Enjoying this tasty vegetable may
be the simplest method to improve your health.
Think outside the salad bowl if you're trying to increase your
daily vegetable intake. Whether you're filling them with your favorite proteins
and spices to make zucchini boats or spiralizing them into zoodles,
nutrient-rich zucchini is an intelligent addition to any meal plan.
However, zucchini's benefits go well beyond making your regular
menu more enjoyable. Continue reading to see what science says happens to your
body when you eat zucchini.
1. You may reduce your cancer risk.
Adding zucchini to your regular meal plan may help protect you in the long run, whether you have a family history of cancer or other risk factors for the disease. In 2017, a study published in the journal Nutrients found that zucchini has cancer-fighting qualities and increases the death rate of specific cancer cells.
2. You may lose weight.
Carotenoids, including lutein, beta-carotene, and zeaxanthin, are
plant pigments frequently found in fruits and vegetables with yellow, red, and
orange hues. Zucchini is a good source of them. Carotenoids are particularly
beneficial to people trying to lose weight: a 2012 study published in the
journal Nutrition & Diabetes found that higher levels of carotenoids in
study subjects' blood were linked to higher weight loss and fat loss.
3. You may lower your risk of heart disease.
Including zucchini in your diet may be the simplest method to
boost your heart health. Men were observed over a three-year study period and a
31-year follow-up period in a study published in Circulation Research in 2018.
Researchers discovered that people with higher beta-carotene levels in their
blood had a lower risk of heart disease and stroke, as well as death from any
cause.
4. You may improve your immune health.
You don't have to eat citrus fruits to get enough vitamin
C—zucchini is a good nutrient source. A single large zucchini has 57.8
milligrams of vitamin C, more than 60% of the RDA for males and more than 75%
for women. And with all that vitamin C comes a substantial immune boost: many
studies have shown that appropriate serum vitamin C levels can help prevent
infection and reduce the severity and duration of disease in individuals who
get sick.
5. You may regulate your digestion.
Suppose your digestion has been sluggish lately, including zucchini in your food plan. In addition to being a good source of water, which helps move food through the digestive tract, a single medium zucchini contains two grams of fiber, or 8% of your daily RDA, which can help you get your digestion back on track in no time.