Health benefits of winter squash and ways you can cook them (2024)

FAQs

Health benefits of winter squash and ways you can cook them? ›

Winter squash will deliver Vitamins A and C, antioxidants, fiber and potassium. When you're prepping winter squash, don't ditch the seeds. They can be roasted and also provide nutrients including more fiber, mono- and poly-unsaturated fats (the types you want to eat more of), vitamin E, and iron.

This squash has a lot of antioxidants, which can boost your immunity and help your body to fight off certain diseases. Acorn squash contains antioxidants like vitamin C that help strengthen bones and blood vessels. It also has vitamin A, which helps improve the health of your lungs, heart and other vital organs.

Winter squash also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits, and for that reason may help in the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Early studies also suggest that vegetables in this family may block the formation of cholesterol in cells and help regulate blood sugar levels.

Winter squash are meaty and can be eaten as main courses instead of meat, or blended with meat in main courses. They can also be eaten raw in salads or cooked as side dishes or desserts.

All squash skin is edible. However, in the same way you wouldn't eat a banana peel, edible doesn't necessarily mean you want to eat it. Some squash has thin skin that's tasty and tender, while others have a tough shell that even cooked is chewy and stringy.

Yellow squash can be eaten cooked or raw -- either way provides you with lots of nutrition. (Although you'll lose some of the water content when you cook the squash.) It's low-calorie, low-sugar, and its fiber and water content can help you stay fuller, longer.

1. Butternut Squash. One of the most popular varieties of squash, it can be use in so many ways. It's one of the most rich in Vitamin A, boasting about 100% of the recommended daily value per cup, in the antioxidant form of beta-carotene.

While the high beta-carotene content in squash can provide many benefits, studies also suggest that consuming too much of this compound can increase the risk of lung cancer. In addition, some types of prepared squash include high amounts of added sugar.

Squash is fine for earlier stages of CKD and kidney transplant when potassium is well-managed without dietary restriction. With concern for potassium levels, consider having squash in small amounts.

Winter squash: Winter squash, including butternut squash and acorn squash, is a starchy vegetable that is high in carbs. One cup of cooked butternut squash contains around 21 grams of carbs, while one cup of cooked acorn squash contains around 15 grams.

Should winter squash be refrigerated? ›

You'll see best storage results when you stash squash in a cool, dry spot. For most winter squash, store at 50º to 55º F with relative humidity of 60 to 70 percent. The one exception, again, is Acorn squash, which should be kept at temperatures less than 55.

Summer squash is harvested before fully maturing, (June through August) giving it a soft, edible skin. While tender and delicious, the delicate exterior gives summer squash a much shorter shelf life. Winter squash, on the other hand, is harvested in autumn and has a distinct tough and (usually) inedible rind.

Getting into The Thick (and thin) of it

Technically, all winter squash skin is edible. "It's just a question of texture. There's no danger in consuming the skin—some just taste better than others," says Romano. The thicker the skin, the greater chance it will remain tough to chew even after it's cooked.

Your body converts alpha-carotene and beta-carotene into vitamin A (retinol), an essential vitamin that helps with healthy skin and mucous membranes, vision and eye health, and your immune system.

"You can eat raw squash, however, the taste may not be to everyone's liking," Tiner notes. "Squash contains a toxin known as Cucurbitacin E, which can give the squash a bitter taste. If too much of the toxin is consumed it can cause illness.

For the best-quality squash, wait to harvest all types until they are mature — at least 50–55 days after the fruit has set — and cure before storing and eating.

There's an array of different carotenoids, but butternut squash packs specific compounds called lutein, zeaxanthin and beta carotene. A 2020 review in Antioxidants found that this trio may help reduce the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration by counteracting damage from blue or UV light.

One cup of cooked squash with a volume of 205ml has only 83 calories and has up to 7 grams of fiber. Therefore, this is also a great choice for those who want to lose weight and obesity. Squash contains a lot of fiber, including both soluble and insoluble fiber.