12/30/2023 0 Comments Acorn squash nutrition![]() ![]() While it's a delicious side dish eaten on its own, its sweet and nutty flavour lends itself to so many dishes. Versatility is one of the reasons I love to eat squash this time of year. (Roast for 40 to 45 minutes at 400 F, or until fork-tender. Subtle flavour boosts include cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, maple syrup, rosemary, cumin, smoked paprika and chipotle chili powder. Roasting intensifies the flavour of squash and gives you the opportunity to season it while it cooks. Winter squash can be steamed, sautéed, grilled, microwaved or roasted (my favourite). Mix it up to add a variety of nutrients and flavours to your meals. ![]() And, at only 42 calories per cup, spaghetti squash is a tasty low-carbohydrate, low-calorie alternative for pasta noodles.Īcorn squash may outperform other types of squash when it comes to certain vitamins and minerals, but don't limit yourself to eating only one type of squash this season. But that doesn't mean it's void of nutrients. Spaghetti squash had the lowest overall nutrition score. Butternut squash is also a decent source of alpha-carotene, a cousin of beta-carotene that's thought to guard against cancer. One cup of cooked butternut squash supplies 9.4 mg of the antioxidant. ![]() There is no official recommended intake for beta-carotene but experts suggest a daily intake of 3 to 6 mg helps prevent disease. Second place goes to butternut squash, outscoring acorn, hubbard and spaghetti squash on vitamin C and beta-carotene. Adults, aged 19 to 50, need 38 g (men) and 25 g (women) a day older men and women require 30 and 21 grams, respectively. One cup of cooked squash offers nine grams of fibre, putting a sizeable dent in your daily requirement. Who knew? (Adults need 4,700 mg of potassium each day.)Īcorn squash is no slouch when it comes to fibre, either. Eat one cup of cooked acorn squash and you'll get more potassium (896 milligrams) than if you ate two medium bananas (844 mg). It offers more folate, calcium, magnesium (nearly one-third of a day's worth in one cup) and potassium than butternut, hubbard and spaghetti squash. So which winter squash is the overall nutrient heavyweight? Acorn squash wins the match. In fact, one-half cup of winter squash has as much soluble fibre as one cup of lentils, one cup of barley or three-quarters of a cup of cooked oat bran. If you choose the right squash, you'll also get plenty of fibre, mainly soluble fibre, the type that helps regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels. (Vitamin A supports healthy vision and immune function.) Beta-carotene also acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from free-radical damage. And it's one of the top food sources of beta-carotene, a phytochemical the body changes to vitamin A. Squash also serves up folate, vitamin C and calcium. In general, it's a good source of magnesium and potassium, minerals tied to healthy blood pressure. Winter squash delivers on the nutrition front. (My nutrient showdown includes butternut, acorn, hubbard and spaghetti squashes, the four varieties that have complete nutritional information.) ![]() Other varieties include buttercup, kabocha, delicata, turban, sweet dumpling and sugar pumpkin. The most common winter squashes you'll find in grocery stores and farmer's markets are butternut, acorn, hubbard and spaghetti squash. While all types of squash are healthy additions to your fall menu, there is one that outshines the others when it comes to nutrient content. You can buy winter squash in the supermarket most of the year, but now is the time to enjoy this season's harvest when flavours are at their best and nutrients are at their peak. Is one variety healthier than the others? THE ANSWER All squash are healthy – but acorn squash are best THE QUESTION I love to eat winter squash. ![]()
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