Squash, especially zucchini, is a popular garden veggie loved by many. But have you ever had squash that's bitter tasting and, if so, is bitter squash edible? This article will help with that, as well as what causes bitter squash. I just planted six zucchini plants and I am well aware that I will be giving it away to strangers on the street, just to use it all. Hopefully, with my tender loving care, I won't end up with squash that tastes bad. Read on to find out what causes bitter squash.
My Squash is Bitter Tasting
Actually, a bitter squash taste is a common problem found in zucchini as well as in cucumber. Both of these veggies are members of the Cucurbit family along with gourds, melons,pumpkins and other types of squash. Cucurbits contain a group of chemicals called cucubitacins. It is these cucurbitacins that are responsible for squash that is bitter tasting. The higher the levels of cucubitacin, the more bitter the squash will taste. The most likely cause for a bitter taste in squash is due to an environmental stress of some sort, most likely a wide temperature flux or irregular irrigation. Either of these will create an excess of cucurbitacins to concentrate in the fruit. Extreme cold, heat, drought or too much irrigation, or even a lack of plant nutrients, excessive pest infestation or disease can all create these elevated levels of cucurbitacin in the squash resulting in a bitter flavor. One other possible reason that your squash is bitter involves genetics and is especially true with regard to summer squash. Squash, as well as cucumber relatives, are basically weeds and easily cross pollinate with our garden domestic varieties. Saving seed can increase the likelihood of a potential cross pollination and resulting bitter flavor. It can also occur with purchased seed that may have been cross pollinated with wild cucurbits. Obviously, there would be no benefit to trying to solve a stressor to resolve the problem, as the bitterness is bred into the plant. In wild cucurbits, the bitterness is a blessing. Many insects find the bitter flavor as repellent as we do and are, thus, less likely to snack on the plant.
Is Bitter Squash Edible?
If you can accurately identify the stress and correct it, you may be able to salvage the harvest. However, if the squash tastes bad and is extremely bitter already, you may want to pull it out and discard it, starting over the following year. As to the edibility of bitter squash, eating them won't likely kill you, although if the levels of cucurbitacin are really high, you may wish they had. Very bitter squash with a high level of this compound will cause severe stomach cramps and diarrhea which can last for several days. Only in extreme or rare cases has this led to death. It is fairly likely that you would not even entertain the notion of ingesting very bitter squash simply because of the nasty flavor. That said, to err on the side of caution, it may be best to simply toss out any extremely bitter tasting fruits. You may, however, decide you want to use mildly bitter squash, which is okay. It helps to know that the bitter compound is more concentrated in the stem rather than in the blossom end of the squash. To reduce the bitter flavor, peel the squash, beginning at the blossom end, and discard a couple of inches of it at the stem end.
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FAQs
Extreme cold, heat, drought or too much irrigation, or even a lack of plant nutrients, excessive pest infestation or disease can all create these elevated levels of cucurbitacin in the squash resulting in a bitter flavor.
What causes squash to be bitter? ›
All cucurbits produce chemicals called cucurbitacins, which cause the vegetables to taste bitter and served as a defense against plant-eating wildlife. Cucurbitacin also contributes to the musky scent of cantaloupe. Naturally, higher cucurbitacin concentrations cause vegetables to be more bitter.
What should I do if I ate bitter squash? ›
If you take a bite of squash and notice a nasty taste, spit it out and throw it away. Even a small amount can cause serious side effects that can make you sick. Avoid eating squash that you are unfamiliar with. For example, if your garden produces squash that you did not plant, avoid eating them.
What causes vegetables to taste bitter? ›
The bitterness comes from chemical compounds called glucosinolates that can be found in the Brassica family. According to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, these compounds have been known to have anti-cancer properties.
What causes bitter taste in plants? ›
Many vegetables taste bitter because they contain compounds known as phytonutrients (Greek phyto = "plant"). There are more than 2500 phytonutrients known, and the most important (and common) ones are categorized as1: Carotenoids: they are the ones that give red/orange/yellow color to some vegetables.
How do you get the bitter taste out of squash? ›
It helps to know that the bitter compound is more concentrated in the stem rather than in the blossom end of the squash. To reduce the bitter flavor, peel the squash, beginning at the blossom end, and discard a couple of inches of it at the stem end.
How do you stop the taste of bitterness? ›
Sweetness: From sugar, honey, fruits or otherwise, sweetness will counteract bitter and sour flavours. It can also be used to cut down the heat of a particularly spicy meal. Saltiness: Salt plays two very important roles in flavouring a dish. Firstly, it balances against bitterness.
What are the signs of toxic squash? ›
The most common symptoms associated with toxic squash syndrome include diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In extreme cases, toxic squash syndrome has caused swelling in the liver, gallbladder, kidney, and pancreas.
Is bitter squash good for you? ›
Bitter melon is a fruit in the gourd family with a unique appearance and flavor. It's not only rich in several important nutrients but also linked to numerous health benefits, including improved blood sugar control and cholesterol levels.
How toxic is cucurbitacin? ›
Lavie's group showed that cucurbitacin E (also called α-elaterin) has antitumor properties. The two most common cucurbitacins are B and E. Cucurbitacin B, whose structure is shown, is extremely toxic when ingested (see hazard information box); E is not as toxic but is still harmful if swallowed.
Highlights. The deficiency of vitamin B12 has a clear effect on taste as it causes disruption in epithelial cells, producing tongue pain, redness of the tongue, and the absence of papilla, thereby increasing the taste.
What illness makes food taste bitter? ›
Dysgeusia (pronounced “dis-gyoo-zee-uh”) is a disorder that distorts your sense of taste. People with this condition often say that anything they eat tastes like metal, rancid or bitter. Dysgeusia isn't a serious medical condition. But it can affect your appetite and quality of life.
What kills a bitter taste? ›
Tips to Remove a Bitter Taste
Sprinkle in a pinch of baking soda. Add acidic flavors to the dish, like lemon juice or vinegar. Add some heat to your food with spicier ingredients, like cayenne or red pepper. Season the bitter food with herbs.
What chemicals cause bitter taste? ›
In addition to peptides and salts, bitter compounds in foods may include plant-derived phenols and polyphenols, flavonoids, catechins, and caffeine. Recent studies have shown that humans possess a multitude of bitter taste receptors and that the transduction of bitter taste may differ between one compound and another.
Is cucurbitacin harmful? ›
They differ from most other tetracyclic triterpenes by being highly unsaturated and containing numerous keton, hydroxy and acetoxy groups [3]. These compounds are highly toxic [4] and biological activities, including antioxidant properties, have been reported in several studies [5–7].
How to remove bitterness from zucchini? ›
Salting helps combat the bitterness of both of these water-dense vegetables by drawing out some of the excess moisture and the bitterness, aiding with the overall texture as well. Just don't forget to lightly rinse some of the salt off.
