The botanical name for Zucchini is Cucurbita pepo. They are called Dhudul in Bengali; Sabed kaddu in Hindi; Dilpasand in Kannada; Kaashiral in Kashmiri; Kashi bhopla in Marathi, Golu phubi kakuri in Oriya; and Seemai suraikayi in Tamil.
Types of Zucchini
Zucchini resemble cucumbers and are available in green and golden yellow colour; also some have stripes. Although zucchini and cucumber are both a member of the gourd family, zucchini are said to be closer cousins to pumpkins.
Nutrition in Zucchini
Zucchini are 93% Water and is a free food since it is low in Calories. It provides 19-20Kcal of energy.
| Nutrient | Green Zucchini | Yellow Zucchini |
| Total Fiber(g) | 2.3 | 1.84 |
| Total Folate(µg) | 18.85 | 21.5 |
| Ascorbic Acid(mg) | 15.78 | 16.71 |
| Total Carotenoids(µg) | 963 | 1177 |
| Potassium(mg) | 178 | 131 |
| Phosphorous(mg) | 21.38 | 32.03 |
| Carbohydrate(g) | 2.33 | 2.22 |
Zucchini, a squash
Squash means “something eaten raw”. All summer squash like Zucchini are tender and eaten uncooked.
Zucchini – gourd & Flowers
Yellow and green varieties of Zucchini are equally nutritious. The flowers are also eaten. Zucchini are tender and are eaten raw or cooked. The flowers are eaten battered and deep fried.
Zucchini Dishes
Zucchini can be eaten as is in salads with bell peppers, cucumber, broccoli, etc. Zucchini are a favourite food for dieters as they give less calories for 100g. Zucchini blends well like, tomatoes in a variety of dishes. Its unobtrusive flavour complements other ingredients in quite a few dishes. They are used in bakery in cakes and other baked goods, e.g. Cream Cheese Rolls, Pancakes, Casserole, etc. Zucchini are also incorporated in noodles. Zucchini can be made with chicken or just stir-fry.
Life of Zucchini
Zucchini are refrigerated, but don’t last long as they spoil quickly.
Zucchini and Kidney
Because of their low Potassium content, the yellow variety, especially, is recommended for Kidney patients. It is rich in Folate, Ascorbic Acid and Carotenoids, and low in Phosphorous. Hence, you can save up on multivitamins and get these nutrients from Zucchini. There are plenty of Kidney friendly Zucchini recipes available. Kidney patients can eat 50g of raw zucchini. It is safer in cooked form to avoid chances of food borne infection. Zucchini are Zero Carb Keto Friendly and renal friendly vegetable.
By Mary Selvaraj, M.Sc. Nutrition, Dietician, NephroPlus
