Zucchini: Health & Beauty Benefits - Skin, Hair & Nutrition

Oh Green Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) (1), How I love thee ! Let me count the ways.

That’s true. You will find so many ways that zucchini is good for us. It is a popular summer squash which belongs to the cucumber and melon family.

What is Zucchini?

• It is usually 1 meter long and its colour ranges from dark to light green with some mottling. Its flesh is white and tender with a light and delicate flavor.
• It resembles a cucumber in appearance but some varieties are round.
• Zucchini is picked when it is about 8 cm long and the seeds are soft and immature. A mature zucchini can reach up to a length of 3 feet. It is often fibrous in nature and therefore, not fit to eat.
• The French refer to this vegetable as “courgette”, a term that is used interchangeably for yellow squash.
• Small varieties of zucchini are less bland and watery than others. Zucchini is usually cooked to make savoury dishes. It can also be eaten raw in the form of salads where it can be sliced and shredded in cold and hot salads.
• Golden zucchini is a hybrid variety which is deep yellow or orange in colour.
• Zucchini in Hindi is known as “tōrī” whereas Zucchini in Tamil is known as “cīmai curaikkāy”. Zucchini in Telugu is called “nethi beerakaya”.

Types of Zucchini:

Almost all the members of the squash family comprise of vegetables that have smooth, tender skin and flesh with small, edible seeds and high moisture content. There are several varieties of zucchini, depending upon their cultivars. Some popular varieties are as follows.

• Golden zucchini: This variety is characterized by brilliant golden yellow to orange skin which retains its colour even after being cooked.

• Round varieties: These are dense, heavy and almost seedless with a smooth surface.

• Tatume: Commonly found in Mexico, their features are similar to the round variety except that they have a large oval shape.

• Costata romanesco: Also known as “cocozelle”, this is basically a long and narrow variety with a slight bulge at the bottom end. It has a mottled green skin with pale, raised ribs. When solid and immature, it has a juicy and sweet taste.

• Yellow crooknecks: These are characterized by thick warty skin with markedly curved necks. They have a crunchy texture and a sweet delicate flavour.

• Middle-eastern variety: As evident from their name, this variety is common in the Middle Eastern countries. In India it is referred to as “tori”. They have stocky, pale green, tapering ends with a thick dark green stem. They are characterized by smooth, shiny skin and solid, crispy and flavorful flesh.

Health Benefits Of Zucchini:

Apart from being made into a delicious and savory dish, zucchini is beneficial for your health in a variety of ways, thanks to the vitamins and minerals contained in even a small serving of this vegetable. Some of the health benefits of Zucchini vegetable are as follows:

[ VIDEO: Health Benefits Of Zucchini]

1. Lowers Cholesterol:

• The dietary fiber contained in zucchini helps in lowering the cholesterol levels in the system by attaching itself with the bile acids that are produced by the liver for digesting fat.
• This fiber mixes with bile acid, thus slowing down its ability to digest more fat and charging the liver to produce more bile acids.
• More cholesterol is used up by the liver in the production of bile acids which results in lowering cholesterol levels in the body (2).
• The high levels of Vitamins A and C prevent the cholesterol from oxidizing in the blood vessels, thus reducing the risk of atherosclerosis.

2. Helps in Weight Management:

• Zucchini is effective for weight management due to its healthy combination of high fiber and moisture content and a low calorie content.
• It is beneficial for weight management as it controls your appetite by filling you up with water and fiber. Thus, you can have larger servings of zucchini and still keep your caloric intake low.
• The high dietary fiber (3) on the other hand enables you to shed extra pounds as it helps to burn more calories than you consume.
• Zucchini is a rich source of antioxidants, Vitamin A and C and dietary fiber, you can effectively lose weight by consuming it without depriving your body of vital nutrients.

3. Cardiovascular Health:

• Zucchini has high magnesium content with one cup providing over 10% of the RDA. This mineral reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.
• Zucchini also contains folic acid, a vitamin that is required to break down the dangerous amino acid, homocysteine. High levels of homocysteine in your blood can cause heart attack and thrombosis i.e. blood clotting.

4. Prevents Cancer:

• The high levels of fiber in zucchini prevent carcinogenic toxins from settling in the colon as well as promote healthy and regular bowel movements.
• Vitamins A and C are strong anti-oxidizing agents that destroy the carcinogens which can lead to different types of malignant cancers (4).

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