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The Health Benefits of Squash

  • Yasmin Coles
  • January 10, 2011

What makes squash an exciting fruit is that it is a very flexible ingredient.  It can be roasted, boiled, fried, baked and stuffed, and it can be also served raw.  Squash is a great base for a wonderful winter soup, and it is a great complement to any meat dish.  However, what makes squash a wonder crop is that it is very nutrient-packed.  You’ll be surprised how this fruit that comes in tons of varieties can fulfill many nutrition requirements and can potentially prevent diseases such as cancer.

Generally, squash is a very good source for carotenes, folic acid, fiber, potassium, and vitamins B1 and C.  It should be noted that winter and summer squashes can offer you different benefits.  For instance, winter squash is a good source of vitamin B6 and niacin whereas summer squash also contains a significant amount of manganese and magnesium which are viable in protecting one’s body from heart diseases.   Types of summer squash include zucchini or courgettes and yellow summer squash.

Like many orange and yellow crops, squash is packed with carotene. Carotene sources are especially loaded among winter squashes such as butternut squash, calabaza, acorn squash and the Atlantic giant.  Winter squashes have been recognized for its ability to provide protection against many cancers, especially lung cancer.  Winter squash is also high in vitamin A which is a good protection against emphysema.  Have a dose of the very healthy benefits of winter squash by making the classic butternut squash soup or baked acorn squash.

Between winter and summer squash, the former is recognized as a better source of vitamins and minerals.  This is because summer squash has a higher water content.  Despite so, summer squash is still a very beneficial fruit because of its high fiber, manganese and magnesium content that promotes cardiovascular health.  To enjoy the health benefits of summer squash, you can bake a yellow summer squash and then turn it into spaghetti.  Simply bake the squash for an hour at 374 degrees F, cool, take out the core, and then scrape with a fork. Increase the dish’s carotene content by adding a carotene-packed sauce that includes tomato, carrots and bell peppers.  Or you can make a summer squash juice which is a great source hydration source during the summer months.  The juice is also noted to contain the similar amount of nutrients found in pumpkin, leek and radish juices which are known to prevent cell mutations.

With its winter and summer varieties, you can definitely enjoy squash throughout the year.  Make sure to incorporate squash in your general diet not only because they are highly beneficial to your health but also, as a flexible fruit, any dish and taste can be made possible.

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