Butternut Squash: A Vitamin Powerhouse

 

You walk through the vegetable aisle and you see something large, orange, and oddly shaped. Unsure, you walk on by, missing out on butternut squash: a vitamin powerhouse! 

 

Get Acquainted with Butternut Squash

Next time stop. Get acquainted.

Between its vibrant orange color, its sweet nutty flavor and the hearty, delicious dishes it makes possible, you’re going to want to be friends with butternut squash. 

Its benefits extend far beyond taste.  

Butternut squash is also a nutritional goldmine. 

A true cold weather superfood.  

 

Vital Vitamins

It’s low in calories (82 per cup) and carbs (22 grams), and essentially non-fat, but it’s positively packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, like vitamin A and beta-carotene. 

Also present in butternut squash is vitamin E, an antioxidant that studies suggest helps to protect against cognitive decline during aging. 

The nutrients that butternut squash provides are linked to healthy blood and blood vessels, and reduced levels of blood pressure, inflammation, cholesterol and hypertension. 

Would you be surprised to learn that butternut squash also provides more potassium than a banana? 

Crazy, right! 

And butternut squash is a great non-meat source of folate and iron. 

The manganese found in this beautiful winter squash helps the body process fats and carbs and with its great fiber helps sustain a feeling of fullness. 

There are more benefits packed into this bundle of deliciousness. 

 

Versatility Is The Spice Of Life

 

Time to break out of your overload of carbs routine with the potatoes and corn. 

Butternut squash is a delicious alternative to these “carby” staples with its incredible versatility. 

Its nutty flavor thrives in all manner of applications, sweet and savory: simply roast it, bake it into bread or muffins, it’s a hearty addition to a frittata or quiche, baked as “french fries”, or puréed into a soup or a sauce.  

And, just like pumpkin, butternut squash seeds are edible. Scoop them out. Roast them. Throw them into a salad or enjoy them as a snack. 

However you slice it, butternut squash delivers versatility, health, and taste like few other foods. 

Bet you’ll be on a first name basis with butternut squash in no time soon. 

Looking for an idea to use butternut squash? Try Chef Sandra’s butternut squash soup.