The zucchini is an underestimated nutritional treasure.
The peak harvesting season for this delicious member of the gourd family in the Northern Hemisphere is from May to August. When harvested correctly, zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) is dark green and has firm fruit. Although most people think of it as a summer vegetable, it is, indeed, a fruit.
The plant is native to Central America and Mexico. According to the Department of Agriculture (USDA),[1] zucchini may have been one of “The Three Sisters,” which were crops planted within a shared space. This indigenous agricultural practice used three plants—corn, beans, and squash—to nourish and protect each other as they grew….