Eating more greens is a breezy way to boost the vitamins, minerals, and fiber in your diet. And while leafy options, such as kale, spinach, arugula, and chard, are awesome places to make a start, you shouldn't dismiss the benefits of other emerald-colored veggies that have a denser, heartier quality, such as zucchinis and cucumbers. From the outside, these culinary vegetables (which are botanically fruits) look pretty similar, so we'd forgive you for confusing them when rushing around the grocery store with the kids in tow.

With matching cylindrical shapes and dark green skin, zucchini and cucumber are both members of the Cucurbitaceae – a family of plants that also includes watermelons, pumpkins, and cantaloupe, which, in the majority of cases, produce yellow or white flowers. You may already know about Italian fiori di zucca (aka cooked zucchini flowers) that can be stuffed and fried, but cucumber vines also produce edible flowers that are best eaten raw to showcase their delicate flavor.

While these verdant beauties are in the same plant family, they're definitely not identical; think of them as cousins, rather than twins. Both of these green gourds have unique characteristics that set them apart from each other if you take a closer look at their appearance, texture, and flavor. For example, zucchini has a thicker (sometimes bitter) skin and cream-colored, buttery-flavored flesh that's perfect for sautéing and baking. On the other hand, sweet and mild cucumber has a thinner, crisper texture, is packed full of water, and makes a wonderful raw ingredient in salads.