A zucchini is related to both the cucumber and the melon. It is a tasty, soft vegetable that you can do a lot with in the kitchen. The zucchini is available all year round. Zucchini excel in their health-promoting effects on the body. It contains several good substances. This vegetable is chock full of vitamin C, which many would not have expected. It is an easy plant to grow yourself in the garden or on the balcony. NB! This article is written from the personal view of the author and may contain information that is not scientifically substantiated and/or in line with the general view.

Contents:

• Vegetable from Mexico
• Vegetarian main course
• Vitamins in zucchini
• Minerals in zucchini
• Good for the eyes
• Biting into antioxidants
• For the type 2 diabetes patient
• Anti-inflammatory vegetable
• Traditional medicine

Vegetable from Mexico

We don’t know exactly how long ago humans started eating zucchini. We do know that Columbus, the world-famous explorer who saw both Americas for the first time as a modern Westerner, brought the seeds with him from what is now Mexico. Zucchini seeds dating back 10,000 years have been found in caves in Mexico. The zucchini plant can be grown in the Netherlands in the summer, but it prefers to grow in tropical areas where it can be grown all year round. The zucchini flowers are edible flowers and are very tasty. You can grow a zucchini plant yourself in the vegetable garden, it is an ideal crop, especially in school vegetable gardens. Then you can enjoy the delicious zucchini flowers that go well in salads or the zucchini itself.

Vegetarian main course

In the mid-1990s, a zucchini was the only vegetarian dish of an unimaginative chef in a restaurant. You could tell the quality of the chef by whether he had zucchini as a vegetarian menu on the menu. Over the course of the new millennium, chefs have become a bit more creative. On the other hand, this vegetable is very healthy and a good and tasty meat substitute when prepared properly. Zucchini is an excellent vegetable to eat but it only needs to be stir-fried briefly; Do not heat this vegetable for too long otherwise it will become snotty.

Vitamins in zucchini

Zucchini are a good source of vitamins. 100 grams of zucchini contains no less than 28% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of vitamin C. An ounce of this elongated, green delicacy contains 12% of the RDA of B6. It also contains the following vitamins: B2 (9% DV), folic acid or B11 (7.5% DV), vitamin A (4% DV), vitamin K (4% DV), vitamin B1 (3% DV) and vitamin B3 (2.5% RDA).The edible zucchini flower / Source: Jake7401, Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Minerals in zucchini

A zucchini is packed with minerals. 100 grams of this vegetable contains 16% of the RDA of molybdenum. There are other important minerals that are found in zucchini: manganese (9% DV), potassium (8% DV), magnesium (4.5% DV), phosphorus (4% DV) and copper (3% DV).

Good for the eyes

Zucchini is particularly good for the eyes. Not only because it contains vitamin A, but also because it contains the phytonutrients lutein and zeaxanthin. These two nutritional components prevent age-related macular degeneration or cataracts. We often think that carrots are very healthy because of their vitamin A content, but since we know that these phytonutrients also contribute to healthy eyes, zucchini is actually higher on the list of vegetables that are healthy for the eyes than carrots.

Biting into antioxidants

The great thing about zucchini’s antioxidants is that they are retained when freezing or steaming a vegetable. Now the zucchini is so super tender that it can in principle be eaten raw. A few cubes or slices cut with a cheese grater in a salad are therefore a good idea. This tenderness also means that it only needs to be boiled or steamed for a very short time. A zucchini casserole is therefore not a good idea, also because the vegetable completely disintegrates when placed in continuous heat, creating a soft, green gunk that is no longer tasty to eat. Zucchini is tasty and much healthier if it retains its ‘bite’. Moreover, the seeds should never be removed because they contain healthy polyphenols. The peel is also very healthy, but has the disadvantage that it can contain dozens of types of pesticides. That is why it is much better to buy this vegetable in an organic variety.

For the type 2 diabetes patient

The zucchini is very healthy for people who suffer from diabetes. This is due to the large amount of B-complex vitamins that this brother of the cucumber contains. In addition, it contains zinc, magnesium and the amino alcohol choline, which are also extra important for those diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. All these nutritional components ensure that the food is better digested. The metabolic process of the sugars in food is completed better by these substances. The blood sugar level has fewer peaks and valleys after eating zucchini. In addition, zucchini contains a lot of fiber. These are very important for people with diabetes because fiber ensures a more gradual digestion of the nutrients.Yellow zucchini / Source: Mikani, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-2.0)

Anti-inflammatory vegetable

An additional advantage for the diabetic, but actually for anyone who wants to prevent these and other lifestyle diseases, is the fact that zucchini has an anti-inflammatory effect at the cellular level. In addition to the antioxidants vitamin A, C, lutein and zeaxanthin, the ideal vegetable garden vegetable contains many polysaccharides and omega-3 fatty acids, which also have antioxidant properties. These phytonutrients also prevent cancer and blood-related diseases such as arteriosclerosis and heart attack.

Traditional medicine

Zucchini seeds have been praised in various places around the world as a natural medicine against internal bacteria and parasites. The seeds are processed into oil for this purpose. In addition, the seeds are used in traditional natural medicine to combat an enlarged prostate. Frequent urination is prevented by drinking zucchini seed oil.