant vitamins C and E, but it’s a better source of B vitamins. It has 17 percent of the recommended daily value of thiamin, 8 percent of riboflavin and 6 percent of niacin. These B vitamins all have essential roles in converting food to energy, keeping your skin healthy and your nervous system functioning. You’ll also gain 9 percent of the daily value of folate, 4 percent of vitamin B6 and 2 percent of vitamin B12. These vitamins lower your risk of heart disease by removing homocysteine from your blood, according to Harvard Health Publications. Folate is also essential for the creation of new cells and metabolism of amino acids.
Minerals
You’ll obtain three minerals important for strong bones in one cucumber sandwich. It has 6 percent of the recommended daily value of calcium and phosphorus, and 2 percent of magnesium. In addition to building bones, calcium and magnesium are vital for maintaining a normal heart rate. The daily requirement of iron differs for men and women, so men get 12 percent of their daily value, while women get 5 percent of this oxygen-carrying mineral. One sandwich also contains 3 percent of zinc. This important trace mineral supports your immune system and is critical for normal growth and development.
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