What is the difference between zucchini and squash: the difference in appearance, taste and other parameters
Zucchini and squash belong to the same family and are varieties of the common pumpkin. Patisson is also called a plate pumpkin. In many respects, both cultures are similar to each other. Both are rich in vitamins and microelements and have hypoallergenic properties, so they are often used in dietary and baby food. They are fried, steamed, stewed, stuffed and pickled.
But they also have differences, which will be discussed in the article.
Differences between zucchini and squash
So, let's study the differences between cultures.
Appearance
The main difference between zucchini and squash is in the shape of the fruit: zucchini has an oblong shape, and squash has a plate-shaped shape. The color of the fruit is very different: yellow, green, white and even black. Sometimes stripes or inclusions are visible on the peel.
The bushy plants are very similar - large green leaves on thick stems. But zucchini, unlike squash, can also have a creeping shape, like a pumpkin. The flowers are almost identical: large, bell-shaped, bright yellow or bright orange.
Taste qualities
Both of these vegetables are eaten unripe; the smaller the fruit, the better.. If zucchini can still be eaten as long as the seeds inside have not grown too much, then squash is eaten only “young”. The grown fruits become very hard and are no longer suitable for eating.
What is the difference in taste? Many people believe that squash has a richer taste.. Zucchini does not have its own distinct taste and therefore goes well with other products. The taste of squash is always felt, no matter what products it is mixed with.
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Composition and properties
The composition of vegetables differs little from each other. Both consist of more than 90% water and are low-calorie products, but the squash pulp is denser.
100 g of zucchini contains:
- calories - 24 kcal;
- proteins - 0.6 g;
- fats - 0.3 g;
- carbohydrates - 4.6 g;
- dietary fiber - 1.0 g;
- water - 93 g.
100 g of squash contains:
- calories - 19 kcal;
- proteins - 0.6 g;
- fats - 0.1 g;
- carbohydrates - 4.1 g;
- dietary fiber - 1.3 g;
- water - 92 g.
The properties of these two products are almost identical, so they can easily replace each other if necessary. The difference is only in the details. Zucchini cooks faster and can be eaten at a young age, even raw. Squash, which has denser flesh, is eaten only after heat treatment.
Benefits and harms
The benefits of these vegetables have long been beyond doubt. These are dietary products that are actively used both for baby food and for people suffering from various diseases. Many diets have been developed based on them. Both contain high amounts of vitamin C and are rich in many beneficial micronutrients such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium.
What is the difference? IN squash contains quite a lot of copper and more vitamin C than zucchini. It has lower calorie content. Therefore, squash is often recommended for people with obesity, various anemias and heart diseases.Zucchini contains more potassium and calcium, but less magnesium.
Important! All beneficial substances are preserved only with minimal heat treatment.
There is little need to talk about the dangers of these vegetables., since they are perfectly absorbed by the body and have a lot of advantages. But, like any product, there are contraindications.
Patisson is a mild laxative, so it can be harmful in acute intestinal disorders. People with kidney and gallbladder diseases are advised to consume it in small quantities, since the oxalates contained in it can lead to the formation of stones.
Zucchini has no such disadvantages. But there is one circumstance: this vegetable is often grown with the use of pesticides, and if consumed raw, it can be harmful. Therefore, it is better to heat-treat zucchini from the store, and in raw form for salads it is better to use fruits grown on your own plot.
Another unpleasant property of zucchini is that they sometimes taste bitter, just like cucumbers.. This is due to the accumulation of special substances in fruits - curcubitacins, which have a toxic effect and can harm the body. The reasons for this annoying phenomenon are: insufficient watering, lack of sunlight and the use of certain mineral fertilizers. Therefore, it is better not to eat bitter zucchini, but to throw it away immediately.
Read about other vegetable crops:
Almost all canned foods have contraindications. In pickled form, these vegetables are undesirable for people with diseases of the kidneys, gastrointestinal tract and cardiovascular system.Preservation significantly reduces the amount of vitamins and nutrients in products, and excess salt leads to the formation of edema and kidney stones.
Growing and care
Growing these vegetables usually does not cause difficulties and is practically indistinguishable from each other.. Both plants love good fertile soil rich in potassium and magnesium. On acidic soil, liming of the soil with dolomite flour is carried out before planting.
Open sunny areas are chosen for the beds so that under the large leaves of the plants the fruits are well warmed by the sun and grow quickly. Fertilizers are applied depending on the composition of the soil. Plants are afraid of frost and grow poorly at temperatures below 15 degrees.
Care consists of regular watering and timely application of fertilizers.. Both plants tolerate unfavorable conditions relatively easily and, unlike other vegetables, are resistant to disease. If there is not enough sun, some leaves are removed from the bushes to ensure normal development of the fruits.
What are the differences? Zucchini is more light-loving than squash and cannot tolerate even light partial shade.. Patisson loves more abundant watering. Zucchini grows faster and produces a larger harvest, which is why many gardeners prefer it.
One type of squash, zucchini, produces a particularly rich harvest.. Other gardeners prefer squash, which does not produce the same yield, but has an unusual shape and a brighter taste. If both of these representatives of pumpkins are grown on the site, they are planted as far as possible from each other because of their ability to cross-pollinate.
Application
The differences in the use of these two vegetables are determined by their properties and appearance.
Zucchini has a less dense consistency and cooks faster, so their main purpose is squash or vegetable caviar.. They are also good for frying, stewing, steaming, and using for preparing baby food or dietary dishes. However, in the marinade they are significantly inferior to squash in both taste and appearance.
Squash occupy a leading place in pickling. This vegetable seems to have been created to show off in jars of winter preparations. Due to its dense consistency, pickled squash crunches when bitten and has an excellent taste.
It is also used as part of thermally processed vegetable salads, stewed or baked, and fried squash even surpasses zucchini in its taste.
How to distinguish
Let's consider how to quickly and accurately distinguish one culture from another.
Seeds
Zucchini and squash seeds are very similar, but there is a slight difference. If you compare them, you will see that the squash seed is round in shape, similar to a pumpkin, while the zucchini seed is more elongated.
If you do not hold both seeds in your hand, it is very difficult to identify them separately. Therefore, it is recommended to buy seed material only from trusted suppliers, so as not to grow squash instead of zucchini, and vice versa.
Bushes
Plant bushes are not so difficult to distinguish from each other. Zucchini leaves are more pointed than those of squash, their lobed shape is more pronounced. Large silver veins are often visible on the dark green leaves of squash. The squash does not have these veins, the shape of the leaves is more rounded, and the color is a little lighter.
Fruit
It is difficult to confuse the fruits of zucchini and squash. Zucchini has an oblong shape, similar to a large cucumber.If the zucchini fruit is not cut in time, it grows to quite impressive sizes, which noticeably reduces its taste. The peel becomes hard, the seeds inside fill almost the entire space, and there is almost no pulp left
Squash fruits have a more original shape. To some it resembles a plate with wavy edges, to others it resembles a flower. The Russian name “patisson”, borrowed from the French language, is derived from the derivative word “pie”, which also emphasizes its unusual shape. The shape is dish-shaped and bell-shaped. Squash fruits rarely reach the size of a palm. Due to their unusual appearance, they are consistently popular among gardeners.
What are the similarities between zucchini and squash?
The similarity of these vegetables is explained by their belonging to the same family. - Pumpkin and even to one biological species - the common pumpkin. They are annual herbaceous plants with thick stems and large, green, lobed leaves.
The fruits have approximately the same composition and are widely used as food.. Both are consumed unripe. These plants have the same growing conditions, a common love for the sun and abundant watering.
Conclusion
Both zucchini and squash are relatively unpretentious plants that produce a good harvest and have rightfully won the love of gardeners and gardeners. Due to their remarkable properties, they are widely used for preparing a wide variety of dishes and are stored for the winter. Which vegetable to give preference is up to everyone to decide for themselves.