Zucchini: nutrition per 100 g

1. 01

   Omega-3 ALA ranks 2nd of 36

   Green zucchini carries 152 mg of the plant omega-3 fat ALA per 100 g, 54th of 203 foods. Its total fat, 0.5 g, is still very low.

2. 02

   A high vitamin E figure

   IFCT 2017 records 3.9 mg vitamin E per 100 g of zucchini, 1st of 38 vegetables and 10th of 242 foods. That is far above values in most other food tables, so treat it with some caution.

3. 03

   Vitamin C and B6

   Each 100 g supplies 15.8 mg vitamin C, 24 per cent of a woman's daily need, and 0.25 mg vitamin B6, 13 per cent. Its riboflavin ranks 7th of 39 vegetables.

4. 04

   Light and salt-free

   At 20 kcal and 92.8 g water per 100 g, with 0 mg sodium, zucchini ranks last of 39 vegetables for sodium. It suits low-salt and low-calorie cooking.

Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.

• Zucchini sabzi: diced zucchini cooked quickly with cumin, onion, tomato and a pinch of turmeric, in the style of lauki or tinda.
• Zucchini moong dal kootu: zucchini simmered with yellow moong dal and a coconut and green chilli paste.
• Zucchini thoran: grated zucchini stir-fried with coconut, shallots and curry leaves.
• Zucchini thepla or paratha: grated, squeezed zucchini kneaded into wheat dough with ajwain and green chilli.
• Grilled zucchini: thick slices brushed with mustard oil, grilled and dusted with chaat masala and lemon.

Very occasionally, zucchini and other squashes develop high levels of bitter cucurbitacins, which can cause stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea. If a raw slice tastes unusually bitter, throw the whole zucchini away instead of cooking it. Zucchini cooks in minutes and turns watery if overdone, so add it late and cook it uncovered. Choose small to medium, firm zucchini with shiny skin; the skin is edible and holds much of the colour.

Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.

• Bottle gourd (lauki)

  Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.

• Tinda (round gourd)

  Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.

• Cucumber

  Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.

• Pumpkin

  Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.

• Ridge gourd (turai)

  Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.

All Indian foods · Nutrient tables · Food comparisons