While not the most flavourful veg, courgettes are incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed either cooked or raw, grilled or marinated.
The one thing to keep in mind is that you shouldn't peel them, as that will rob courgettes entirely of their faint natural aroma, according to Germany's Federal Centre for Nutrition (BZfE).
Plus, a peeled courgette will turn into undefinable mush when cooked. When you prepare courgette with the peel, on the other hand, that helps to contain fibre.
Another trick to up your courgette game and make the green summer squash taste more intense is to not let the crop grow longer than 15 centimetres, or choose smaller specimens when buying at the store.
Courgettes, which are in season until around October in many parts of Europe, are also great for use in cakes, as they bring juiciness to the batter.
The plant's golden flower is considered a delicacy. The BZfE recommends frying them covered in a light tempura batter, but make sure to remove any pistils or stamens beforehand.
If a courgette emits an unusually bitter or strange smell, you shouldn't eat it. Courgettes, like other types of squash, contain cucurbitacins, toxins intended to repel predators that can be harmful to humans if consumed in large quantities and lead to vomiting and diarrhoea.
Usually however, humans can tolerate the amounts found in the plant, which also contains good levels of C vitamins, as well as folic acid, beta-carotene and vitamin B1.