8 Health Benefits Of Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is one of the most popular winter squash vegetables. Butternuts grow on an annual, long trailing vine. This variety of squash is widely cultivated under warmer climates of South and Central Americas for its edible fruits, blossoms (flowers), as well as seeds.

Botanically, it belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family of field pumpkins; probably originated in the Central American region. In the markets, they often identified as a giant pear-shaped, golden-yellow pumpkins instead of squash.

# Butternut squash is composed of many vital polyphenolic antioxidants and vitamins. Like in other Cucurbitaceae members, butternut too has very low calories, 100 g provides just 45 calories. It contains no saturated fats or cholesterol. Nonetheless, it is a rich source of dietary fiber and phytonutrients. Squashes are the most often recommended vegetables by dieticians in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs.

# Butternuts have more vitamin-A than that of in pumpkins. At 10,630 IU per 100 g, it, perhaps, is the single vegetable source in the Cucurbitaceae family with the highest levels of vitamin-A, constituting about 354% of RDA. Vitamin-A is a powerful natural anti-oxidant and is required by the body for maintaining the integrity of skin and mucosa.

# Vitamin-A is also an essential element for healthy eyesight. Research studies suggest that natural foods rich in vitamin-A help the human body protected against lung and oral cavity cancers.

# Furthermore, butternut squash composes plenty of natural polyphenolic flavonoid compounds like a and ß-carotenes, cryptoxanthin-ß, and lutein. These pigment chemicals convert into vitamin-A inside the body and carry out the same protective functions of this vitamin.

# It is rich in the B-complex group of vitamins like folates, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin, and pantothenic acid.

# It has a similar mineral profile as that of pumpkin; containing adequate levels of minerals like iron, zinc, copper, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus.

# Butternut squash seeds are an excellent source of dietary fiber and mono-unsaturated fatty acids that benefit for heart health. Also, they are rich in protein, minerals, and numerous health-benefiting vitamins.

# The seeds are excellent sources of health-promoting amino acid, tryptophan. Tryptophan converts to health benefiting GABA neurochemical in the human brain.