Summer squash facts for kids
'Zephyr', a type of straightnecked summer squash
|
|
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 20 kcal (84 kJ) |
|
4.1 g
|
|
| Sugars | 2.0 g |
| Dietary fiber | 2 g |
|
0 g
|
|
|
Protein
|
1 g
|
| Vitamins | Quantity
%DV†
|
| Vitamin A equiv. |
11%
90 μg |
| Vitamin C |
22%
18.4 mg |
| Minerals | Quantity
%DV†
|
| Calcium |
2%
20 mg |
| Iron |
3%
0.37 mg |
| Sodium |
0%
0 mg |
| †Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults. | |
Summer squash are a type of squash picked when they are still young. This means their outer skin, called the rind, is soft enough to eat. Most summer squashes are varieties of a plant species called Cucurbita pepo.
Unlike winter squashes, which often grow on long, rambling vines, most summer squashes grow on bushy plants. The name "summer squash" comes from how long they can be stored. They don't last as long as winter squashes, so they are usually eaten fresh during the warmer months.
Contents
What Are Summer Squashes?
Summer squashes are a group of vegetables that are part of the gourd family. They are harvested before they are fully grown. This makes their skin tender and easy to cook. You don't usually need to peel them.
How Are They Different from Winter Squashes?
The main difference between summer and winter squashes is when they are picked and how long they last.
- Summer squash is picked when it's young and tender. It has a short shelf life.
- Winter squash is picked when it's fully grown and has a hard rind. It can be stored for many months.
Most summer squashes come from the Cucurbita pepo plant species. However, not all plants from this species are considered summer squashes.
Popular Types of Summer Squash
There are many different kinds of summer squash, each with its own unique shape and flavor. Here are some common ones:
- Cousa squash: These are light-colored zucchini varieties. They are thought to have come from the Middle East or West Asia.
- Pattypan squash (also called scallop squash): These squashes have a unique, flattened, disk-like shape with scalloped edges. They often look like small flying saucers!
- Tromboncino or zucchetta: This is a special kind of summer squash. Unlike most, it grows on a long vine. It is also a variety of Cucurbita moschata, not Cucurbita pepo.
- Crookneck squash: These squashes have a distinctive curved neck and are often bright yellow.
- Straightneck squash: Similar to crookneck, but as the name suggests, they have a straight neck. They are also usually yellow.
- Zucchini (or courgette) and marrow: Zucchini is the immature fruit of Cucurbita pepo. If you let it grow bigger and ripen, it becomes a marrow.
- Immature ridge gourd: In India, young ridge gourds are used as a summer squash. They are known as turiya in Gujarati.
- Aehobak (Korean zucchini): This type of squash is popular in Korea. It belongs to the species Cucurbita moschata.
History of Summer Squash
Squash has been an important food for people for thousands of years. Native American tribes grew many types of squash.
Lewis and Clark's Discovery
In the journals of explorers Lewis and Clark, there are notes about summer squash. On October 12, 1804, Clark wrote that the Arikara tribe grew "great quantities of Corn Beens Simmins, &c." He also spelled it "simlin" in his notes.
The words "simlin," "simblin," "symnel," "cymling," and "cimnel" were all old names for summer squash. They especially referred to the pattypan squash (Cucurbita pepo ssp. pepo). The word "simnel" was used because the squash looked a bit like a simnel cake, which is a type of fruit cake. This shows how long summer squash has been a part of people's diets!
