Zucchini In Your Diet

Mind is All

Most people recognize zucchini as looking like a cucumber, but that seems to be about it. It seems to be one of those under appreciated vegetables. This mild flavored summer squash tastes somewhat nutty and fresh when eaten on salads, and basically picks up the flavors of the foods it is cooked with. In the culinary world, zucchini has a pretty wide range of uses.

It can be shredded with a food processor and then added into cookies and breads. Shredded zucchini can also be added to hamburgers and meatloaf to add nutritional value. Zucchini is also a great addition to fresh salads or stir-frys when sliced. You can also chop it into chunks and grill it with other vegitables. With a ton of different uses it is surprising zucchini isn't more of a staple in the kitchen. If you are looking for a great reference book to help you learn some more uses of zuchinni, I recommend checking out The Classic Zucchini Cookbook.

As far as zucchinis nutritional value goes, they are pretty healthy. They contain a high amount of manganese, which is great for bone health, and play a roll in our nervous system. Zucchini is also high in vitamin C, which helps your immune system, and magnesium which improves your heart heath and is also important for bone growth.

Zucchini, along with other summer squash, are also high in many antioxidants. Which is incredibly important in our heath as they help to fight cancer and can prevent premature aging. So it is good to eat a wide variety of foods that contain high antioxidants.

A great way to try out zucchini is by adding a bit of butter after you steam it. This is a wonderful way to learn more about the flavor of a vegetable before you start using it in a recipe.