Zucchini

Zucchini is a vegetable that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. This family contains about 850 species of plants, mostly herbaceous, climbing or creeping, which produce large fruits protected by a firm peel. Fruits such as watermelon and melon belong to this same family, along with common vegetables such as cucumber or pumpkin.

The origin of the zucchini is not well known. It is not sure if it comes from South Asia or Central America. What is known is that this plant is cultivated in every warm regions of the Earth since immemorial times. There are evidences that this vegetable was already consumed by the Egyptians and later by the Greeks and Romans. However, the Arabs were who spread their cultivation by the Mediterranean regions, where it became commonly consumed nourishment in the Middle Ages. Morocco, Italy and Spain are currently the main producers.