Traceable to 7000 B. C., Cucurbita pepo is native to Central and South America. Sometimes referred to as the "Italian Squash" nickname, the zucchini is brought to North America by its southern neighbors. Early European explorers introduced zucchini to Italy and other European countries. The Italians originally planted zucchini because of their sweet edible flowers, and later the rich fruit tried to produce delicious dishes, which led to the zucchini being called Italian pumpkin. Until the 20th century, most Americans believed that zucchini was kept for food on special occasions and was purchased at the store rather than in the garden.
As part of the zucchini family, zucchini is an excellent source of manganese and vitamin C. It is a very good source of magnesium, vitamins A, potassium, calcium, iron, folic acid, copper, riboflavin, niacin and phosphorus. Many nutrients have been shown to help prevent atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease…
Zucchini: Home of Nutritional Power was originally published on Spring