Zucchini- Top 14 reasons to eat more for good health

Some of the health benefits of eating Zucchini include weight loss, promote eye health, anti-inflammatory, asthma, reduces risk of heart attacks, strokes and atherosclerosis.Zucchini health benefits

Nutritional value of Zucchini

  • Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) is a summer squash and also know as courgette.
  • It is also known as Calabacín (Spanish), Abobrinha (Portugese), Courgette (French), Pipino (Filipino), Cuketa (Czech),  Tori/Turai (Hindi), Peerkan kai (Tamil), Oru pachakkari (Malayalam), Beera Kaaya (Telugu), Turiya, Ghisoda (Gujarati), Jhinge, Jhinga (Bengali), Dodke, Shira?e (Marathi), Janhhi (Oriya), Turai (Urdu), Tori (Punjabi).
  • A 100 gram of zucchini contain 16 calories.
  • It is rich in water, protein, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Omega-6 Fatty Acids, Vitamins (Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Choline) and minerals (Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Selenium)

Zucchini can be eaten raw, steamed, roasted, or sauteed. Including zucchini in diet helps to boost energy and improve overall health.

Health Benefits of Zucchini

Antioxidants

Zucchini is rich in powerful antioxidants and nutrients, which not only helps to overcome deficiency of those vitamins, minerals but also protect body from free radicals or oxidative stress damage.

Aid in weight loss

Zucchini is extremely low in calorie, rich in dietary fiber and contains high water content. Adding zucchini in diet meal helps to keep stomach full for long time and helps to loose weight.

Hydrates the body

Zucchini contain water in high amount which can contribute towards daily water intake level and hydrates the body at the same time.

Anti-Ulcer

People who take aspirin often develop gastric ulcer. Studies has found consuming zucchini has protective and anti-ulcerogenic effect to the stomach and duodenum.

Prevent constipation

The dietary fiber present in zucchini promote healthy regular bowel movement, helps to prevent constipation, relieves bloating and eliminate carcinogen toxins from the body.

Diabetes

Consuming zucchini along with peel has higher polyphenols, flavonoids and ascorbic acid levels. Studies has found it potentially effective anti-diabetic property.

Promote prostate health

The phytonutrients found in zucchini helps in reducing the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BOH), a condition in which the prostate gland enlarges in an odd shape and size, which can cause complications with urination and sexual functions in men.

Zucchini is also rich phytonutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin, which belongs to the carotenoid family same as beta-carotene. Eating zucchini helps to promote healthy eyesight  and protect eye tissues against harmful rays or mascular degeneration.

Anti-inflammatory

 It contains powerful anti-inflammatory components which can provide relief in inflammation related diseases like asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia.

Promote metabolism

Zucchini is rich in folate, that boost metabolism, promote protein and nucleic acid metabolism. These are vital for cell growth and tissue maintenance.

Lowers Blood Pressure

Zucchini is rich in dietary fiber, minerals like magnesium and potassium, that helps to lower blood pressure and reduces the risk of  arteriosclerosis (blood vessel damage), heart attack, and many other serious health conditions.

Good for heart health

Zucchini is rich in various nutrients like magnesium, which helps to reduce the risk of heart attack and strokes to a great extent. Also, folate present in zucchini helps to eliminate an unsafe metabolic byproduct called homocysteine, which can result in heart attacks and strokse if the levels rise too high.

Cancer prevention

Studies has shown positive result in inhibiting cancer cells like colon.

Promote optimum health

Zucchini is nutrient dense food which contains variety of poly-phenolic antioxidants, vitamins  and minerals which are essential to protect the body from aging, illness, and disease.

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