A summer squash, known as courgette too, zucchini is a vegetable that can grow up to a meter long. A hybrid of cucumber, this incredible vegetable belongs to the Cucurbita pepo species. This squash is usually light or dark green in colour while its related hybrid is a deeper yellow or tangy orange type. Zucchini is available in bulk in the the summer season and has a delightful texture and taste. One can team it up with other vegetables for cooking a a savoury dish. Fried, sauteed, baked or freshly pickled, zucchini is great in all forms!
The ancestry of zucchini lies in America where it was first grown. Italy developed the varieties of zucchini after many generations. 19Th century saw the advent of this vegetable in Milan, where early varieties were given names of the nearby cities. The name courgette is actually a French word for vegetable and it is spelt the same way. In France, United Kingdom and Ireland grow its varieties too. First cultivated in America, it was later on brought by the Italian immigrants.
This nutritional dynamite is all packed and ready to explode! Being a hybrid of the cucumber, zucchini is far more beneficial health-wise than most vegetables.
- Zucchini is high in fiber and low in calories and cholesterol. This makes it ideal for all of you who are trying desperately to loose weight. It is also heart healthy and helps in digestion and is known to prevent you from over eating.
- It acts as an anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory agent and helps cleanse your body by removing all kinds of unwanted toxins and that makes it vital for cancer patients especially colon cancer.
- Zucchini can reduce chances of a heart attack or a stroke. It is as good as your blood pressure tablet as it reduces the stress on your body’s circulatory system. Folate, an essential vitamin in Zucchini not only keeps your heart clean but also enhances cell division which is good for pregnancy.
- Rich in manganese, sodium and potassium it helps in formation of many essential enzymes that are needed for the proper functioning of the body and in maintaining healthy skin.
An extremely prolific vegetable that is easy to cultivate and tastes delicious, zucchini is blessed with all the goody-goody nutritional qualities too! The Zucchini is sure to keep you fit, healthy and strong.
So stay healthy in vogue with Zucchini!!!
Enjoy some delicious & healthy Zucchini recipes…
