Can you eat zucchini raw?
Zucchini is rich in vitamins and minerals and has lots of health-promoting benefits. Raw zucchini is safe to eat, though the bitter ones have potential risks.
Raw zucchini is safe to eat, though the bitter ones have potential risks.
Zucchini, speciesCucurbita pepo, is a vegetable in theCucurbitaceae family. It's rich in vitamins and minerals and has lots of health-promoting benefits. It’s sometimes called summer squash or courgette and looks like a cucumber. However, it’s bigger, has rougher skin, and isn’t as crisp.
You can eat zucchini raw, and it might even be better that way in terms of nutrients. People commonly cook zucchini or add it to baked goods. Still, cooking can change the taste and appearance along with its nutritional benefits.
Boiling vegetables, for example, causes vitamin loss as some nutrients leak out into the water. Boiling and frying zucchini also lead to a loss of plant compounds called antioxidants.
While cooked zucchini still has benefits, raw zucchini does, too. You can eat it alone, but it tastes somewhat bland. Try it with hummus or other dips for more flavor.
Potential risks of raw zucchini
In most cases, you can eat zucchini raw without problems, but there are some potential risks.
Bitter compounds
Zucchini and other Cucurbitaceae plants often have bitter compounds called cucurbitacins, especially wild or feral squash varieties. These compounds might have medicinal effects, but high doses can make you sick. Cucurbitacins are highly poisonous to cattle and sheep and can lead to death in these animals.
High doses of these compounds can cause vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, dehydration, and low blood pressure in humans. But these side effects usually come from eating non-edible squashes like gourds or wild zucchini.
Growers breed regular garden and grocery store zucchini to have lower amounts of these compounds, making it much easier and safer to eat. In most cases, you won’t consume high doses of bitter compounds. If you bite into a very bitter one, throw it out.
Allergies
Some people are allergic to zucchini and might be more allergic to it raw than cooked. This sensitivity is called oral allergy syndrome. Also known as pollen food allergy syndrome, this syndrome happens when you have a pollen allergy and react to certain raw fruits, vegetables, or tree nuts with similar proteins. You might respond to the raw form of zucchini if you’re allergic to ragweed pollen.
People with oral allergy syndrome can often eat the same food if cooked. The heating process changes the proteins, so your immune system doesn’t react to the food.
You might need to eat zucchini cooked if you try it raw and have a reaction. If you have nausea, diarrhea, itchy skin, or other allergy symptoms with both cooked and raw zucchini, avoid it.
Gas and bloating
Raw zucchini can also cause gas and bloating, especially if you overdo it. Zucchini is rich in fiber that your gut doesn’t digest. When your body doesn’t fully break the fiber down, gas can build up and cause bloating and make you pass wind.
Eating raw vegetables can cause gas if you have irritable bowel syndrome. While your IBS symptoms might improve if you eat more fiber, too much can worsen symptoms.
Food-borne illness
There is always some risk of food poisoning from eating raw fruits and vegetables. Soil contains bacteria and parasites that can contaminate your food and make you sick. While most farmers wash produce before it’s sold, you should still wash before you eat it.
Benefits of zucchini
Zucchini is a nutritious vegetable with many health benefits, regardless of how you eat it.
Nutrient-rich
Zucchini is a good source of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, making it a great addition to your diet. One cup, 124 grams, of chopped zucchini, has:
- Protein:1.5 grams
- Carbohydrates:3.86 grams
- Potassium: 324 milligrams
- Phosphorus:47.1 milligrams
- Magnesium:22.3 milligrams
- Vitamin C:22.2 milligrams
Zucchini is also rich in polyphenols, or plant compounds that act as antioxidants in the body. Antioxidants help neutralize unstable molecules called free radicals that damage your cells. Studies show that eating high amounts of natural antioxidant-rich foods is linked to a lower risk of heart disease and cancer.
Rich in fiber
Zucchini is also rich in fiber, and one cup of chopped zucchini with the skin on has 1.24 grams. Dietary fiber is a carbohydrate that passes through your body undigested. Normally, your body breaks carbs down into sugar molecules, but it can’t break down non-soluble fiber.
Eating plenty of fiber helps keep your blood sugar balanced, helps you stay full for longer, and can ease constipation. A fiber-rich diet is also linked to a lower risk of some diseases, like heart disease, diabetes, bowel disease, and cancer.
The mucilage, or water-soluble fiber, in zucchini is also soothing to your gut. It’s easy to digest, especially when cooked, and can be an excellent food if you have digestive problems.
Low-calorie food
One cup, 124 grams, of chopped zucchini contains only 21.1 calories, making it a great low-calorie food for weight loss. It also has a high amount of water and fiber, which might help.
Studies show that eating a diet high in fiber leads to lower food intake and weight loss. This is likely to be because fiber slows down your digestion and makes you feel fuller for longer. When you’re not hungry, you eat less, which can lead to weight loss.
Might benefit your eyes
Zucchini has compounds called carotenoids that are beneficial for your eye health, especially your macula. The macula is the part of the retina that processes vision, and it takes up compounds like lutein and zeaxanthin. Studies show that eating a diet rich in these compounds can help promote healthy vision and proper eye function.
Bottom line: Raw or cooked is fine
It’s safe to eat raw zucchini. Try it with your favorite dip; leave the skin on so you get the extra fiber. It’s possible to be allergic to raw zucchini, but cooking it might help some people. Wild zucchini is likely to have high amounts of bitter compounds, which could make you sick, but the zucchiniyou buy from the store has a lower concentration. Still, if you get a bitter one, discard it.
Health News
- Epidurals Linked to Better Outcomes After Childbirth
- Weighted Blankets May Not Help Troubled Children Sleep
- Gardeners, Landscapers: Watch Out for These High Heat Danger Signs
- FDA Panel Gives Nod to Blood Test for Colon Cancer
- Strategy Could Expand Stem Cell Donor Pool for People Battling Blood Cancers
- More Health News »
Medically Reviewed on 11/1/2022
References
SOURCES:
American College of Allery, Asthma, & Immunology: "Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome."
Antioxidants: "The Profile of Selected Antioxidants in Two Courgette Varieties from Organic and Conventional Production."
Canadian Society of Intestinal Research: "Dietary Fibre," "Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Diet: The Foods You Can Eat."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: "Foods That Can Cause Food Poisoning."
Clinical Toxicology: "Poisoning by non-edible squash: retrospective series of 353 patients from French Poison Control Centers."
Cornell University: "Learning to Cook With Zucchini."
Foods: "Understanding the Fresh Produce Safety Challenges."
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: "Antioxidants," "Fiber."
International Journal of Food Properties: "Nutritional and sensorial characteristics of zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) as affected by freezing and the culinary treatment."
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: "Allergy caused by ingestion of zucchini (Cucurbita pepo): characterization of allergens and cross-reactivity to pollen and other foods."
Journal of Food Science: "Influence of cooking methods on antioxidant activity of vegetables."
Mayo Clinic: "Belching, gas and bloating: Tips for reducing them."
Nutrition: 'Dietary fiber and body weight."
Oregon State University: 'Carotenoids."
Pharmacognosy Review: "Cucurbitacins – An insight into medicinal leads from nature."
U.S. Department of Agriculture FoodData Central: "Squash, summer, zucchini, includes skin, raw."
University of Minnesota: "Growing summer squash and zucchini in home gardens."
University of Nebraska-Lincoln: "Bitterness in Cucumbers and Zucchini."
