What’s all the squash about? When I was young my grandfather would pick the blossoms of the zucchini plant early in the morning for my grandmother to bread and fry up, or she would even stuff and bake the blossoms in the oven. I remember after I was married, she and my grandfather brought all the ingredients to my kitchen to share the tradition of the “flowers”. Those zucchini flowers were such a favorite of mine growing up, and now my family enjoys eating up the blossoms faster than I can cook them.

Health benefits of zucchini

 Zucchini is a very low calorie vegetable, providing only 17 calories per 100 g. It contains no saturated fats or cholesterol. Its peel is a good source of dietary fiber that helps reduce constipation and offers some protection against colon cancers.

 Zucchinis have an anti-oxidant value (Oxygen radical absorbance capacity- ORAC) of 180 Trolex Equivalents (TE) per 100g, far below many berries, and vegetables. Nonetheless, the pods are a common vegetable used by dieticians in weight reduction and cholesterol control programs.

 Golden skin varieties especially are rich in flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants such as carotenes, lutein and zea-xanthin. These compounds help scavenge harmful oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) from the body, which play a role in aging and various disease processes.

 Courgette hold relatively moderate amounts of folates, providing 24 µg or 6% of RDA per 100 g. Folates are important in cell division and DNA synthesis. When taken adequately during early pregnancy it can help prevent neural tube defects in the fetus.

 Zucchini is a very good source of potassium and an important intra-cellular electrolyte. Potassium is a heart-friendly electrolyte and helps bring about the reduction in blood pressure and heart rate by countering pressure-effects of sodium.

 Fresh fruits are rich in vitamin A; provide about 200 IU per 100 g.

 Fresh pods, are good source of anti-oxidant vitamin-C. Provide about 17.9 µg or 30% of daily-required levels per 100 g. In addition, they contain moderate levels of B-complex group of vitamins like thiamin, pyridoxine, riboflavin and minerals like iron, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc.