Zucchini (lat. Cucurbita pepo var. Giromontina) is a herbaceous plant of the pumpkin family, with large yellowish-green oblong fruits. It is considered one of the varieties of common pumpkin. Zucchini is a perennial plant, but in temperate regions it is grown as an annual.
The homeland of the vegetable is America, and it was brought to the Old World along with a pumpkin in the XNUMXth century. Italians were the first to use it in cooking. The most popular zucchini variety in Europe is zucchini, which has an oblong shape, a small diameter and a dark green skin. Common zucchini is popular with us, as a rule, they are larger in size and have a skin color from white to yellowish salad.
Composition and calorie content
Young zucchini are distinguished by a varied and rich chemical composition. The pulp contains fiber, carotene, proteins and carbohydrates, ascorbic acid, pectin, B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron. The composition of zucchini contains the so-called cell juice – a natural liquid of which they consist of almost 95%. This liquid is easily absorbed, nourishes the body and does not lead to weight gain. In general, zucchini is recommended for use in dietary and baby food due to its low calorie content – only 23 kcal per 100 grams of product.
What are useful zucchini
Zucchini is healthy due to its high content of fiber, vitamins and valuable substances. The ability not to lose their natural beneficial properties during heat treatment (and they are not eaten raw, like eggplants) and long-term storage.
Zucchini removes excess fluid from the body, which is beneficial for the kidneys and urinary tract. They are able to cleanse the body in record time and restore water balance after poisoning with toxins. Relieve the liver and gallbladder, relieve the symptoms of colitis and cholecystitis. Shown for stagnation of bile and deskinesia of the biliary tract.
Cooking application
Zucchini is a favorite vegetable in Mediterranean cuisine. They are stewed, fried, pickled, salted, and made into vegetable stews and caviar. In southern countries, even compotes and fruit drinks are prepared from zucchini, adding sweet and sour berries to them. This is a great light side dish for heavy meat dishes, they facilitate the digestion of food and do not allow excess fat to be deposited. Zucchini caviar is a product that does not lose its beneficial properties even when preserved.
