Healthy zucchini However, with increasing size it loses aroma

With increasing size: flavor loss in zucchini
Delicious zucchini have always been part of healthy Mediterranean cuisine. In this country too, the vegetables with the mild nut aroma have prevailed. In late summer there are zucchini from local cultivation. When buying should, among other things, to ensure that the fruits are not too big.

Healthy and low in calories
There are plenty of good reasons why we should eat more zucchini: The fruits are ideal for light cooking, because they contain little fat and just 20 kilocalories per 100 grams due to the high water content. They are rich in potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamins A and C, according to the consumer information service aid.

Delicious zucchini are perfect for light meals. They are low in calories but rich in vitamins and minerals. When buying should be paid to small fruits. Zucchini lose flavor with increasing size. (Image: Lsantilli / fotolia.com)

Aroma loss with increasing size
Since the zucchini has no distinctive taste, it can be perfectly combined with other vegetables such as tomatoes, aubergines or peppers. Who buys zucchini, should choose best small fruits with a smooth skin. It should not give way under pressure. Important to know: With increasing size the aroma is lost. Therefore, they are usually harvested half-ripe with a length of 10 to 40 cm, when the shell is still tender and soft.

Long shelf life in the fridge
In the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator, the courgettes last up to two weeks. The vegetables taste raw in the salad, cooked, fried or even grilled. A special delicacy are the yellow zucchini flowers, which are good for frying and filling. Delicious recipes, for example for filled zucchini flowers, can be found on the internet.

Bitter fruits must not be eaten
If the fruit tastes unusually bitter, it must not be eaten, warns the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). Depending on the variety and growth conditions, the plant produces bitter substances which in higher concentrations may affect health. The death of a man killed by poisonous zucchini from the garden was reported last year. (Ad)