With a subtle flavour, nutritious and slimming, zucchini is a great food to include in your daily diet. Raw, steamed, sautéed, fried, grilled, stuffed… there’s a wide range of recipes where zucchini can be used. Let your imagination run wild and make the most of this vegetable.
Zucchini is the fruit of a fast-growing trailing plant. It’s similar to cucumber, but with a softer, smoother skin. In its composition, besides a large amount of water (93%), we find enzymes and vitamins A, B1, B2, B3 and C. It’s also rich in calcium, phosphorus and iron, which provide energy. It’s a low-calorie food (19 per 100 g), making it a strong ally in weight loss.
Why should you include zucchini in your diet?
- It’s good for the heart and kidneys – Due to its high potassium and low sodium levels, zucchini is recommended for people with kidney or cardiovascular conditions and high blood pressure, as it helps normalise blood pressure levels.
- Great for the digestive system – Because it’s high in fibre, this vegetable has emollient properties, meaning it helps digestion. It also has a mild laxative effect and is recommended for people with stomach problems, indigestion, gastritis and constipation.
- Helps with weight loss – As it’s low in calories and has a high percentage of water, it’s recommended in weight-loss diets, although that value depends on how it’s prepared.
- It’s antioxidant – As an excellent source of magnesium and vitamin C, as well as vitamin A and carotenoids, zucchini has strong antioxidant power. As with carrots, these antioxidants help especially to protect the eyes, protecting us against age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.
Growing Zucchini
Zucchini is in season alongside tomatoes, so the best time to grow it is in spring. Ideally, 2 or 3 weeks before the last frost, sow zucchini seeds in small peat pots, keeping them in a sheltered spot. At the end of spring, when the weather is warmer, transplant the young plants to the garden or vegetable patch: zucchini needs an airy spot with plenty of direct sun and nutrient-rich soil. Zucchini doesn’t require much maintenance in the garden, apart from frequent thinning to encourage flowering and, consequently, the development of new fruits. Watering should be consistent, especially after the zucchini starts forming. Although it needs plenty of water to grow well and quickly, it doesn’t like overly damp soil—rather, well-drained soil. Whatever the variety, the flavour and the plant’s behaviour don’t change much.
Did you know we can find several types of zucchini?
Mini zucchini, zucchini with flower, green, yellow or whitish zucchini, and also round zucchini, which is the only one that shouldn’t be eaten raw.
