Zucchini Nutrition: 6 Zucchini Health Benefits

Don't be fooled by its mild flavor—zucchini is bursting with antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and more nutritious benefits.

As soon as summer starts to arrive, seasonal produce lovers know exactly what that means: It's officially zucchini season! Summer is when this versatile veggie (actually, zucchini is technically a fruit) is harvested and at its peak, and most abundant and easy to find at farmer's markets and in home gardens alike. (Though, of course, you can always find zucchini year-round in your supermarket's produce section.)

Not only are both green and yellow zucchini super delicious, widely available, and easy to cook with, but they offer so much in the way of nutrition. "Zucchini contains many important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can help support multiple facets of our health," says Asmita Batajoo, MS, RD, clinical dietitian Learn how this summer squash can benefit your health, plus some tasty ideas and recipes to enjoy it all year long.

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Botanically, zucchini is technically a fruit from the Cucurbitaceae family of gourds, alongside watermelon, squash, pumpkin, cucumber, and cantaloupe. Often referred to as courgette in the United Kingdom, this particular variety of squash (scientific name: Cucurbita pepo) is a favorite worldwide, due to its delicate flavor and tender texture, which lends itself to countless savory and sweet culinary applications. Grown on a vining plant that will happily take over your garden, zucchini imparts a subtle sweetness, allowing it to shine in both raw and cooked dishes.

While traces of zucchini's plant ancestors were first found thousands of years ago in Central and South America, the first evidence of this fruit dates back to 1901 in Milan, Italy. This makes sense given all the delicious Italian dishes featuring the summer favorite (squash blossoms, anyone?) Soon this "veggie" became popular all across Europe with infamous dishes like the classic French ratatouille. It wasn't before long that cultures across the globe also adopted zucchini, highlighting this fruit in some of their tastiest dishes.

According to the USDA, a 1-cup serving of zucchini, chopped, offers about 21 calories, 1.5 grams of protein, less than half a gram of fat, 3.9 grams of carbohydrates, including 1.24 grams of fiber and about 3.1 grams of (natural) sugars.

This summer squash is also teeming with important micronutrients: vitamins, minerals, plant-based antioxidants, and pigments that work to boost your health in a number of ways.

In zucchini you’ll find tons of vitamins A and C, plus plenty of plant compounds, including polyphenols and carotenoids, a group of plant pigments. All of these micronutrients are antioxidants that help the body to reduce inflammation and fight off free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that, when allowed to build up in large amounts throughout the body, can lead to most every chronic disease you can think of, from heart disease to cancer. Plus, carotenoids have been linked with ultraviolet light ray protection, helping to naturally protect our skin from sunburn and skin cancer.

When it comes to supporting healthy eyes and vision, zucchini may also be beneficial. Two of the carotenoids found in this squash, lutein and zeaxanthin, are linked with improved eye health, as is vitamin A. Lutein and zeaxanthin actually accumulate in the retina, helping to stave off age-related eye diseases like cataracts and macular degeneration. While vitamin A is also closely tied to eye function as a key player in retina health and overall eye function.

Courgettes are known to support heart health as well, thanks to its fiber, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin K content. In zucchini you’ll find pectin, a type of soluble fiber that binds to cholesterol on the gastrointestinal tract, excreting it from the body through waste as opposed to being absorbed into the blood. When we have high amounts of the "bad" kind of cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein or LDL) in the blood, there's a potential that it could cause plaque formation in our veins and arteries, potentially leading to heart disease down the line.

Fiber intake can also lend to normal blood pressure levels, key to optimal heart health. Meanwhile, potassium and magnesium are electrolytes that play a vital role in normal heartbeat rhythm. And finally, Vitamin K is integral in healthy blood clotting, yet another important aspect of overall heart health.

Your gut health can get a boost from eating this tasty summer squash. The soluble fiber found in zucchini is beneficial for the healthy bacteria that reside in the lining of your gut. These bacteria live in the large intestine in a greater community of microorganisms known as the gut microbiome and are vital for not only digestive health but our overall health as well.

You’ll also find some insoluble fiber in zucchini which acts as roughage for the digestive tract, supporting regularity. The high water content found in zucchini isn't just hydrating—it will also help support digestion, facilitating nutrient absorption and preventing common concerns like constipation.

When it comes to healthy foods for bone health, dairy products aren't the only options we can turn to. Many veggies and fruits can help us to maintain and support strong bones, including zucchini. It contains magnesium, manganese, and vitamin K, all of which are linked to maintaining and growing strong bones.

In addition to all the aforementioned nutrients found in zucchini, you’ll also find the B vitamins folate and vitamin B6. Folate is an especially vital micronutrient for pregnant women as it's critical in neural tube formation in growing babies in utero, as well as healthy blood and cell formation across the lifespan. While vitamin B6 helps to prevent anemia, maintain a healthy nervous system, and can even help boost brain health.

Before diving into the world of zucchini recipes, it's important to note that it can trigger ragweed pollen allergy symptoms in some individuals. This is because a protein found in zucchini is quite similar to one in ragweed, so those reactive to this common allergen may experience symptoms of oral allergy syndrome after eating the squash. These symptoms typically manifest as throat itchiness and swollen lips, tongue, or mouth. However, it's important to note that these may only appear after eating raw zucchini. Cooking this squash can alter the nature of the problematic protein in question and, in turn, change how your body responds to it.

"Cooking zucchini really helps to enhance its natural-yet-subtle sweetness. However, it can also be consumed raw in salads and with dips," Batajoo says, "Many people even enjoy spiraling zucchini into spaghetti as an alternative to pasta to help manage blood sugars."

Beyond making for an excellent, plant-forward pasta swap, summer squash are also delicious additions to pasta dishes like lasagnes, pasta salads, or tossed in with your favorite simple sauces. They’re also divine salad toppers—raw, roasted, sautéed, or grilled—and even make a great secret baking ingredient. And no need to peel them, as the skin is fully edible, tender, and adds a pop of bright color.

Zucchini bread and muffins are tasty homemade baked goods, and an easy way to get the kids eating more produce.

The delicate, edible blossoms of zucchini can also famously be stuffed with ricotta, herbs, and garlic, then lightly battered and fried, served alongside a hearty tomato sauce in the classic Italian squash blossom dish.

"While there are many ways to incorporate zucchini into our diet, my favorite way is to slice it thinly, marinate it with olive oil, minced garlic, and a pinch of salt and black pepper, then air fry them until crispy," Batajoo says.

If you're trying to up your fruit and veggie intake—or hitting a wall trying to up your kids' intake—zucchini is a great option, thanks to its very mild (almost imperceptible!) flavor and soft, tender interior that tends to melt well into stir-fries, sauces, soups, and beyond. Make zucchini a fun and tasty finger food by lightly frying or baking up some crispy, golden zucchini fritters, fries, or chips. Finely chop, grate, or blend zucchini into homemade meatballs or meat and/or veggie-based sauces. Roast zucchini and whirl it into hummus, yogurt, or Baba ghanoush–inspired dips. Shredded zucchini all but disappears into sweet, spiced quick breads and muffins, too.

Whether you opt for sweet or savory, zucchini is not only a beyond tasty, versatile ingredient, but a superfood in its own right, offering so many amazing health benefits. Have fun trying different zucchini recipes this summer with your loved ones, as there will undoubtedly be an abundant supply across the country in the coming months. Here are some of our favorite ways to incorporate zucchini into healthy, crowd-pleasing dishes.

Greg DuPree

Caitlin Bensel