Baby Marrow

In South Africa, zucchinis are known as baby marrows. A zucchini or baby marrow, is a light or dark green summer squash. It can reach one meter in length. However, it is usually harvested in immature when it is approximately 15 to 25 inches.

An interesting thing to note is that even though baby marrow is commonly understood to be a vegetable, this is however false. Botanically this is classified as a fruit. Depending on its variety. It can range from the color palette of deep yellow to dark green.

This is very popular in folk medicine. It has been used to treat a variety of issues like cold, aches and other health conditions. This is high in its water content which soften stools to reduce constipation. It is also high in soluble and insoluble fiber Insoluble fiber helps add bulk to stool while soluble fiber aids the beneficial bacteria living in the gut. These friendly bacteria generate short-chain fatty acids which nourish the health of the gut cells.

This is also rich in antioxidants like carotenoids. Antioxidants protects your body from damage through free radicals. Some of these include lutein, zeaxanthin and beta-carotene. These help your eyes, skin and heart as well as provide protection against cancerous conditions. Research indicates that the skin of the baby marrow is where most of the antioxidants are found. Yellow baby marrows contain a higher level of antioxidants than greener ones.

RDI

One cup of cooked baby marrow offers 17 calories of which protein and fat are less than one gram while sugar and fiber are 1 gram. According to Reference Daily Intake (RDI) index, one cup of baby marrow fills up less than 20% of a lot of minerals and vitamins. These include vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin K, manganese, potassium, magnesium, folate, copper, phosphorus and thiamine.