Mexico is the birthplace of the famous zucchini to everyone, but only its seeds were always eaten there. With the spread around the world, the vegetable began to be used in kitchens of different nations and today it is fried, stewed, cooked, baked and canned in a variety of ways. The calorie content of zucchini in this case depends on the method of heat treatment, but the vegetable is considered dietary even when fried. It belongs to the Pumpkin family and is used in food only in an unripe form, until its seeds are coarsened and hard fibers appear in the pulp.
Calorie Zucchini
The energy value of 0.1 kg of raw vegetable is only 23 Kcal. This indicator, depending on the variety and maturation stage, can vary from 17 to 24 Kcal. The nutritional value of a vegetable is:
- 5.2 g of carbohydrates;
- 300 mg of fat;
- 600 mg of protein.
The glycemic index of zucchini in the raw form is 15 units, and in the fried one is 5 times more.
Chemical composition
The benefit for the body is not only the low calorie squash per 100 grams, although this is precisely due to the content of 93% water in the vegetable.
In addition to it, the fruits are full of fiber, mineral salts, organic acids and vitamins, and most importantly, all are in the most balanced composition, which is considered useful for the body. The product contains:
- 4.6 g of di- and monosaccharides;
- 1 g of dietary fiber;
- fatty acids 2 g;
- 400 mg of ash.
Zucchini is the main source of potassium, ascorbic acid and vitamin B6 for humans. In addition, it contains sodium, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamins E, PP, A, H, B1, B2, B5 and B9.
Vegetable benefits
Low calorie squash is their main advantage in diet, but not the only one. The fruits of the plant are often used for disorders of the stool, since their use in food can help with constipation, without causing diarrhea.
In addition, zucchini reduces cholesterol, helps relieve puffiness, improves the functioning of the genitourinary system, activates hematopoiesis and improves blood quality. The ideal ratio in the composition of sodium and potassium 1: 150 helps to normalize the water balance. Experts recommend using zucchini for food as an additional therapy for cholecystitis, colitis, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and hepatitis.
It is known that the fruits of zucchini have beneficial effects on the nervous system and prevent the development of atherosclerosis.
Having prepared a decoction of the flowers of the plant, you can also treat dermatological diseases.
The harm of zucchini
Despite the low calorie content of zucchini and its rich chemical composition, a vegetable can still cause harm to the body. This applies to patients with stomach ulcers and gastritis, as well as to people with impaired kidney function, since the elimination of potassium is difficult. A large amount of fiber is also harmful, which is completely not digested by the body and is excreted by the food lump.
Calorie zucchini per 100 g with different cooking methods
Thanks to the variety of zucchini dishes, today you can eat this low-calorie product almost every day. In the summer, a vegetable generally costs almost nothing, so all kinds of diet recipes are available to absolutely everyone who wants to lose extra pounds or just cleanse their body. Zucchini is stewed, fried, boiled, stuffed, baked, mashed potatoes, mashed soups, pancakes, caviar and much more are made from them.
Depending on the quantity and nutritional value of additional products, the nutritional and energy value of the squash itself changes.
So, the calorie content of stewed zucchini without adding oil and other additional products is 40 Kcal. The energy value of boiled vegetable or mashed potatoes is similar to raw calories and is 24 Kcal. Zucchini juice has the same amount of calories.
If the product is baked, then its energy value will be already 30 Kcal, and when oil is added to the dish - 100 Kcal. Zucchini with cheese has a calorie content of 98 Kcal. If you cook pancakes from zucchini, the calorie content of the dish will be 56 Kcal per 100 g.
When preparing caviar from zucchini, a large amount of oil and additional products are always used, so this dish can no longer be called dietary. Its energy value is 97 kcal. Stuffed vegetable has a calorie content of 105 kcal.
The calorie content of fried zucchini can also be different. If you use only breading flour for cooking, then the figure will be 88 Kcal, and if you add mayonnaise, garlic or breading in a lezone and breadcrumbs to the dish, then the energy value can increase by 2 times.
Benefits for women
The main indicator of beauty for the fair sex is a slender figure, which you can get by including tasty and healthy dishes from zucchini in your diet. By arranging fasting days a couple of times a week only with zucchini dishes, you can lose 4 kg per month.
If you want to clean your body from toxins and lose weight in a short time, you can go on a strict zucchini diet, but only for 5 days.
During pregnancy, women are not forbidden to eat zucchini, but it should be remembered that the diet at this time should be rich in nutrients, which means that you should not abuse a low-calorie product. Experts recommend combining them with meat products for greater nutrition. The benefits at the time from zucchini are huge. They help relieve puffiness and normalize stool, which is very important during gestation. During pregnancy, it is better to give preference to stews.
During lactation, eating zucchini is also not prohibited. The vegetable is neutral in taste and does not alter the properties of breast milk. At this time, it is also better to give preference to stewed and boiled zucchini. With caution, you should use this product only to those nursing mothers who did not eat it during pregnancy.
Use in cosmetology
The benefits of zucchini for the body is manifested not only when eating them. A grated vegetable face mask is able to brighten the face and even out its tone. To enhance the effect, squash juice can be used for this, pre-mixed with a couple of drops of hydrogen peroxide. The fabric is wetted with the composition and left on the face for 15-20 minutes.
To soften the coarse skin of the feet, grind the pulp of the zucchini and apply to the desired area of the legs and wrap it with foil for half an hour. After that, the mask is removed, the feet are rinsed, cleansed with pumice and moisturized with cream.
You can use zucchini to strengthen hair. To do this, the grated vegetable is combined with a similar amount of chopped onions, after which the mixture is applied to the roots of the hair and left there for half an hour. The mask is washed off with shampoo.
Conclusion
This cultivated fruit from the Pumpkin family has virtually no contraindications and is an excellent dietary and therapeutic nutrition product. Many options for its preparation allow you to eat zucchini not only with benefit, but also with taste. If you want to get a visible external effect, you can use the vegetable for cosmetic procedures.