Zucchini

Irina Kamshilina

Cooking for someone is much more pleasant than cooking for yourself))

Content

If you are thinking about making vegetable pancakes, then pay attention to what kind of zucchini you have in your hands. Or is it not a zucchini at all? How to distinguish zucchini (zucchini or zucchino) from its relative zucchini? You can make delicious snacks and lunches from both vegetables. They bake them in the oven, fry them, make sautés, stews, and casseroles. It has a lot of useful properties, one of which is the low calorie content of zucchini, which is indispensable for weight loss, as evidenced by positive reviews.

What is zucchini

If you want to have a delicious lunch, but not worry about how eating will affect your weight, then this vegetable will become best choice. Its energy value is lower than that of zucchini, it is only 16 kcal/100 g. Externally, this 15 cm long vegetable has a rich green or yellow peel, stripes or specks. The pulp is tender, the fibers are inseparable, the seeds are small, almost invisible in the core of the vegetable.

Features of cultivation

Zucchini is a heat-loving plant that belongs to the pumpkin family. It blooms with large bright yellow flowers. If you want to achieve a good harvest, then you need to create suitable conditions. The plant is grown in an area where there is constant access to sunlight. The vegetable should be watered and fertilized regularly. Frosts are contraindicated for the plant; if the temperature drops below 5 degrees Celsius, it dies. Under good weather conditions, this vegetable produces a rich, tasty harvest.

Vegetable composition

The benefits of this type of zucchini lie not only in taste and low calorie content. The vegetable contains a large number of vitamin, essential microelements, minerals. It is rich in carotene, vitamin C, folic acid, pectin, iron, sodium, magnesium, potassium. The composition is as follows:

water – 90%;
fiber – 2-2.5%;
protein – 1.5-2%;
carbohydrates – 3-4%.

Benefits and harms

If you add a vegetable to the menu, then after a while you will notice how you feel better. It removes toxins from the body, improves the condition of the skin and hair, makes muscle tissue elastic, teeth and bones – strong. Fiber promotes good digestion, it cleanses the intestines of toxins and improves liver function. A big plus is that this variety of zucchini does not cause an allergic reaction.

The vegetable helps normalize the amount of sugar in the blood, produces a diuretic effect on the body, and soothes nervous breakdowns. It is recommended to use during pregnancy due to the folic acid in the composition, which has a beneficial effect on the development and growth of the fetus. There is a group of people for whom it is contraindicated to include this vegetable in their diet. This:

Patients who have impaired renal function. This tasty vegetable contains a lot of oxalates, which can cause urolithiasis.
People who have been diagnosed with a particular gallbladder disease. The reason is a large amount of oxalates, which affect the production of bile.
People who have poor absorption of calcium or a deficiency of this substance. Oxalates interfere with the good absorption of calcium.

Difference between zucchini and zucchini

Zucchini is zucchini, or more precisely, it is an “elite” variety or tasty hybrid of this vegetable. If zucchini was brought to Europe from America, then zucchini was bred by an Italian breeder. Here are the main differences between these vegetables:

Size. The zucchini can be called gigantic.
Color. An elite variety of zucchini can be easily identified by its bright color, while its ancestor has a light green color.
Peel. In zucchini it is tougher, it is recommended to peel it.
Seed. Zucchini seeds are invisible, but overripe zucchini seeds are hard and large.
Growing. Zucchini requires a delicate approach to growing; zucchini is not so capricious.
Taste qualities. Zucchini has more tender, juicy flesh.

Do I need to peel zucchini?

In order to prepare this or that dish, you do not need to peel the zucchini. It has a very thin and soft skin that does not spoil the taste. Chefs do not recommend peeling this vegetable for another reason. Studies have shown that it contains beneficial vitamin C, which helps maintain good immunity. If the vegetable has been treated with pesticides or other chemicals, it is better to peel the peel.

Is it possible to eat vegetables raw?

There are many recipes for dishes that include raw zucchini. Thanks to its tender and sweet pulp, this vegetable can be consumed raw, without prior heat treatment. It will have a nice crunch in the dish. It absorbs salt well, releasing a lot of juice, therefore, it is better to first salt the vegetable in a separate bowl, drain the liquid, and then add it to the dish.

Zucchini recipes

Descendant squash is prepared in different ways. Zucchini is eaten raw, fried, salted, pickled, stuffed, dipped in batter, and prepared as decoctions and juices. It goes well with other vegetables, which allows you to make delicious stews and sautés from it, and harmonizes perfectly with meat, especially with varieties such as poultry, beef, and lamb. This vegetable can simply be fried in a frying pan and then served with boiled rice or spaghetti for a delicious, filling lunch. Vegetarians will love it baked on the grill or in the oven.

Zucchini baked with cheese

Time: 1 hour.
Number of servings: 6 servings.
Calorie content of the dish: 120 kcal/100 g.
Purpose: lunch, dinner.
Cuisine: European.
Difficulty: medium.

This recipe is very suitable for summer lunches and dinners. The dish turns out light but satisfying thanks to baking in the oven. Cheese has beneficial properties. The amount of protein in this dairy product more than in meat. It contains amino acids, vitamins and essential microelements such as zinc, phosphorus, calcium. A pair of “cheese plus zucchini” will cover the body’s daily need for microelements and vitamins.

Ingredients:

zucchini – 500 g;
Parmesan cheese – 200 g;
onions – 2 pcs.;
tomato – 5 pcs.;
bell pepper – 2 pcs.;
carrots – 2 pcs.;
salt - to taste;
greens - a small bunch;
ground black pepper - to taste;
olive oil – 2 tbsp. spoons.

Cooking method:

Wash the zucchini and tomatoes. Cut the vegetables into rings or half rings, 0.5 cm each.
Chop the sweet into small cubes.
Chop onions and carrots into cubes, fry in olive oil until golden brown.
Take a baking sheet and grease it with a little oil. Turn on preheat oven at 220 degrees Celsius.
Place zucchini on the bottom. Salt and pepper.
Make a layer of tomatoes on top. Don't forget salt and pepper.
The next layer will be fried onions and carrots.
Next, sprinkle everything with sweet pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.
Place in the oven for 20 minutes. At this time, grate the cheese.
Remove the dish and sprinkle with cheese, put back in the oven for another 10 minutes.
Before serving, garnish with herbs. Goes well with mashed potatoes.

Sauteed zucchini and bell pepper

Time: 40 minutes.
Number of servings: 6 servings.
Purpose: snack.
Cuisine: Mexican.
Difficulty: medium.

Housewives in Mexico love to cook this dish. Main feature The dishes of this country are rich in a variety of vegetables and spices. Sauteed zucchini and bell pepper Vegetarians will like it, since it does not contain animal components. The source of protein here is beans, which dulls the feeling of hunger for a long time and gives a feeling of fullness.

Ingredients:

canned red beans – 450 g;
zucchini - 500 g;
pumpkin – 200 g;
green pea– 200 g;
onion – 1 pc.;
leek – 1 pc.;
tomato – 1 pc.;
sweet pepper - 3 pcs.;
basil greens - a small bunch;
parsley - a small bunch;
chili pepper – 0.5 teaspoon;
ground black pepper – 0.5 teaspoon;
thyme - to taste;
lemon juice– 1 tbsp. spoon;
vegetable oil - for frying;
salt - to taste.

Cooking method:

Cut the zucchini and pepper into cubes, tomatoes into slices, and onion into half rings.
Throw the zucchini into the heated frying pan. When frying, add some spices and salt. Place everything in a separate saucepan with a thick bottom.
Repeat process with pumpkin, onion and bell pepper.
Add beans, peas, tomatoes, herbs and the rest of the spices to them. You can use raw beans, but they must be cooked separately before using. When boiling, do not forget to salt it.
Add lemon juice.
Simmer for 10 minutes over low heat, covered.
Serve with rice or potatoes.

Vegetable cutlets with zucchini

Time: 1 hour.
Number of servings: 6 servings.
Calorie content of the dish: 200 kcal/100 g.
Purpose: lunch, dinner.
Cuisine: Russian.
Difficulty: medium.

When the harvest ripens in the garden, it’s time to prepare a hearty and light dinner with healthy ingredients. Flavored cutlets are perfect for this, but not simple ones, but with the addition of zucchini and cheese. For cooking it is recommended to use beef or minced chicken. The dish will turn out to be dietary and tasty. Tip: to make the cutlets as healthy as possible, it is better to cook them in a double boiler, and add garlic for taste.

What is zucchini? This is a type of squash from the Cucurbitaceae family. Zucchini was brought from America to Europe many centuries ago, and zucchini was brought by selectors from Italy.

Zucchini or zucchini, which is correct? Many people write this word with two letters “k”, and this is not considered an error. This spelling comes from the word Zucca, and it is translated as “pumpkin”.

What is the difference between zucchini and zucchini?

You can’t immediately tell how zucchini and zucchini differ from each other in appearance, however key features they have. What is zucchini and what does it look like, as well as what is better than zucchini:

Firstly, they differ in color. Zucchini is in light shades - white, yellow, light green, and zucchini is in dark shades: green, black and even striped.
Their second difference is the size of the vegetable. Zucchini grows quickly and reaches a decent size. Zucchini is a small vegetable, and most often it is picked when it reaches 15-20 cm in length.
The next difference is, of course, taste. Cooked zucchini is more tender and soft. It can also be consumed raw, adding to salads and preparing zucchini snacks. Zucchini, on the contrary, is denser and is better cooked or stewed.
The zucchini skin does not need to be peeled, because it is tasty and soft. It is better to cut off the zucchini peel, especially if it is overripe.
When cooking zucchini, the core and seeds are peeled, as they are large and fill the entire cavity of the vegetable. Zucchini has smaller seeds that are invisible in the pulp. To collect them for the future harvest, you need to keep the fruit in the garden until it is overripe, then cut it and select the finished seed.

Useful product

But the difference is not only in the appearance of vegetables, but also in cultivation and storage. Zucchini ripens much faster than zucchini, it needs a lot of light and heat, and under optimal temperature conditions it brings good harvest. It is advisable to consume zucchini immediately, but its relative can be stored until the next harvest.

The best varieties of crops

A huge number of varieties have been bred, all of them differ in color, shape, and ripening period. Let's take a closer look at the most popular ones.

Black handsome- a variety with long fruiting and high yield. The color of the fruit is dark green, almost black, has a glossy surface, weight can reach up to 1 kg. In the middle it is light and dense, and the taste is delicate, which does not deteriorate even after canning.
Nephritis- a mid-season variety that was bred a little more than 10 years ago. The fruits have a green tint with a smooth surface and weigh up to 1.2 kg. The variety has pale cream-colored flesh that is fibrous but very tasty.
Tintoretto- an early variety characterized by a round shape. The color is yellow with a speck, the weight of one representative reaches up to 2 kg. It is in demand among summer residents due to its high yield.
Zebra- a high-yielding and very early variety. The vegetable is pale green in color with longitudinal dark green stripes. It is well stored and transported without losing its presentation. Its main feature is that it is frost-resistant, actively grows and bears fruit even in cold climates.
Golden comb- perhaps the most non-standard and not very attractive in shape, but the most dietary variety of zucchini. It has an average ripening period. In appearance it resembles a yellow pear with a lumpy surface. The weight of the Golden scallop reaches up to 2 kg. It is consumed both fresh and canned for the winter. Under optimal conditions, it is perfectly preserved until the next harvest.
Banana- another unusual variety of zucchini. It received this name because of its appearance. The fruits grow golden-orange up to 25 cm long. The variety has dense, slightly yellow flesh with a juicy taste. It also stores and transports well.
Tiger cub- early ripening variety. Its main difference from others is its active development and growth. The color is striped. Zucchini of this variety is stored for a long time, but does not lose its taste. They are canned, frozen, consumed at proper nutrition, because they contain a lot of potassium, fiber, phosphorus, calcium and vitamins B and C. 100 g of zucchini contains only 16 kcal, which is 40% less than Brussels sprouts and broccoli.

Zucchini is a tasty and healthy vegetable that can be used to prepare a variety of dishes. They are marinated, stewed, fried, stuffed, caviar, compotes, candied fruits are prepared from them, and zucchini casserole will become the queen of any table. But in order to enjoy an environmentally friendly product, you need to choose the appropriate variety and grow it correctly on the site.

Landing Features

You should choose a bed for zucchini that is well lit, and the soil is loose, sandy loam, with normal acidity. It is better to prepare the site in the fall by digging up the area and adding complementary food in the form of rotted chicken droppings and superphosphate. You can also add wood ash to reduce soil acidity.

Add wood ash

This crop should not be planted after its pumpkin relatives in order to avoid their common diseases. The best predecessors are beans, beans, cabbage, and tomatoes.

Let's look at a step-by-step method of planting in the ground. The first step before planting is to dig up the soil, then break out the beds and level them with a rake. To kill harmful microorganisms, the soil is spilled with ammonium nitrate or a solution of potassium permanganate. Plant zucchini seeds in mid-May in open ground. It is advisable to germinate the seeds before sowing, this will make them easier to take root and produce an early harvest.

Important! Sometimes the seed needs pre-treatment. Seeds from overripe vegetables need to be pickled by soaking for 2 days in clean water. Then place it in a gauze cloth with a solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour. Seeds from the package do not need this procedure.

The depth of the hole is no more than 6 cm, the distance between each hole is at least 40 cm. They are spilled and a handful of a mixture of soil, humus, and ash is added. The fertilizer is sprinkled with soil and 2-3 seeds are placed in the hole. After germination, weak shoots are broken through so as not to slow down the growth of strong bushes.

You can also grow seedlings by planting seeds in cups with soil. Planting in open ground is carried out from the end of May to mid-July.

Since zucchini loves a lot of heat, it is better to plant them on compost heaps, in greenhouses. The main thing is to choose the right germination date so that it does not fall into short frosts in early June.

Care

Taking care of the plant involves regular watering, feeding and cutting off old leaves. Abundant watering is needed during flowering and fruit ripening, but do not pour water on the foliage and buds. This can cause sunburn and the development of diseases.

You need to fertilize the plant twice. The first time complementary feeding is applied at germination, the next time - a month later, using mineral or organic substances. But most of all, the plant loves a mullein solution (1:10) and nitroammophoska (20 g per 10 liters of water). The resulting solutions are poured into 1.5 liters under each bush.

Considering that leaves grow quickly and there are a lot of them, they prevent the soil from warming up from the sun's rays, impair ventilation and prevent insects from pollinating flowers. Because of this, the yield decreases, so you need to remove the largest and oldest foliage, and the plant will respond with new ovaries.
You also need to periodically loosen the soil around the base of the bush. This can be done after the third watering, because water, when absorbed, forms a crust on the soil, which prevents oxygen from reaching the root system.

It is necessary to loosen the soil

If you grow zucchini squash in greenhouses, then ventilation is necessary. A hot climate in a greenhouse will not replace the sun, but will only help the development of fungal diseases. In the event of diseases and pests, the plant is sprinkled with wood ash or sprayed with non-toxic agents: Narcissus, Zircon, Amulet. To attract insects for more intensive pollination, the bushes are sprayed with a honey solution.

Growing and Harvesting

The plant begins to bear fruit 10-14 days after flowering. Vegetables can be harvested when they grow to a length of 15-20 cm and a thickness of 7-8 cm. During this period, their stalk is juicy, and the fruits are easily cut with a knife, and vegetables must be collected together with the stalk, this will contribute to the development of a new crop. On fertile soils, each plant can produce from 10 to 15 fruits per season.

You need to harvest regularly, without allowing the fruits to outgrow. Untimely removal slows down the appearance of new ovaries. And young fruits are much more tender in taste than overripe ones. Ripe zucchini has a hard skin and a hollow sound when tapped.

Important! You can eat not only the vegetable itself, but also its flowers, frying them in vegetable oil. This is a popular dish of Mediterranean, Spanish, and Mexican cuisine. They are stuffed, fried in batter, added to soups, steamed, and baked.

Ripe zucchini stores well in a cool, dry place. Under optimal conditions, they can last up to 6 months without losing their taste. The main thing is not to store it in a room with high humidity, as this will provoke the development of putrefactive bacteria. If there are no other options, then you need to remember: the fruit begins to rot from the tail, and to increase its shelf life, it can be coated with paraffin.

It is better to store the fruits individually in boxes with straw, avoiding their contact with each other, or in pine sawdust, which will protect the zucchini from moisture and prevent it from freezing.

Whatever variety of zucchini the gardener chooses, you need to carefully choose a place for planting and caring for future plants. Not a single crop is protected from diseases and pests on the site without the help of a gardener. It will be a shame if the hopes placed on the variety are not justified. Or even worse, you won’t be able to preserve the fruits until ready to serve. Therefore, this mini instruction will help.

Agricultural technology

Many people choose zucchini as a very unpretentious vegetable. Although it also requires some care.

Do you really know the difference between zucchini and zucchini?

Zucchini loves neutral soil, but grows worst in clay and acidic soil. This vegetable likes the sun, so you need to choose an open, well-lit place for planting. Zucchini does not need abundant watering; once or twice a week is enough, and when the zucchini begins to bear fruit, you can increase watering up to three to four times. The advantage of zucchini is that they do not need to be weeded; zucchini bushes grow in such a way that it is very difficult for weeds to survive in their shade.

Conclusions TheDifference.ru

Although the chemical composition of white zucchini and zucchini is very similar, and they belong to the same family - pumpkin, we can say that these vegetables are very different. In this article, we will tell you the health benefits of zucchini and how to cook it deliciously while retaining all the important vitamins and minerals.

What kind of vegetable is this?

If the pulp of white zucchini is denser and coarser, then the pulp of zucchini, like its skin, is much more tender and tastier.

What is the difference between zucchini and zucchini?

We do not eat the skin of white zucchini; Zucchini can be eaten with the skin on, as long as they are not too large.

Rich composition

Zucchini for weight loss

What's the use

How simple it was before: boiled potatoes, fried potatoes, stewed zucchini. And today, vegetable dishes with names that are difficult to remember appear on our table. Some do not take root in the diet, and some firmly occupy an honorable place among favorite dishes. And if before alternatives Since there were no zucchini dishes, today many people prefer to eat zucchini - an Italian type of zucchini. We will now look at the difference between it and our native zucchini.

Appearance

Both zucchini and squash are varieties of squash. But the advantage of these vegetables is that pumpkin has a fairly long ripening process, and zucchini and zucchini can be eaten in the form of ovaries.

Zucchini has a bush shape, often spreads along the ground, and has many branches. Zucchini also grows as a bush, but more neat, without branches. While zucchini can grow to gigantic sizes, zucchini is much smaller than its counterpart. The fruits of both vegetables have an oblong shape, but the squash fruit is often white or yellow, and the zucchini fruit is often dark green with a pattern. The pulp of zucchini is more tender and soft.

Agricultural technology

Many people choose zucchini as a very unpretentious vegetable. Although it also requires some care. Zucchini loves neutral soil, but grows worst in clay and acidic soil.

Difference between zucchini and squash

This vegetable likes the sun, so you need to choose an open, well-lit place for planting. Zucchini does not need abundant watering; once or twice a week is enough, and when the zucchini begins to bear fruit, you can increase watering up to three to four times. The advantage of zucchini is that they do not need to be weeded; zucchini bushes grow in such a way that it is very difficult for weeds to survive in their shade.

Zucchini loves warmth and does not tolerate frost. Zucchina flowers are larger and located at a considerable distance from each other, which makes them easier to pollinate. Zucchini have almost no branches, their leaves are larger, sometimes they have a pattern, like the fruits. For good growth of zucchini, a temperature of 22-25°C is required. In addition, zucchini, unlike zucchini, love moist soil, abundant watering, and humid air. This plant needs a lot of water during flowering and fruit ripening. These vegetables do not grow well in one place for several years; it is advisable to replant them.

Preparation and beneficial properties

What captivates us about zucchini is that it can be eaten in any form, even raw. The delicate skin of zucchini is also edible, but zucchini has a rougher skin that needs to be cut off. It is better to stew or fry zucchini, and zucchini is good even with minimal heat treatment.

Dieters know very well that zucchini is low in calories. Only 27 kcal.

Zucchini is rich in vitamin C and carotene, and also contains a lot of potassium and folic acid. For liver diseases, it is recommended to eat zucchini as it removes from the body harmful substances and promoting the secretion of bile.

Like zucchini, zucchini is highly digestible. There is more carotene in zucchini than in carrots, and more vitamin C than in pumpkin. It is simply irreplaceable when dieting, since in addition to the low calorie level, zucchini also does not need to be cooked. Zucchini has only 16 kcal.

Conclusions TheDifference.ru

External differences: zucchini is a type of zucchini, but smaller, the leaves and flowers of zucchini are larger, zucchini branches, and zucchini grows as a bush, the color of the fruit of zucchini is white or yellow, while that of zucchini is often dark green.
Zucchini is more heat-loving and moisture-loving; zucchini tolerates temperature fluctuations more easily.
Zucchini ripens faster than zucchini
Zucchini can even be eaten raw; zucchini is best stewed or fried.
Both vegetables are low in calories, but zucchini has fewer calories.

How simple it was before: boiled potatoes, fried potatoes, stewed zucchini. And today, vegetable dishes with names that are difficult to remember appear on our table. Some do not take root in the diet, and some firmly occupy an honorable place among favorite dishes. And if earlier there were no alternatives to zucchini dishes, today many people prefer to eat zucchini - an Italian type of zucchini. We will now look at the difference between it and our native zucchini.

Appearance

Agricultural technology

Zucchini and zucchini: what's the difference?

These vegetables do not grow well in one place for several years; it is advisable to replant them.

Preparation and beneficial properties

Dieters know very well that zucchini is low in calories. Only 27 kcal.

Zucchini is rich in vitamin C and carotene, and also contains a lot of potassium and folic acid. For liver diseases, it is recommended to eat zucchini as it removes harmful substances from the body and promotes the secretion of bile.

Conclusions TheDifference.ru

External differences: zucchini is a type of zucchini, but smaller, the leaves and flowers of zucchini are larger, zucchini branches, and zucchini grows as a bush, the color of the fruit of zucchini is white or yellow, while that of zucchini is often dark green.
Zucchini is more heat-loving and moisture-loving; zucchini tolerates temperature fluctuations more easily.
Zucchini ripens faster than zucchini
Zucchini can even be eaten raw; zucchini is best stewed or fried.
Both vegetables are low in calories, but zucchini has fewer calories.

How simple it was before: boiled potatoes, fried potatoes, stewed zucchini. And today, vegetable dishes with names that are difficult to remember appear on our table. Some do not take root in the diet, and some firmly occupy an honorable place among favorite dishes. And if earlier there were no alternatives to zucchini dishes, today many people prefer to eat zucchini - an Italian type of zucchini. We will now look at the difference between it and our native zucchini.

Appearance

Agricultural technology

Many people choose zucchini as a very unpretentious vegetable. Although it also requires some care. Zucchini loves neutral soil, but grows worst in clay and acidic soil. This vegetable likes the sun, so you need to choose an open, well-lit place for planting. Zucchini does not need abundant watering; once or twice a week is enough, and when the zucchini begins to bear fruit, you can increase watering up to three to four times. The advantage of zucchini is that they do not need to be weeded; zucchini bushes grow in such a way that it is very difficult for weeds to survive in their shade.

Preparation and beneficial properties

Dieters know very well that zucchini is low in calories. Only 27 kcal.

Zucchini is rich in vitamin C and carotene, and also contains a lot of potassium and folic acid.

What is the difference between zucchini and zucchini?

Conclusions TheDifference.ru

External differences: zucchini is a type of zucchini, but smaller, the leaves and flowers of zucchini are larger, zucchini branches, and zucchini grows as a bush, the color of the fruit of zucchini is white or yellow, while that of zucchini is often dark green.
Zucchini is more heat-loving and moisture-loving; zucchini tolerates temperature fluctuations more easily.
Zucchini ripens faster than zucchini
Zucchini can even be eaten raw; zucchini is best stewed or fried.
Both vegetables are low in calories, but zucchini has fewer calories.

Such healthy and tasty vegetables as zucchini have long been no longer exotic fruits for Russian residents. However, even 20-30 years ago, mostly white zucchini was grown in our gardens: large fruits with thick, inedible skin and large seeds - they have been grown in Russia for more than 100 years, and in our time, many gardeners and gardeners are happy to plant unpretentious and healthy zucchini.

The green-fruited zucchini squash, brought to us from Italy, is considered to be a cousin of the familiar white zucchini.

Although the chemical composition of white zucchini and zucchini is very similar, and they belong to the same family - pumpkin, we can say that these vegetables are very different.

Zucchini and zucchini - botanical and culinary differences

In this article, we will tell you the health benefits of zucchini and how to cook it deliciously while retaining all the important vitamins and minerals.

What kind of vegetable is this?

If the pulp of white zucchini is denser and coarser, then the pulp of zucchini, like its skin, is much more tender and tastier. We do not eat the skin of white zucchini; Zucchini can be eaten with the skin on, as long as they are not too large.

Zucchini grows differently from white zucchini: its bush does not grow and does not “weave” throughout the garden bed, so the fruits can be grown even on the balcony of a city apartment. Zucchini leaves do not prickle; their yield is greater, and they ripen faster.

You can store zucchini for a whole year if you want, and at normal room temperature - the fruits will be in perfect order. This will not work with white zucchini: the skin will crack, begin to turn yellow and rot, and then the entire fruit will become unusable.

Of course, white zucchini is very healthy, but growing and eating zucchini is easier and more convenient; besides, they taste better and are much more beautiful.

Zucchini squash appeared in Central and South America a long time ago - many thousands of years ago. There are archaeological finds that are approximately 9,000 years old - this is amazing. But zucchini reached Europe only in the 16th century, which is understandable - after all, before that no one knew about America.

The Italians were the best at appreciating the new fruits; it is no coincidence that the word “zucchini” is of Italian origin and means “small pumpkin.” Of course, these are rather small zucchini, and in Russia they are called that – or also Italian zucchini.

After the zucchini has bloomed, the fruits appear on them within 2-7 days, and they can be collected immediately. If you properly care for zucchini, they will grow several centimeters per day, and experienced vegetable growers always achieve this. Small zucchini - up to 15 cm, are considered the best and healthiest, and they can be eaten raw or after minimal heat treatment. There is no need to remove the peel.

Zucchini is not only green and oblong; There are bright yellow zucchini, small round and very small, no larger than a finger - they are fried whole in oil.

Rich composition

As already mentioned, the chemical composition of zucchini and regular zucchini is very similar, however, the substances contained in zucchini are absorbed by our body much easier and faster.

Zucchini contains proteins, fats; organic, saturated and unsaturated fatty acid– although in small quantities; there are dietary fiber, carbohydrates, complex and simple sugars, ash and a lot clean water. Of the minerals, zucchini contains the most potassium; there is calcium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron. The vitamin composition is represented by carotene, vitamins A, C, E, PP, group B; The high pectin content in zucchini fruits allows them to be often used in medical and dietary nutrition.

Zucchini for weight loss

Zucchini is very useful for those who want to lose weight quickly. Zucchini has very few calories - from 18 to 27 per 100 g, and they also remove excess fluid from the body, so they are useful not only for those who want to lose weight, but also for those who suffer from edema.

What's the use

Now is the time to talk about how zucchini benefits our health and who should definitely eat them. Zucchini is useful for people with liver disease - they help digest proteins; in case of problems with gastrointestinal tract they are prescribed as part of a gentle diet; sick diabetes mellitus it is necessary to limit fats and carbohydrates, so for them zucchini is also the best option nutrition.

The fashionable variety of zucchini is competing with ordinary zucchini - it is increasingly appearing in recipes and on tables. These two vegetables are close relatives and therefore very similar. But there is also a difference between zucchini and zucchini, which is useful for everyone who grows these vegetables to know.

The main differences between zucchini and zucchini

Origin

The birthplace of zucchini is considered to be Mexico, from where they came to Europe in the 16th century. At that time, the nutritional and taste properties of these fruits were not yet appreciated. Only seeds were eaten (as with other pumpkin species).

The Italians were the first to think of trying the pulp of unripe zucchini, after which they gladly included it in the list of culinary products.

They soon developed a new variety of pumpkin vegetable by crossing an ordinary zucchini with a crookneck pumpkin. This is how the first zucchini appeared. They adopted it from zucchini appearance, and from krukneks - taste and nutritional properties. Both vegetables arrived in Russia only in the 19th century.

Beneficial features

Both vegetables are rich in vitamins and microelements (potassium, sodium, iron), carotene and organic acids. However, zucchini contains much more vitamin C. Fiber and easy-to-digest carbohydrates contribute to digestion, normal metabolism, and cleansing the body of toxins.

Vegetables are low-calorie, and therefore welcome in any diet.

The calorie content of 100 g of zucchini is 24-26 kcal, and 100 g of zucchini is 17-20 kcal.

The fruits do not cause allergies, therefore they are indicated for children's first complementary foods, as well as for pregnant women. They are recommended to be included in the diet for diseases of the liver, kidneys, gallbladder, heart, and circulatory system.

Vegetables provide good prevention of atherosclerosis and hypertension. Their regular use improves vision, dental condition, hair and skin structure.

Appearance and taste

First of all, these vegetables differ in appearance. Zucchini has a green skin with (or without) dark stripes, but can also be yellowish. Its cousin is usually pale green and much lighter in color.

The size of a zucchini can be compared to a good pumpkin if it is allowed to ripen and become overripe. It has thin and delicate skin. The pulp is more dense.

Zucchini has a tougher skin, and the flesh is juicy and tender, the fruit does not exceed 25 cm in length, and it is recommended to pick them even earlier - when they reach 15-18 cm. In addition, it looks very elegant, while its fellow has a more rounded shape .

Both of them have a similar taste, but squash - The seeds of the first are small, which allows you not to select them when cooking. Squash seeds are much larger, which is especially noticeable in ripe fruits.

Agricultural technology

There are no differences in growing crops

In terms of cultivation, there is not much difference between zucchini and zucchini - you have to do the same thing. Both species are thermophilic, prefer fertile soil, and require abundant watering and good lighting. Sudden frosts, acidic soils and lack of light can destroy them.

However, there are also small differences that gardeners need to know:

Zucchini fruits are small and compact. Therefore, you can save on the distance between bushes. However, you can do the same for zucchini if you pick them young. But if you plan to leave the fruits to fully ripen, the distance between the holes should be at least a meter.
Both vegetables love warmth. For zucchini, an acceptable temperature is 20-25°C, and for zucchini – 22-25°C. When lowered by a few degrees, the former will rise faster, and the latter will lag behind in growth. Therefore, they will not be hindered by additional warming of the soil - they can be planted on raised beds or on heaps with a large content of compost.
Zucchini is different in that it ripens faster. On the 8th day of ripening it can already be picked. In any case, the fruits should not outgrow the size of 15-17 cm. Young zucchini is harvested when it reaches 15-20 cm, and specimens for storage or seeds are left in the garden until fully ripened.
If we compare zucchini and zucchini of the same size, then the shelf life of the former will be better - it can be stored for a week in a cool and ventilated room. A young zucchini will last only a few days, but a fully ripe one can be stored for months.

How to use

The main difference is that zucchini can be eaten raw, including the skin. They are added to salads or eaten individually, grated. Otherwise, the cooking methods for both fruits are the same: they can be fried, stewed, boiled, pickled, baked. These vegetables go well with most foods and can add health to any dish.

As for fully ripened and overripe zucchini, they are not so tasty when fried and baked, but they are quite suitable for making caviar. At the same time, their hard peel needs to be cut off, and large grains must be selected.

In addition, dried zucchini seeds and zucchini flowers (for example, fried in breading) are eaten.

What is the difference between zucchini and zucchini?

In addition to ordinary zucchini, zucchini has firmly established itself in our gardens. And many people don’t understand the difference between zucchini and zucchini? They believe that these are the same thing, just different varieties. It turns out that these brothers have as many differences as similarities. All of them belong to varieties of pumpkin, but they become edible much earlier than their orange relative.

Origin story

Zucchini is native to Mexico, where initially only the seeds were consumed. The vegetable came to Europe from Mexico in the 17th century along with other “curiosities” from the New World. Later, Italians began to eat zucchini in an unripe form.

The name zucchini comes from "marrow". This is exactly how the word “pumpkin” sounds in the Turkic language.

Zucchini is our overseas guest, or rather Italian, so it appeared in our beds a little later than zucchini. This is a common variety of zucchini. IN Lately zucchini is gaining more popularity than its relative.

And zucchini, whose name translated from Italian sounds like “green pumpkin”. About thirty years ago this colorful family came to us. And everything different from the usual zucchini family began to be called “zucca”. This is what “small pumpkin” means in Italian.

What is the difference between zucchini and zucchini?

It is difficult to confuse zucchini, pumpkin and squash. The same cannot be said about zucchini and zucchini; young fruits are especially confused. So what is the difference between zucchini and zucchini?

Appearance

Zucchini grows as a bush. Its leaves are a rich green color, sometimes with a pattern. The fruits of both representatives are oblong, but they will not grow more than 20-25 cm. The seeds are small, in young fruits they are barely noticeable.
The stems of zucchini spread along the ground, their fruits are light green in color and can grow much longer, unlike their dark green counterparts. Provided that one ovary is left on the lash. The seeds are large, especially for overripe ones; the seeds will have to be removed before preparing large fruits.

Growing

It is more whimsical in growing zucchini, it loves moisture and sun, and needs frequent weeding. Zucchini tolerates temperature changes well, and under the wide leaves there is no room for weeds to grow.

Zucchini, in contrast to zucchini, ripens earlier and is harvested in mid-summer. Zucchini can be harvested until the first frost.

Use in cooking

Surprisingly, zucchini is consumed even raw. Its skin is much more tender, which cannot be told by its appearance, so the skin is not cut off before cooking. It is prepared quickly, a five-minute heat treatment is enough. If you overheat the zucchini, it becomes less tasty and tender.

Zucchini is good stewed, baked, fried. The longer you keep them on the fire, the more tender they become.

Can zucchini be replaced with zucchini? If you see zucchini in a recipe, but you only have zucchini on hand, take the latter for cooking. But be sure to remove the skin and also increase the cooking time by a few minutes.

Beneficial features

Zucchini has even fewer calories - 16 kcal per 100 g of product. But this vegetable contains more carotene than carrots. Take note!

Storage

How to store zucchini at home? And there are differences. Thick-skinned zucchini can be stored for quite a long time in a basement or apartment. Zucchini with its delicate skin can be stored at home for no more than 5 days.

In conclusion, watch the video, which also talks about the differences between zucchini and zucchini.

How to spell zucchini or zucchini?

This is the answer I found on the Internet.

The only correct spelling of the word zucchini (zucchini such) - this word will be spelled with one letter k. If doubts still overcome you - when asked how to spell zucchini or zucchini You can look up the answer in the dictionary. Right word zucchini written with one "k."

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How do zucchini and zucchini differ in appearance, taste and other properties: let’s look at it in detail and no longer confuse it

Everyone is familiar with the plant zucchini. A vegetable that looks similar to it is also sold on store shelves - zucchini. Both were brought to Europe in the 17th century, but they ended up in Russia only in the 19th century. Many people are interested in the question, are these plants the same or different? What are the differences and similarities between them? You will find the answers to these questions in our article.

What is zucchini

Zucchini belongs to the pumpkin family - pumpkin. He came to Russia from Turkey. Characterized by oblong fruits. They can be yellow, white, light green. It is eaten mainly after heat treatment.

Grows well both in greenhouses and in open ground.

What is zucchini

Zucchini is a type of squash with green fruits.. They can also be yellow, sometimes striped in color.

They were originally grown in Italy as an ornamental plant.. It was only in the 18th century that zucchini began to be used as food. The name comes from the Italian word zucca, which means “little pumpkin.” They came to Russia only in the second half of the 20th century.

Can be eaten processed or raw.

This vegetable is demanding on temperature and sunlight.. Even 2ºC is enough for the plant to freeze, while its relative, zucchini, can withstand even slight sub-zero temperatures.

Read also:

What is the difference between zucchini and zucchini?

Even though these are two different plants, they have a lot in common and are very useful. They contain such useful components as vitamins C, PP, B1, B2, B6, carotene, iron, potassium. Zucchini contains a lot of vitamin C.

Composition and properties of fruits

Appearance of plants and fruits

Zucchini grows in the form of a bush with raised leaves. They are larger in size than zucchini and more saturated in color. Their flowers are also brighter and larger than their counterpart. The fruits are often dark green, sometimes striped or speckled. In both vegetables they are oblong, but in zucchini they grow to a maximum of 25 cm.

The zucchini sends out lashes that spread along the ground. Their color is light green. The fruits are white, light green, yellow. Large ones grow in length, especially if you remove other ovaries, which will not happen with zucchini. Even if all the ovaries are removed, they will not grow larger than usual.

Reference. Unlike regular zucchini, zucchini is an early ripening fruit. It is collected already in June. Zucchini will ripen until September.

Availability of seeds

Zucchini and zucchini can be distinguished by their seeds.. The first contains a lot of large seeds, which should be removed before cooking. In the second, they are small and unnoticeable, so it is cooked together with them without removing them.

Taste qualities

In zucchini, especially in adults, the flesh is dense and does not have a distinct taste., and also has a tough skin. Therefore, they are consumed only after heat treatment. During the cooking process, the product becomes tasty due to its interaction with other vegetables or meat.

Zucchini has thin skin and a delicate taste, so they can be eaten raw with the skin. They are often added to various salads. Also, the vegetable can be subjected to heat treatment, but minimally, because with prolonged exposure they will boil into mush.

Storage and transportation

These vegetables differ from each other in keeping quality.

Thanks to its thick peel, zucchini can be stored until spring in a cool, dark room. without losing nutritional and taste qualities. It is advisable to store it at a temperature of 3-10ºC and a relative humidity of 60-70%.

Zucchini, on the contrary, can be stored raw for up to 5 days.. They retain their taste best when frozen.

Clean, fresh fruits free from mechanical damage and damage from diseases and pests are allowed for transportation. Sorted by degree of maturity. Vegetables are transported in closed containers, folded along the edges so that they do not break or rub against each other. If transported in a carriage, the floor and walls are covered with a 10 cm layer of straw.

Note. Zucchini and zucchini cannot be transported together due to differences in shelf life and softness of the peel.

The benefits and harms of zucchini and zucchini

Considering their identical composition, the positive effect on the body of these vegetables is also similar. The juice and pulp are used in cosmetology - they have a rejuvenating effect. The juice is also used in hair masks to slow down the aging process.

The presence of folic acid makes them useful during pregnancy. Eating these vegetables reduces pain in rheumatoid arthritis.

Due to the high manganese content, plants have a strengthening effect on bones. Their low calorie content and the presence of fiber make them a dietary product: the calorie content of zucchini is 23 kcal per 100 g, zucchini is even less - 16 kcal per 100 g.

Regular consumption of these vegetables supports eye health and helps fight age-related changes.

Zucchini and zucchini reduce cholesterol levels, have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, and are useful for cancer prevention. The manganese and vitamin C contained in them have a beneficial effect on the heart and blood vessels.

Vegetables remove toxins and waste, have a positive effect on the urinary and cardiovascular systems.

Carefully! Given the presence of acids, these vegetables are undesirable for people with kidney failure and gallbladder diseases. They can lead to urolithiasis. For diseases with gastrointestinal dysfunction, it is better to consume them in boiled form. In their raw form, they can cause exacerbation of stomach diseases.

Use in cooking

Both vegetables can be consumed boiled, stewed, fried and baked. They do not have a distinct taste, so when cooked they absorb the aromas of other products and complement them.

Zucchini is best suited for canning, in this case they better reveal their taste. They make wonderful pancakes and the well-known squash caviar. They can be stuffed with meat, cottage cheese and even fish, and stewed with vegetables as a side dish or main dish.

Zucchini, due to its tender pulp and pleasant taste, is used fresh. They are used to prepare salads and light dishes. Young fruits up to 15 cm long are suitable for this. They also make a wonderful soup. In addition, zucchini can be baked with meat, vegetables, cheese, and they are also used in making desserts.

It can be useful:

Conclusion

Zucchini and squash are different plants, but they belong to the same squash family. They are similar in fruit shape and plant appearance. The beneficial components are also almost identical, so vegetables have a similar effect on the body. The differences lie in the size, color and keeping quality of ripe fruits, the thickness of the skin, the number of seeds and preferred use.

In cooking, zucchini and zucchini are used interchangeably, but there are dishes where only a certain vegetable is desired. Young zucchini weighing no more than 700 g and less than 25 cm long can successfully replace raw zucchini.

What is the difference between zucchini and zucchini?

We think each of you has eaten zucchini at least once in your life. In salad, soup, stew, stewed or fried, as well as the famous squash caviar.

In our country, this is a fairly popular vegetable, which is found in every garden, country house or garden. plot of land. Zucchini belongs to the pumpkin family. It has a close relative - zucchini.

A variety of zucchini with a clearly Italian name is also now actively grown in our country. Let's talk about whether there are any distinctive properties between these vegetable brothers? They are different both externally and internally.

The peculiarity of these two types of vegetables is that they do not require long ripening, like pumpkin. It is possible, and even more tasty, to eat young fruits.

Zucchini and its Italian relative are quite similar in composition and many properties. But they can be distinguished by their appearance.

Zucchini has a light green, white, and yellow color. At the same time, zucchini is dark: green, black, green with dark stripes or polka dots, green with yellow spots is also possible.

Both fruits have an oblong shape. Only zucchini can grow to gigantic sizes, both in length and in volume. Zucchini is more compact and neat. Both vegetables are grown using the bush method.

In zucchini, the bush is wider and sends out many shoots, while occupying enough space. The zucchini bush is compact, grows neatly, beautifully raising the leaves upward, without spreading widely on the ground.

The leaves of the zucchini bush are light in color and medium in size. The green blades of zucchini are large and have a beautiful rich color. Regarding the flowers, the story is the same: squash are lighter and smaller, while the flowers of the dark relative are large and bright.

Thanks to these characteristics, zucchini is more attractive and accessible to the insects that pollinate it. Zucchini bushes are not deprived of attention in this regard, but are significantly inferior in these indicators.

Regarding growing conditions, each of these vegetables also has its own characteristics. For example, zucchini is less picky. They only need average humidity, good black soil and a lot of solar heat and light.

In this case, they will spread over a wide area and will soon produce a good harvest. They occupy the soil so much that even weeds will not have the opportunity to break through. As a result, you won’t have to weed and take special care of the area where the zucchini grows.

Zucchini will not grow on every soil. If the soil is acidic or oversaturated with fertilizers, the plant will not take root. Also, this vegetable does not tolerate cold weather. Therefore, plant him in early spring into the ground is dangerous.

It is better to wait for the final warmth or first plant in a greenhouse, and only then replant in an open area. At the same time, zucchini is more prone to temperature changes.

It is also not advisable to fry zucchini bushes in the sun. It is more moisture-loving, so it often requires additional watering.
The skin and pulp of these fruits are also different. The pulp of the dark fruit is more tender and soft.

The seeds are small in size and not hard, almost imperceptible in food. Given these properties, they do not require elaborate and lengthy preparation. Some recipes even call for eating raw zucchini.

Zucchini must be cooked: stewed, boiled, fried. More mature fruits have large and hard seeds, so it is better to remove them when cooking.

Zucchini is more suitable for winter harvesting and preservation. Zucchini is good to freeze fresh.

As for the skin of zucchini, it is also soft and almost imperceptible in food. The skin of zucchini, especially mature ones (young ones are soft), must be peeled. This also affects the storage of vegetables.

Zucchini can remain cool for a long time without any external damage. After cutting, it is best to cook zucchini a day or two in advance. On the fifth day they will begin to deteriorate.

Both zucchini and zucchini are low in calories, which is why they are welcome during diets. They are easily digested by the stomach, help improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, and remove harmful accumulations. In addition, they are rich in vitamins, folic acid, and carotene.

Having studied all the characteristics of both fellow fruits, we can summarize and list distinctive features zucchini and zucchini:

External characteristics

The color scheme of zucchini is dark (green, black, striped and polka dot), while zucchini is light. The bushes of the latter are more spreading, with a large number of shoots.

Zucchini is compact and stretches tall. The leaves and flowers of zucchini are smaller and lighter in color; those of zucchini are large and rich in color.

Fruits, their sizes

Both vegetables are oblong in shape. The length of a zucchini alone can reach up to 40 cm, while its dark relative can reach no more than a quarter of a meter.

Taste qualities

Zucchini pulp is harsh and tasteless. They are eaten only in finished form or after preservation.

Zucchini has soft, tender flesh with a pleasant aroma and taste. Therefore, they can be subjected to only minimal cooking. It can even be eaten raw.

Skin

In zucchini it is tough. For very ripe fruits, it is better to peel it before cooking. The skin of the dark vegetable is soft and tasty.

Seeds

Zucchini seeds are large and hard, which is why they are noticeable in food. It is better to remove them before cooking. In a relative, they are soft and do not require cleaning.

Growing conditions

Zucchini love moisture, enough warmth, do not tolerate frost - they are picky. The fruits ripen much faster. The light-colored relative is not so capricious; he just needs a lot of sun and good black soil.

Storage

Zucchini, if they are not damaged, can be stored for a long time in the cold and dark. Dark fruits spoil quickly.

Calorie content

Zucchini has a minimum amount of calories - one and a half dozen. For zucchini, this limit is a little higher - about thirty.

Both zucchini and zucchini are healthy vegetables. Therefore, eat them for pleasure, with benefits for your figure and excellent health effects.

What is the difference between zucchini and zucchini?

There is an opinion that zucchini and zucchini are the same product. Often these names are used as synonyms, but in fact this is not entirely correct usage. There are differences between these vegetables that need to be taken into account when purchasing and preparing these products.

Description and features

Many people are interested in what zucchini is - a separate vegetable or another name for zucchini. In fact, this product is a type of zucchini, which, in turn, is recognized as a variety of pumpkin. These two vegetables have a very similar appearance, however their descriptions will differ.

Zucchini is a small vegetable, most often oblong in shape. It has a thin skin that is green, black or yellow. They are considered green-fruited zucchini. Often they do not grow more than 15 cm in length.

Kabachkov

Zucchini - fruits of a predominantly elongated shape, yellow, green or white. The peel is hard, becoming softer when ripe. The size of individual specimens can reach more than 30 cm in length.

There are also various varietal forms that have their own distinctive characteristics. For example, there are round varieties characterized by small fruit size.

What is the difference between zucchini and zucchini?

Products that are so often confused with each other have quite significant differences. Since zucchini is more popular in our latitudes, not everyone knows how to distinguish zucchini from a common vegetable for us.

Appearance

At first glance, both types of vegetables are very similar, but there is a certain difference in their appearance.

You can distinguish one type from another by color, peel, size and quality of seeds inside the fruit:

Composition and calorie content

These products have almost the same composition.
Among the main useful components are:

vitamin C;
vitamin PP;
vitamin B1;
vitamin B2;
vitamin B6;
carotene;
iron;
potassium.

The only difference between zucchini is the presence of more vitamin C. The calorie content of zucchini is 23 kcal per 100 g. Zucchini has an energy value even less - 16 kcal per 100 g.

Taste qualities

The products also differ in taste. Zucchini is practically not consumed raw. Due to the dense pulp, this product is better subjected to heat treatment.

Zucchini is quite often used in its raw form. The reason for this is the unusually delicate taste of the vegetable. The pulp is not as hard as that of zucchini, so it does not necessarily need to be fried, boiled or stewed.

Beneficial features

Both types of vegetables have many beneficial properties:
low calorie content allows them to be used on a diet and with proper nutrition;
both vegetables have a beneficial effect on the digestive tract;
thanks to beneficial microelements and gentle effects on the body, these products are useful for almost all diseases;
the pulp of their fruits can be used as the first complementary food for infants.

Growing conditions

Different for both vegetables are the necessary conditions growing.

Zucchini - unpretentious plant, which is not needed special care in the form of weeding and fertilizing. Irrigation of the soil is carried out only as needed, for example, in extreme heat. Moreover, the fruits can ripen by the end of September if a late-ripening variety is planted.

Zucchinis are very demanding. Their cultivation cannot be left to chance. The list of plant care procedures includes regular watering, fertilizing and weed removal. They also cannot tolerate cold weather and cannot be on the bush if temperatures drop below +5°C.

Storage

There is a difference in the shelf life of vegetables, which determines their shelf life. Zucchini does not last long and requires either freezing or quick consumption. Zucchini is a long-term product. Often it can be preserved in almost its original form until next year.

In general, both vegetables are interchangeable and can be used in the same dishes. Cooking instructions, however, will vary.

Regarding zucchini, you should pay attention to the following tips from experienced chefs:

Young fruits will have the most delicate taste;
a win-win option would be fried rings, stew, casserole and squash caviar;
less common, but extremely delicious dishes- stuffed zucchini slices, deep-fried cubes and risotto with this vegetable.

It is better to cook zucchini, paying attention to the following recommendations:

All the recipes listed above are suitable for this product, including stuffing and deep-frying;
they can be added raw to salads - the dish will have an unusual and pleasant taste;
the raw product, cut into cubes, can be served along with carrots, celery and hot sauce - this appetizer is called pincimonio and is an excellent option for parties.

Zucchini and zucchini are foods that have many different traits. However, these vegetables belong to the same species and have many positive characteristics. At proper preparation dishes made from these products will take pride of place on your table.

Zucchini is a type of zucchini brought to us from Italy. We can say that zucchini is a green-fruited squash. Italians affectionately call it “zukina”, which means “pumpkin”. Belongs to the pumpkin family, like squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, melons, and watermelons. It is interesting that it is more correct to call zucchini a berry, but we are more accustomed to classify it as a vegetable. Aborigines of the South and Central America this plant was known in ancient times. The first mention of zucchini dates back to 7000 BC, which is confirmed by archaeological excavations in Mexico. The vegetable came to Europe in the 16th century and, like most curiosities, was grown in botanical gardens as a ornamental plant. We cultivate more than 10 types of zucchini.

Comparing the appearance of plants and fruits of squash and zucchini

Vegetables grow in bush form. Only - in the form of a compact bush 70–120 cm in height, with slight branching. It does not scatter long lashes like a zucchini, which makes caring for it much more convenient.

Zucchini does not have long strands

Zucchini has larger leaves, over 25 cm in diameter, rugged, often patterned, with silvery stripes and streaks. They have a small prickly pubescence, but there are also non-prickly ones, unlike zucchini leaves.

Often there is a silvery pattern on the leaves of the zucchini bush; gardeners even mistake it for a disease

A sparse bush, formed from a few leaves on long petioles, allows bees to easily pollinate zucchini flowers. Zucchini has an oblong shape, zucchini grows not only in the form of a cylinder, but also a small ball. White-fruited squash sometimes grows to gigantic sizes, like a pumpkin, and the maximum length of the Italian species is 25 cm.

Zucchini don't grow that big

Zucchini differ in color. Zucchini can be light green, whitish and light yellow.

Zucchini coloring is usually monochromatic

Zucchini skin is very diverse in color scheme: dark green, black, yellow, gray-blue, striped, motley. But in any case, it is edible and contains vitamin C.

Zucchini variety Kuand has large leaves with a silver pattern.

Mature zucchini has large seeds; the entire core is removed before cooking. Zucchini seeds are small, they are almost invisible in the pulp, and the vegetable is consumed whole.

In the fruits of ripe zucchini, the seeds are large and inedible, and zucchini seeds are invisible in dishes

Zucchini yields higher

One zucchini bush produces 5–9 fruits, zucchini has a higher yield - 15–20. Large yellow flowers zucchini are mostly located in the upper part of the bush, males in bunches, females - singly. Like zucchini, they are dioecious and pollinated by insects. A characteristic feature of zucchini is its ability to produce more female flowers.

It also differs favorably from zucchini in its precocity, ripening earlier - the fruits can be harvested 5–7 days after the formation of the ovary. The fruits begin to appear in June, they are collected 2-3 times a week when they grow by 10-15 cm. At this stage, zucchini have the most delicate skin, the weight of the fruit does not exceed 300 g.

Features of growing zucchini as a squash variety

Zucchini is a type of zucchini; they have common agricultural techniques, although there are nuances here too. The vegetable is unpretentious and grows best in loose sandy loam soil of medium acidity. Loves well-lit areas. It is not recommended to plant it after pumpkin plants to avoid diseases.

The best predecessors of zucchini are legumes, cabbage, and tomatoes.

Zucchini is a very heat-loving crop. For seed germination, a temperature of +12...+14 °C is required, for successful plant development - +22...+25 °C. Seeds that remain in cold soil for a long time do not germinate well and subsequently grow into weakened plants that are unable to produce a good harvest. Therefore, when growing on a plot, at first it is advisable to cover the planting site with film, because even with short-term light frosts (down to -1 ° C) the plants die.

Zucchini is less picky. It is enough to water it 1–2 times a week; when fruiting, increase watering to 3–4 times. Zucchini, unlike zucchini, prefers to grow in moist soil. The vegetable especially needs moisture during the formation of ovaries and ripening of fruits. The advantage of zucchini is that they do not need weeding: their long vines spread along the ground, and weeds simply do not survive in the shade under them. Zucchini forms a neat bush and does not grow much, so it is necessary to regularly loosen and weed the soil around it.

Zucchini, like zucchini, is responsive to fertilization. It is recommended to feed plants at least three times a season with liquid mullein or bird droppings. In order for more ovaries to appear on the bush, experienced gardeners pluck off 25% of the leaves when the fruits ripen.

It is better to cut the zucchini fruits with a knife so that new ovaries form in their place.

Culinary nuances

Few zucchini, unlike white-fruited hard-barked zucchini, have good shelf life and can be stored until the next harvest. They will only last a couple of weeks in the refrigerator.

Ripe Zebra zucchini fruits can be stored for several months, but this is rather an exception

But, unlike classic zucchini, they can be eaten raw in the form of a variety of salads, canapés, appetizers and additions to main courses. Zucchini has a thin skin; it is not cut off. Even the flowers are edible when stuffed with cheese, bacon and fried in oil.

Zucchini can be eaten raw or cooked delicious salads and snacks

You can use zucchini to make pancakes, green smoothies, stir-fries, and soups. Traditionally in Italy they are added to pasta.

But zucchini in its raw form is tasteless; they must be subjected to heat treatment, while cutting off the rough peel. Zucchini is a dietary product; it is recommended to be included in the diet of children and people with diseases digestive system. 100 g of fruit contains only 16 kcal. The vegetable contains carbohydrates, PP vitamins, carotene, potassium, and phosphorus. They contain more vitamin C than white zucchini. Like regular zucchini, zucchini is useful for liver diseases and atherosclerosis. It removes salts from the body, cleanses the blood, and strengthens the body.

A decoction is prepared from zucchini flowers to help with allergies. Zucchini seeds, rich in vitamin E and proteins, are used in cosmetology to create creams.

Zucchini is the same zucchini, the appearance of which breeders worked hard on, and the result is a tasty, productive, early-ripening fruit. The compactness of the bush and high productivity distinguish it favorably from ordinary zucchini. Colorful miniature vegetables picked straight from the garden are good for your health. They can be used raw, baked in the oven, grilled and enjoy their delicate taste.