Explore the world of zucchini! Delve into its history, nutritional benefits, and culinary versatility. Discover how zucchnini can enhance your diet and inspire delicious dishes.
Culinary Medicine
Zucchini has been called a humble vegetable. But it is commonly consumed in 57 different countries around the world.[1] It is used in side dishes, added to salads, made into pickles, tossed atop pizzas, baked it into cakes and breads, and even julienned into noodles. Why is this unpretentious summer squash so popular?
History and Botany of Zucchini
Zucchini is well travelled. Its ancestors were cultivated in what is now Mexico and the northern regions of South America. It was brought to Europe after the European colonization of the Americas began. Cultivation flourished in Italy and what we know as zucchini today was carried back to the Americas by Italians who immigrated to the US in the 1920s. Today it is grown in most of North America and Europe, as well as in parts of South America and Asia.[2]
Botanically zucchinis are categorized as a summer squash, which are the fruit of bushy plants that are harvested in mid to late summer when they are immature and the skin is still soft.[2] Summer squash include pattypan and yellow squash, as well as zucchini.[3] They grow best a warm climate (70-95°F) and cannot tolerate frost. Zucchini is typically harvested when 6-10 inches long and loses taste if left to grow larger.[2] It has a reputation for overwhelming home gardens in both yield and size. If you are negligent in your zucchini harvesting you may find fruits of 2 feet in length or more; the world record is over 8 feet! [4] Though we typically eat the fruit along with its small soft seeds, the flowers are also edible and are considered a culinary delicacy.[2]
Nutritional and Health Benefits
Zucchini is a low-calorie vegetable: A half cup of cooked zucchini has only about 10 calories. One reason for the low-calorie count is that it is 95% water. Despite this high water content, it does contain a variety of nutrients. It is a good source of fiber and vitamin C and provides smaller amounts of B vitamins, vitamin A, and vitamin K as well as minerals such as magnesium, copper, and potassium. Zucchini is also a good source of carotenoids such as lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene. [5]
The nutritional makeup and phytochemical content of zucchini results in a number of health benefits. Because of its high fiber and water content, zucchini can make you feel full after consuming fewer calories, helping to attain and maintain a healthy body weight.[6] The fiber content of zucchini may also help reduce the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. [6] In addition, the fiber in zucchini reduces the risk of constipation and promotes a healthy microbiome, which in turn reduces the risk of inflammatory diseases. The antioxidants in zucchini - particularly carotenoids - promote eye health and may contribute to a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer.[6] Zucchini also contains compounds called cucurbitacins, which possess pharmacological potential for reducing inflammation and the risk of cancer, atherosclerosis, and diabetes. [7] Unfortunately, when consumed in large amounts, cucurbitacins can cause toxicity symptoms ranging from abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea to low blood pressure and gastrointestinal bleeding. However, the risk of toxicity from commercially available zucchini is low. Cucurbitacins are very bitter so you can avoid problems by discarding zucchini that have an extremely bitter taste [8].
Zucchini: A Versatile Vegetable
Zucchini has many names - baby marrows in South Africa, courgettes in France and the United Kingdom, and zapallito in Latin America and Spain.[1] It also has may uses. Zucchini can be prepared simply by cutting it raw into a salad or roasting, grilling, steaming, sautéing, boiling, broiling, microwaving or air-frying it with herbs.[9] French cuisine prepares courgettes in the side dish ratatouille.[2] Japanese cuisine uses zucchini flowers in tempura; Italian food has a version of this zucchini flower dish called “fiori di zucca.” Egyptians make zucchini with tomatoes, garlic, and onions. In Mexican cuisine zucchini (calabacitas) is used in soups and quesadillas. In the popular Turkish dish “mücver, ”zucchini is shredded, combined with flour and eggs, and fried. It can be sliced and then baked or fried to make Zucchi chips. In addition to its role as a vegetable, shredded zucchini can be added to breads, muffins, cookies, and brownies. It can be blenderized into smoothies and spiralized to make zoodles, a low-carb substitute for pasta noodles.
Bottom Line
Zucchini is affordable and in the summer months may be overly abundant, especially for home gardeners. It is also abundant in terms of nutrition, health benefits, and culinary versatility.
Try this healthy Recipe with Zucchini:
References
[1] Zucchini - World Food Map. Worldfoodmap.org. Published 2024. Accessed January 7, 2025. https://www.worldfoodmap.org/food-groups/other-vegetables/food/zucchini
[2] Zucchini History - Where Did Zucchini Come From? Vegetablefacts.net. Published 2024. https://www.vegetablefacts.net/vegetable-history/zucchini-history/
[3] Moulton M. Zucchini vs. Summer Squash: Are They The Same? What’s The Difference? Epic Gardening. Published January 15, 2022. Accessed January 7, 2025. https://www.epicgardening.com/zucchini-vs-summer-squash/
[4] Records GW. Longest zucchini/courgette. Guinness World Records. Published May 9, 2018. Accessed January 7, 2025. https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/longest-zucchini-courgette
[5] Martínez-Valdivieso D, Font R, Fernández-Bedmar Z, et al. Role of Zucchini and Its Distinctive Components in the Modulation of Degenerative Processes: Genotoxicity, Anti-Genotoxicity, Cytotoxicity and Apoptotic Effects. Nutrients. 2017;9(7). doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9070755
[6] Petre A. 12 Health and Nutrition Benefits of Zucchini. Healthline. Published February 19, 2019. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/zucchini-benefits
[7] Kaushik U, Aeri V, Mir SR. Cucurbitacins - An insight into medicinal leads from nature. Pharmacogn Rev. 2015 Jan-Jun;9(17):12-8. doi: 10.4103/0973-7847.156314. PMID: 26009687; PMCID: PMC4441156.
[8] Raman R. Can You Eat Raw Zucchini? Healthline. Published April 15, 2019. Accessed January 7, 2025. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/can-you-eat-zucchini-raw#safety
[9] The 9 Best Ways to Cook Summer Squash. Better Homes & Gardens. https://www.bhg.com/recipes/how-to/cook-with-fruits-and-vegetables/summer-squash/
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