This delicious fruit makes me so happy! It is beautiful to look at, sweet yet savory, full of Mother Nature’s awesome goodness and it reminds of one of my favorite holidays- Thanksgiving.
Here is a little history lesson:
Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata), sometimes known in Australia and New Zealand as butternut pumpkin or gramma, is a type of winter squash that grows on a vine. It has a sweet, nutty taste similar to that of a pumpkin. It has tan-yellow skin and orange fleshy pulp with a compartment of seeds in the bottom. When ripe, it turns increasingly deep orange, and becomes sweeter and richer. It is a good source of fiber, vitamin C, manganese, magnesium, and potassium; and it is an excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin E.
Although technically a fruit, butternut squash is used as a vegetable that can be roasted, sautéed, toasted, puréed for soups, or mashed and used in casseroles, breads, and muffins. The most popular variety, the Waltham Butternut, originated in Waltham, Massachusetts, where it was developed at the Waltham Experiment Station by Robert E. Young. Dorothy Leggett claims that the Waltham Butternut squash was developed during the 1940s by her late husband, Charles Leggett, in Stow, Massachusetts, and then subsequently introduced by him to the researchers at the Waltham Field Station. She also claimed that name came from “smooth as butter, sweet as nut”.
So what can this yummy fruit do for me? Well there are a lot of things!
1. Prevents high blood pressure
A one cup serving of butternut squash contains almost 500 mg of potassium, which can help decrease your blood pressure by counteracting the effects of sodium in your diet. Keeping your blood pressure in a healthy range can help you steer clear of serious health issues like heart disease and stroke.
2. Promotes regularity
One cup of butternut squash contains almost 7 grams of fiber, which can help prevent constipation and maintain a healthy digestive tract by supporting healthy bacteria in the gut.
3. Improves eyesight
Butternut squash is literally loaded with vitamin A—one cup of squash has over 350 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA), which is uber-important for healthy eyesight. It’s a great source of zeaxanthin and lutein, two powerful antioxidants that can also protect your vision.
4. Keeps bones strong
Since it contains about 17 percent of your RDA of manganese, butternut squash can help your body maintain healthy bone structure, calcium absorption, and improve the mineral density of the spinal column. Meanwhile, vitamin C takes part in the production of collagen, which is important for building bone mass. Other minerals found in squash, such as iron, folate, and zinc, all contribute to bone health and protect against osteoporosis.
5. Boosts immune function
While vitamin C may not cure the common cold, it may help reduce your risk of developing further complications, such as a lung infection or pneumonia. It may also help protect you from other immune system deficiencies, such as cardiovascular disease.
6. Reduces inflammation
Because of its high antioxidant content, butternut squash may have anti-inflammatory effects, helping you to reduce your risk of inflammation-related disorders like rheumatoid arthritis. For example, a study by the University of Manchester found that those who had the highest intake of the antioxidant beta-cryptoxanthin were only half as likely to develop arthritis over a seven to 15 year period, compared to those with a lower intake. Another study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention followed nearly 400,000 people for up to 16 years, and found that a higher intake of beta-cryptoxanthin also reduced the risk of lung cancer by more than 30 percent.
The best news ever is that this fabulous fruit is now in several of our dishes for fall. Check out our menu at www.cusineforhealing.org.
Hurry and order, you don’t want to miss out and it wont be here forever!
Happy Healthy Eating!
Dana
https://organicauthoity.com-butternut squash
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butternut_squash
