ZOODLES

The next level of healthy noodles!

CREATED BY: Gabrielle Natasha Dwi (1901471710) and Charisma Tamirin (1901468893)

HOLAA FOODIES! Craving for some noodles but scared that you will gain weight? No problem! We got a solution for you. Zoodles! Yes! Zoodles or zucchini noodle is a low calorie noodle that is made with zucchini. The flavor is as good as original noodle, but… the benefits are so much more than you think.

So, you want a veggie that’s extremely versatile. No problem, look no further than zucchini! Whether eaten raw or cooked, there’s so many ways to enjoy it and still get a solid amount of vitamins and minerals that you need. Zucchini actually falls under the umbrella of summer squash, which is a type of squash that get harvested before their rinds harden—unlike, say, pumpkins and butternut squash. In honor of National Zucchini Day, here are some other fun facts about this veggie that may surprise you.

Zucchini makes the perfect light side dish for a heavy meal: One cup of sliced zucchini has about 19 calories. That’s 40 to 50% lower than the same serving size for other low-cal green veggies like broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

Here are the benefits of zucchini:

• Helps to Lose Weight: You might be surprised to know that consuming zucchini will help you to lose weight considerably. Zucchini is extremely low in calories, but it gives you the feeling of being full. Therefore, zucchini is a great way to satisfy your appetite without grabbing calories and starting a crash diet plan. Apart from the low calorie count, zucchini has a high water content and is rich in fiber. Hence, when you eat zucchini, your stomach is not empty, thereby making zucchini recipes perfect if you are on diet.

• Maintains Optimal Health: As an outstanding source of manganese and vitamin C, zucchini is the best source of dietary fiber that will keep your body in the best shape for the long run. It also contains vitamin A, magnesium, folate, potassium, copper, and phosphorus . This summer squash also  has a high content of omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, niacin, and protein. Moreover, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, vitamin B2, and calcium in zucchini assure optimal health. Zucchini is probably the best example of squash that has such a rich array of nutrients, including sugar, carbohydrates, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, minerals, amino acids and more. The folate ingredient of zucchini is highly commendable for pregnant women as well.

• Promotes Men’s Health: Many researchers have taken extracts from this squash to conduct certain studies and concluded that this fruit has certain properties that effectively treat an ailment in men called BPH or benign prostatic hypertrophy. When the prostate gland becomes enlarged in an odd shape and size, which can cause trouble with both sexual and urinary function –  this is known as prostatic hypertrophy. A good treatment of this is seen in combination with other foods that contain phytonutrients; zucchini is said to be extremely useful in decreasing BPH symptoms.

• Keeps You Disease-Free: Your overall health will surely improve if you consume zucchini regularly. It helps you prevent all kinds of diseases in a general sense. Studies have already declared that fiber-rich foods help to alleviate cancer conditions by washing away the cancer-causing toxins from cells in the colon. The vitamin C, folate and beta-carotene content in zucchini helps to protect these cells from the harmful chemicals that can lead to colon cancer. Beta-carotene and vitamin C also have anti-inflammatory properties, thereby naturally curing ailments like osteoarthritis, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis, where swelling is immensely painful. The copper percentage in zucchini also helps in reducing the aching symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

• Overall Cardiovascular Protection: Zucchini is rich in nutritional value, especially during the summer, when it delivers countless advantages to the body. The food ranking systems in zucchini-rich countries have declared this squash has abundant of manganese and vitamin C that helps to keep the heart strong.

Sure, you can add zucchini to your spaghetti recipes, but you can also use it in place of noodles altogether. So-called “zoodles” are a great pasta alternative, and they’re easy to make with the help of some kitchen gadgets. With a mandolin or a spiral slicer, you secure the zucchini on prongs and push the veggie toward the blades with the result of spiralize zucchini. Not only does it make things easy, but it’s also kind of cool to see dozens of noodles cranked out at once. A smaller and less expensive option is a julienne peeler, which has a serrated blade to create thin strips.

When you simply dice, chop or cube vegetables – you barely get a cup of that food. With spiralizing, one small vegetable can yield many cups of fluffy, spiral vegetables. This way, vegetables and fruits go a long way, so you basically consume a lesser amount of whole vegetables, while feeling like you’re eating a big portion, on account of the noodle shape of spiralized vegetables. This way, you can get more “bang for your buck” with your vegetables and fruits – for example, one medium red potato is enough for two people to enjoy in noodle form.

How do you cook zucchini? 95% of zucchini is water, so when it’s cooked, water will ooze out. Therefore, you need to salt the zucchinis first and then allow the excess water to get drained out before the preparation is done. While you are eating this fruit, do not remove the skin because it comprises the important nutrient beta-carotene, the vitamin component acting as an antioxidant thereby protecting cells from oxidation damage. The edible flowers of zucchini are often used in French and Italian cooking. One of the easiest ways of having zucchini is by sprinkling grated zucchini or other varieties of summer squash on salads and sandwiches.

If you thought you know nothing about zucchini before, here are some even wilder facts about zucchini that you definitely never know before:

1. One zucchini is a “zucchina.”
2. The flower of zucchini plant is also edible. Here’s a picture of fried z
   ucchini flowers. Yep, you heard that right foodies, FRIED FLOWERS.
   
3. April 25th is National Zucchini Bread Day.
4. The world’s largest zucchini on record was 69 1/2 inches long, and weighed 65 lbs. Bernard Lavery of Plymouth Devon, UK, grew the humongous veggie.
5. A soap bar called Fresh Zucchini Flower Big Bar Goat’s Milk Soap (whoa, that’s a mouthful to say) is made with real zucchini.
6. Zucchini is the only fruit that starts with Z.

Zoodles with Peanut Sauce Recipe

Serves 4 to 6

Prep time: 15 mins

Ingredients:
For the Sauce:

1/2 cup of Smooth Peanut Butter

3 Tbsp of Low Sodium Soy Sauce

1 Clove of Garlic

1 Tbsp of Grated Ginger

1 tsp of Red Chili Paste

2 Tbsp of Rice Wine Vinegar

1/4 cup of Hot Water

1 Tbsp of Honey

2 tsp of Sesame Oil

For the Salad:

3 Zucchini, spiralized into noodles

4 Scallions, chopped

1/4 cup of Roughly Chopped Peanuts

Fresh Cilantro, roughly torn

Process,

1) In a food processor or blender, add all of the ingredients to make the sauce and blend until smooth, set aside or store it in a tightly sealed container in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.

2) In a large bowl, toss the spiralized zucchini with some of the dressing, then sprinkle with the nuts, scallions and cilantro and dig right in!

NOTE: This dressing gets better and better as it sits. My suggestion is to store the zucchini and dressing separate from each other so that the zucchini remain nice and crispy.

Recipe By: Laura Vitale

Sources:

http://www.health.com/food/6-things-you-should-know-about-zucchini

http://inspiralized.com/why-spiralize-the-benefits-of-spiralizing/

https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/vegetable/health-benefits-of-zucchini.html

http://www.laurainthekitchen.com/recipes/zoodles-with-peanut-sauce/

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/zucchini-lowcarb-spaghetti-substitute-1411.html

http://mobile-cuisine.com/did-you-know/zucchini-fun-facts/