Are you a non-negotiable pasta fan or a hardcore zoodle lover?

It’s not often we find both! Zoodles have hit the recipe market front quickly, and people love the results of replacing typical pasta with spiraled zucchini noodles. Not only is this a much healthier option to be paired with your Bolognese sauce – you may hardly tell the difference. It’s unique at first, as the flavors of the zoodles themselves are quite faint, but this is just another reason why people love them. They can replace so many different carbohydrates we use weekly, taking many calories, sugars, and fats off the regular menu.

Italian squash is commonly referred to as zucchini – which we happen to know a little something about! This summer squash has somewhat thin skin, and according to botanic terms, zucchini is a fruit although it is commonly referred to as a vegetable. This is because the Italian squash is a part of the Cucurbitaceae plant family, which does indeed include some melon families. These plants grow above ground and are typically quite short.

These green zucca’s aren’t linked to Italy just for fancy naming – zucchini traditionally was an integral part of European cooking far before they made way to the United States. Originating in Italy around the 18^th century, zucchini paved a path to the US through Italian immigrants, and we are ever indebted to them for bringing such wonderful produce for us to cultivate for centuries. The Italian immigrants planted the seeds themselves around the 20th century and quickly grew the commodity to be highly profitable and in large demand.

We love to bring attention to the nutritional value of the commodities we help move – because we believe in the product itself just as much as where we are sourcing it from. Zucchini has such a wide range of use due to its mild flavor – which makes it a great commodity to have such high nutritional value. Known for its extremely low glycemic index, incorporating zucchini into a regular diet does wonders for weight loss. It doesn’t get much better than fruits and vegetables with low-calorie content, high water inclusion, and various nutrients ranging from antioxidants to potassium and manganese.  There are endless charts across the Internet which break down the seemingly endless benefits of zucchini. You can read up on the incredible source of natural energy zucchini provides, the ongoing maintenance of eye health, digestion aid, potential aid in thyroid and adrenal gland function, along with so much more.

Everyone enjoys this Italian squash differently – some like it raw, roasted, cooked – even grilled. Another common dish is the zucchini blossoms themselves! These yellow flowers in which the zucchini grows from can be found on eclectic menus around the world. They are a must try if you ever get the chance!