Health Spotlight on Wintertime Veggie
This time of year – the winter season – there aren’t a whole lot of fruits and vegetables in their peak of ripeness. But don’t forget about the vegetable that shares the name of the season we’re now in: the winter squash!
When I think of the winter squash, I traditionally think of the variety served during Thanksgiving feasts: butternut squash (the one that looks like an elongated pair with a flesh colored exterior). In actuality, though, winter squash is an umbrella term for many kinds of varieties of squash that “keep” longer than summer squash varieties. Winter squash varieties include the aforementioned butternut, spaghetti, acorn, buttercup, delicata and banana just to name a few.
When I say that winter squash varieties “keep” longer, boy do they! Depending on the temperature at which they’re stored – the best being between 50 and 60 degrees – winter squash will remain unspoiled for six months…sometimes even longer! You definitely can’t say that about the average vegetable.
But I don’t bring squash up in this here article to highlight its physical longevity. I bring it up to highlight the longevity it provides to those who eat it, thanks to its nutrition profile.
I was one of those people who couldn’t bring himself to eat winter squash at one time. I just didn’t care for its taste. It wasn’t until I tried roasted squash that I came to really appreciate its taste. I’m glad, too, because I was missing out on some serious health benefits that it provides.
Squash is a particularly important vegetable to eat if you’re a man. I say that because problems with the prostate increase with age, but the elements that make squash what it is have a way of protecting the prostate from those problems. One such problem that occurs in many men is an enlarged prostate, which tends to prop up as men age and leads to such issues as a susceptibility to urinary tract infections and difficulties urinating (e.g. having to use the facilities more frequently, urine flow starts and stops, etc.). This medical condition is called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. Men who eat squash regularly are likely at a decreased risk for BPH and other prostate problems, thanks to squash’s rich supply of phytonutrients.
The lungs also benefit from squash consumption. Research from Kansas State University indicates the surfeit of vitamin A found in squash – almost 150 percent of the daily recommended value in a one-cup serving – protects the lungs from the effects of cigarette smoke, which induces vitamin A deficiency.
Men aren’t the only ones that benefit from squash. Because folate is such a vital nutrient for women, particularly if they’re pregnant, squash is one of the best vegetable sources to go to. A cup’s worth of squash has about 15 percent of one’s daily recommended value for folate (asparagus and spinach are great sources as well).
Another great aspect of the winter squash is that it can serve as a low-calorie alternative to starchier foods. I was never on the “no carbohydrate” bandwagon, but it is true that low carbohydrates translates to greater weight loss. So if one is really craving some whole wheat pasta but doesn’t want the high carbohydrate count that comes along with it, spaghetti squash serves as a great alternative. The insides of the squash peels out like spaghetti strings, has the consistency of spaghetti, yet unlike spaghetti, a four ounce serving is about 40 calories.
So, in a time of year when there are so few “peaking” vegetables, it’s nice to know that the winter squash is ripe and ready to be served.
Sources
What's Cooking America
The World's Healthiest Foods
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