Zucchini

Zucchini, is a summer squash in the Cucurbitaceae plant family, alongside melons, spaghetti squash, and cucumbers. Although zucchini is often considered a vegetable, it is botanically classified as a fruit. It occurs in several varieties, which range in color from deep yellow to dark green.

While squashes originated in the Americas, this particular variety was first developed in the early 1800s in Italy (1).

Benefits of zucchini

1. High in Antioxidants*

Zucchini is also rich in antioxidants.

The beneficial plant compounds that help protect your body from damage by free radicals.

Carotenoids — such as lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene — are particularly plentiful in zucchini (3).

These may benefit your eyes, skin, and heart, as well as offer some protection against certain types of cancer, such as prostate cancer*(4).

Research indicates that the skin of the plant harbors the highest levels of antioxidants. Yellow zucchinis may contain slightly higher levels than light green ones (5), (6).

2. Contributes to Healthy Digestion*

Zucchini may promote healthy digestion in several ways.

For starters, it’s rich in water, which can soften stools. This makes them easier to pass and reduces your chances of constipation* (7).

Zucchini also contains both soluble and insoluble fiber.

Insoluble fiber adds bulk to stools and helps food move through your gut more easily, further reducing constipation risk. This benefit is compounded if you have enough fluids in your diet (8).

Meanwhile, soluble fiber feeds the beneficial bacteria living in your gut. In turn, these friendly bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that nourish your gut cells (9).

What’s more, SCFAs may help reduce inflammation and symptoms of certain gut disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis* (9), (10), (11).

3. May Reduce Blood Sugar Levels*

Zucchini may help lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes*.

Low-carb diets can significantly lower blood sugar and insulin levels, both of which may keep blood sugar levels stable and reduce the need for medication in people with type 2 diabetes (12), (13).

What’s more, zucchini’s fiber helps stabilize blood sugar, preventing levels from spiking after meals. Diets rich in fiber from fruits and vegetables — including zucchini — are consistently linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes*(14).

The fiber found in zucchini may also help increase insulin sensitivity, which can help stabilize blood sugar as well* (15).

Additionally, animal studies note that zucchini peel extract may help reduce blood sugar and insulin levels. This may be due to the skin’s potent antioxidants (16).

4. May Improve Heart Health*

Zucchini may also contribute to heart health.

Its high fiber content may be largely responsible. Observational studies show that people who eat more fiber have a lower risk of heart disease* (17), (18).

Pectin, one type of soluble fiber found in zucchini, appears particularly effective at reducing total and “bad” LDL cholesterol levels* (19), (20).

In a review of 67 studies, consuming as little as 2–10 grams of soluble fiber per day for around 1–2 months reduced, on average, total cholesterol by 1.7 mg/dl and “bad” LDL cholesterol by 2.2 mg/dl (18).

Zucchini is also rich in potassium, which may help reduce high blood pressure by dilating your blood vessels*. Healthier blood pressure is linked to a lower risk of heart disease and stroke. (21), (22), (23), (24),(25).

Moreover, diets rich in carotenoids — likewise found in zucchini — appear particularly protective against heart disease* (26).

5. May Strengthen Your Vision*

Adding zucchini to your diet may aid your vision.

That’s partly because zucchini is rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene — two nutrients important for eye health (27), (28).

Zucchini also contains the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin. Research shows that these antioxidants can accumulate in your retina, improving your vision and reducing your risk of age-related eye diseases (29).

This may include a lower risk of macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss in older adults (30), (31).

In addition, diets high in lutein and zeaxanthin may also lower your likelihood of developing cataracts, a clouding of the lens which can lead to poor eyesight (32).

6. May Aid Weight Loss*

Regular consumption of zucchini may help you lose weight.

This fruit is rich in water and has a low calorie density, which may help you feel full (33).

Its fiber content may also reduce hunger and keep your appetite at bay (34).

Moreover, studies consistently link high fruit and vegetable intake to weight loss and a slower rate of weight gain over time (35), (36).

Zucchini may offer some additional benefits. The most well-researched include:

Bone health*. Zucchini is rich in the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, as well as vitamin K and magnesium, all of which can help strengthen bones (39), (40).
Anticancer effects*. Test-tube and animal studies indicate that zucchini extracts may help kill or limit the growth of certain cancer cells*. However, human research is needed (6), (41).
A healthy prostate*. Animal research shows that zucchini seed extracts may help limit prostatic hyperplasia, an enlargement of the prostate that commonly causes urinary and sexual difficulties in older men* (42).
Thyroid function*. Testing in rats reveals that zucchini peel extracts may help keep thyroid hormone levels stable*. That said, research in humans is needed (14).

What’s more, intake of non-starchy, dark green or yellow vegetables — with similar nutrition profiles to zucchini — appears particularly beneficial to weight loss (37), (38).

References

i. Hammond BR, Jr., Ciulla TA, Snodderly DM. Macular pigment density is reduced in obese subjects. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2002 Jan;43(1):47-50.

ii. Sommerburg O, Keunen JE, Bird AC, van Kuijk FJ. Fruits and vegetables that are sources for lutein and zeaxanthin: the macular pigment in human eyes. Br J Ophthalmol. 1998 Aug;82(8):907-10.

iii. Micozzi MS, Beecher GR, Taylor PR, Khachik F. Carotenoid analyses of selected raw and cooked foods associated with a lower risk for cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1990 Feb 21;82(4):282-5.

iv. Faulks RM, Hart DJ, Brett GM, Dainty JR, Southon S. Kinetics of gastro-intestinal transit and carotenoid absorption and disposal in ileostomy volunteers fed spinach meals. Eur J Nutr. 2004 Feb;43(1):15-22.

v. McEligot AJ, Rock CL, Shanks TG, et al. Comparison of serum carotenoid responses between women consuming vegetable juice and women consuming raw or cooked vegetables. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 1999 Mar;8(3):227-31.

vi. Jones ST, Aryana KJ, Losso JN. Storage stability of lutein during ripening of cheddar cheese. J Dairy Sci. 2005 May;88(5):1661-70.

vii. Antioxidant status and neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Eye Disease Case-Control Study Group. Arch Ophthalmol. 1993 Jan;111(1):104-9.

viii. Gruber M, Chappell R, Millen A, et al. Correlates of serum lutein + zeaxanthin: findings from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. J Nutr. 2004 Sep;134(9):2387-94.

ix. Krinsky NI. Possible biologic mechanisms for a protective role of xanthophylls. J Nutr. 2002 Mar;132(3):540S-2S.

x. Molnar J, Gyemant N, Mucsi I, et al. Modulation of multidrug resistance and apoptosis of cancer cells by selected carotenoids. In Vivo. 2004 Mar-Apr;18(2):237-44.

xi. Millen AE, Tucker MA, Hartge P, et al. Diet and melanoma in a case-control study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2004 Jun;13(6):1042-51.

xii. Zhang S, Hunter DJ, Forman MR, et al. Dietary carotenoids and vitamins A, C, and E and risk of breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1999 Mar 17;91(6):547-56.

xiii. Toniolo P, Van Kappel AL, Akhmedkhanov A, et al. Serum carotenoids and breast cancer. Am J Epidemiol. 2001 Jun 15; 153(12):1142-7.

xiv. Alexander RW. Theodore Cooper Memorial Lecture. Hypertension and the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Oxidative stress and the mediation of arterial inflammatory response: a new perspective. Hypertension. 1995 Feb;25(2):155-61.

xv. Martin KR, Wu D, Meydani M. The effect of carotenoids on the expression of cell surface adhesion molecules and binding of monocytes to human aortic endothelial cells. Atherosclerosis. 2000 Jun;150(2):265-74.

xvi. Dwyer JH, Navab M, Dwyer KM, et al. Oxygenated carotenoid lutein and progression of early atherosclerosis: the Los Angeles atherosclerosis study. Circulation. 2001 Jun 19;103(24):2922-7.

xvii. Handelman GJ, Nightingale ZD, Lichtenstein AH, Schaefer EJ, Blumberg JB. Lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations in plasma after dietary supplementation with egg yolk. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Aug;70(2):247-51.

xviii. Chung HY, Rasmussen HM, Johnson EJ. Lutein bioavailability is higher from lutein-enriched eggs than from supplements and spinach in men. J Nutr. 2004 Aug; 134(8):1887-93.

xix. Herron KL, Fernandez ML. Are the current dietary guidelines regarding egg consumption appropriate? J Nutr. 2004 Jan; 134(1):187-90.

xx. Yeum KJ, Taylor A, Tang G, Russell RM. Measurement of carotenoids, retinoids, and tocopherols in human lenses. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1995 Dec;36(13):2756-61.

xxi. Moeller SM, Jacques PF, Blumberg JB. The potential role of dietary xanthophylls in cataract and age-related macular degeneration. J Am Coll Nutr. 2000 Oct;19(5 Suppl):522S-7S.

xxii. Kirschfeld K. Carotenoid pigments: their possible role in protecting against photooxidation in eyes and photoreceptor cells. Proc R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 1982 Aug 23; 216(1202):71-85.

xxiii. Mozaffarieh M, Sacu S, Wedrich A. The role of the carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, in protecting against age-related macular degeneration: A review based on controversial evidence. Nutr J. 2003 Dec 11;2(1):20.

xxiv. Seddon JM, Ajani UA, Sperduto RD, et al. Dietary carotenoids, vitamins A, C, and E, and advanced age-related macular degeneration. Eye Disease Case-Control Study Group. JAMA. 1994 Nov 9;272(18):1413-20.

xxv. Mares-Perlman JA, Fisher AI, Klein R, et al. Lutein and zeaxanthin in the diet and serum and their relation to age-related maculopathy in the third national health and nutrition examination survey. Am J Epidemiol. 2001 Mar 1;153(5):424-32.

xxvi. Mares-Perlman JA, Klein R, Klein BE, et al. Association of zinc and antioxidant nutrients with age-related maculopathy. Arch Ophthalmol. 1996 Aug;114(8):991-7.

xxvii. VandenLangenberg GM, Mares-Perlman JA, Klein R, Klein BE, Brady WE, Palta M. Associations between antioxidant and zinc intake and the 5-year incidence of early age-related maculopathy in the Beaver Dam Eye Study. Am J Epidemiol. 1998 Jul 15; 148(2):204-14.

xxviii. Gale CR, Hall NF, Phillips DI, Martyn CN. Lutein and zeaxanthin status and risk of age-related macular degeneration. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2003 Jun;44(6):2461-5.

xxix. Bone RA, Landrum JT, Mayne ST, Gomez CM, Tibor SE, Twaroska EE. Macular pigment in donor eyes with and without AMD: a case-control study. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2001 Jan;42(1):235-40.

xxx. Landrum JT, Bone RA, Kilburn MD. The macular pigment: a possible role in protection from age-related macular degeneration. Adv Pharmacol. 1997;38:537-56.

xxxi. Beatty S, Boulton M, Henson D, Koh HH, Murray IJ. Macular pigment and age related macular degeneration. Br J Ophthalmol. 1999 Jul;83(7):867-77.

xxxii. Hammond BR, Jr., Wooten BR, Snodderly DM. Preservation of visual sensitivity of older subjects: association with macular pigment density. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1998 Feb;39(2):397-406.

xxxiii. Hammond BR, Jr., Johnson EJ, Russell RM, et al. Dietary modification of human macular pigment density. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1997 Aug;38(9):1795-801.

xxxiv. Landrum JT, Bone RA, Joa H, Kilburn MD, Moore LL, Sprague KE. A one year study of the macular pigment: the effect of 140 days of a lutein supplement. Exp Eye Res. 1997 Jul;65(1):57-62.

xxxv. Berendschot TT, Goldbohm RA, Klopping WA, van de Kraats J, van Norel J, van Norren D. Influence of lutein supplementation on macular pigment, assessed with two objective techniques. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2000 Oct;41(11):3322-6.

xxxvi. Koh HH, Murray IJ, Nolan D, Carden D, Feather J, Beatty S. Plasma and macular responses to lutein supplement in subjects with and without age-related maculopathy: a pilot study. Exp Eye Res. 2004 Jul;79(1):21-7.

xxxvii. Bone RA, Landrum JT, Friedes LM, et al. Distribution of lutein and zeaxanthin stereoisomers in the human retina. Exp Eye Res. 1997 Feb;64(2):211-8.

xxxviii. Curran-Celentano J, Erdman JW, Jr., Nelson RA, Grater SJ. Alterations in vitamin A and thyroid hormone status in anorexia nervosa and associated disorders. Am J Clin Nutr. 1985 Dec;42(6):1183-91.

xxxix. Chasan-Taber L, Willett WC, Seddon JM, et al. A prospective study of carotenoid and vitamin A intakes and risk of cataract extraction in US women. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Oct;70(4):509-16.

xxxx. Brown L, Rimm EB, Seddon JM, et al. A prospective study of carotenoid intake and risk of cataract extraction in US men. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Oct;70(4):517-24.

xxxxi. Lyle BJ, Mares-Perlman JA, Klein BE, Klein R, Greger JL. Antioxidant intake and risk of incident age-related nuclear cataracts in the Beaver Dam Eye Study. Am J Epidemiol. 1999 May 1;149(9):801-9.

xxxxii. Olmedilla B, Granado F, Blanco I, Vaquero M. Lutein, but not alpha-tocopherol, supplementation improves visual function in patients with age-related cataracts: a 2-y double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study. Nutrition. 2003 Jan ;19(1):21-4.

xxxxiii. Chitchumroonchokchai C, Bomser JA, Glamm JE, Failla ML. Xanthophylls and alpha-tocopherol decrease UVB-induced lipid peroxidation and stress signaling in human lens epithelial cells. J Nutr. 2004 Dec;134(12):3225-32.

xxxxiv. Kopsell D, Kopsell D, Curran-Celentano J. Carotenoid variability among kale and spinach cultivars. Hortscience. 2004;39(2):34.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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