Courgette/ Zucchini
Courgette: Nutritional Information, Health Benefits and Cooking Tips
Courgettes are one of our hero ingredients for many reasons - they are packed full of vitamins and minerals, offer key health benefits, and can taste great too! Read our dedicated guide to courgette (also known as zucchini) to learn more.
Interesting facts
Also known as zucchini, the courgette is part of the squash family and originated from Central and South America. It is a versatile vegetable to cook with, and it has delicious edible flowers that can be prepared separately.
Source of
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Potassium
- Managnese
Key health benefits
A source of fibre. Courgettes contain both soluble and insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFA’s) which have been linked with many health benefits (1).
- Contain antioxidants. Within the courgette skin lies plentiful antioxidants such as lutein, zeathanthin and beta-carotene. These antioxidants may benefit your eyes, skin and help protect against certain types of cancer such as prostate cancer (2).
Supports vision. Being rich in vitamin A and C, manganese and antioxidants courgettes can support normal healthy vision and may help lower age-related eye conditions (3).
Steady glucose. As part of a healthy balanced diet, courgette fibre may reduce the risk of blood sugar spikes after meals. Diets rich in vegetables like courgettes are consistently linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes (4).
Maintains normal blood pressure. Potassium within courgettes may help lower blood pressure (5).
Chef's tips
Zucchini is incredibly versatile and can be eaten raw or cooked. It can be added to soups, salads, stews, stir-fries, baked goodies and even smoothies (instead of banana).
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