Zucchini / courgette (raw)
Spiralize it into "zoodles" to bulk up pasta dishes for very few calories.
1 Amount
How it fits your macros
Get your daily targets with the macro calculator to see what share of your day this portion covers.
Zucchini / courgette for gym-goers
Per 100 g, zucchini / courgette (raw) provides 17 kcal, 1.2 g protein, 3.1 g carbohydrate (1 g fiber, 2.5 g sugars) and 0.3 g fat (0.1 g saturated). With 7.1 g of protein per 100 kcal, it adds a useful amount of protein on top of its other nutrients.
A typical serving (1 medium zucchini, about 196 g) comes to roughly 33 kcal and 2.4 g protein.
These are typical averages. Brand, variety, ripeness and cooking method all shift the numbers, so weigh food in the same state (raw or cooked) as the entry you log.
About Zucchini / courgette
Zucchini, also called courgette, is a summer squash you eat raw or cooked with its tender skin. At about 17 kcal per 100 g it's one of the lightest cooking vegetables, and its mild flavor picks up sauces and seasonings easily. It has some vitamin C and potassium but less fiber than broccoli or green beans. Volume is its real strength.
In a gym diet
A favorite trick on a cut: spiralize or dice zucchini and use it in place of part of the pasta or rice. Calories drop and the portion stays big. A medium zucchini weighs close to 200 g, so one vegetable adds serious bulk for very little energy. It also hides well in ground meat, omelettes, muffins and pancakes, which helps if you struggle to eat enough vegetables. Build the meal around a separate protein, since zucchini brings little.
Preparation and cooking
Zucchini lets out a lot of water as it cooks, so it shrinks and can make sauces watery. Salting it briefly, or cooking it hot and fast, helps. Cooked zucchini is denser per gram than raw, which is why this entry should be matched with raw weight. It also soaks up oil quickly in a pan, so use a measured amount or a spray.
Buying and storage
Choose small to medium zucchini, firm with glossy skin; very large ones tend to be watery and seedy. Keep them unwashed in the fridge and use them within about a week.
Things to watch
Apart from fat added in cooking or in fritters, there's little to watch. Now and then squash tastes unusually bitter, which can mean high levels of natural compounds called cucurbitacins. If a zucchini tastes very bitter, throw it out.
Meal ideas
- Half-and-half bolognese: zoodles mixed with regular spaghetti and lean beef tomato sauce.
- Zucchini and feta egg muffins baked in a tray for grab-and-go breakfasts.
- Grilled zucchini ribbons with halloumi, lemon, mint and a side of lentils.
Nutrient highlights
Excellent source (20% DV or more per 100 g): Vitamin C (20%).
How it ranks among 19 Vegetables
| Protein per 100 kcal | 7.1 g | #8 of 19 |
| Protein per 100 g | 1.2 g | #13 of 19 |
| Fiber per 100 g | 1 g | #17 of 19 |
| Lowest calories per 100 g | 17 kcal | #2 of 19 |
Ranked within this category of the gym.diet food database (1 = best for that measure).
Similar foods
Lettuce, romaine (raw)
17 kcal · P 1.2 · C 3.3 · F 0.3
→Green peas (raw)
81 kcal · P 5.4 · C 14.5 · F 0.4
→Cauliflower (raw)
25 kcal · P 1.9 · C 5 · F 0.3
→Brussels sprouts (raw)
43 kcal · P 3.4 · C 9 · F 0.3
→Broccoli (raw)
34 kcal · P 2.8 · C 6.6 · F 0.4
→Green beans (raw)
31 kcal · P 1.8 · C 7 · F 0.2
Source
Approximate per-100 g values compiled from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy / Foundation Foods), rounded. Daily Values are the U.S. FDA reference amounts for adults (2,000 kcal diet).
Frequently asked questions
How many calories are in zucchini / courgette?
Zucchini / courgette (raw) has about 17 kcal per 100 g, or roughly 33 kcal per 1 medium zucchini (196 g).
How much protein is in zucchini / courgette?
About 1.2 g of protein per 100 g and 2.4 g per 1 medium zucchini. That works out to 7.1 g per 100 kcal, so it's a moderate protein source.
Is zucchini / courgette good for cutting or bulking?
It works in either phase. What matters is how it fits into your total calories and protein for the day.
Can zucchini noodles replace pasta?
They can stand in for some or all of the pasta and cut calories sharply, but they lack the carbohydrate that fuels hard training. Lots of lifters mix them with regular pasta to keep volume high and still get some carbs.
Can you eat zucchini raw?
Yes. Raw zucchini is safe and nice shaved thin into salads or cut into sticks for dips. Wash the skin well, and toss any zucchini that tastes strongly bitter.
Nutrition Facts
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. Values approximate.