Zucchini

“When I pass a flowering zucchini plant in a garden, my heart skips a beat.” - Gwyneth Paltrow

Do you have fond memories of oh-so-many zucchini squashes in the garden? That's because it's so easy to grow. It's also very versatile!

Five Fun Facts

• Zucchini is the only fruit that begins with the letter Z. (Yes fruit, although it is generally treated as a vegetable.)
• One medium zucchini has more potassium than a medium banana and its flowers are edible.
• The word zucchini means small gourd and is often referred to as a summer squash.
• It is known to be one of the easiest foods to grow and utilize in the kitchen because it is so versatile.
• The largest zucchini ever grown was in Ontario and was 8 feet 3 inches making it taller than Michael Jordan!

Nutrition Info

Zucchini is a good source of:

• Antioxidants
• Lutein
• Zeaxanthin
• Folate
• Potassium
• Vitamin A

Benefits

Zucchini may be beneficial in the following ways:

• Providing a large variety of important nutrients and being high in antioxidants.
• Contributing to healthy digestion due to the large amounts of water and fiber.
• Reducing risk of Type 2 Diabetes by lowering blood sugar and increasing insulin sensitivity.
• Preventing heart disease by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.
• Helping to strengthen your vision, lowering your risk of age-related vision problems.
• Benefiting bone, thyroid, and prostate health.

Cautions

Allergies from zucchini are surprisingly common and symptoms can include nausea and diarrhea.

Suggested Recipes

For the Kids and Kids-at-Heart

Download this activity sheet to Spot the Difference in the Zucchini!

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