LIVING RAW BY GRACE
  • Home
  • 7 Day Detox Program
    • Detox Program FAQs
    • Contact Me
    • Testimonials
  • UnCookBooks
    • Lists of Recipes

31 Days of Raw: Day #28 – Butternut Squash

10/28/2010

3 Comments

 

31 Days of Raw: Day #28
Butternut Squash


I always enjoyed cooked butternut squash and have to admit that I was rather intimidated by the raw version.  Squash aren't the easiest things to cut when raw, and it took me some time till I had adventured toward it. However, I learned quickly that butternut squash are the easiest of the squash varieties to prepare while raw. You can use butternut just like zucchini and make noodles out of them...it's a different flavor and quite yummy.  My favorite way to prepare it is in soup, however, and I'll share that recipe at the end. :)
Picture
Butternut Squash

High in Fiber, Low in Fat
According to the Mayo Clinic, fiber is good for the gastrointestinal system, as it aids in the digestive process. Low-fat foods help with weight maintenance and can lower the risk for heart disease and diabetes.

Potassium
Dr. George Obikoya, recognized for his work on the importance of vitamins and minerals, claims that the electrolyte potassium is known to help lower blood pressure and be good for the cardiovascular and nervous systems. It can reduce joint stiffness due to conditions like arthritis, and is identified as being a natural pain reliever. Stored in the muscles, it can help manage headaches and migraines, and lead to rapid improvement of cuts and bruises.

Folate
Commonly recognized by the American Gynecological and Obstetrical Society, folate gets a lot of attention for its ability to help prevent brain and spinal-cord birth defects like spina bifida. It also aids in the prevention of heart attacks.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids
The American Heart Association supports the use of omega-3 fatty acids to help prevent heart attacks and strokes in people with coronary artery disease. It is believed that they lower risk for heart disease, cancer and arthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids are also recommended for the treatment of high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Vitamin B6
The Mayo Clinic endorses vitamin B6 to fortify the nervous and immune systems, help normalize blood pressure, and prevent heart disease.

Beta-carotene and Vitamin A
The antioxidant beta-carotene has amazing disease-preventing talents, according to the Mayo Clinic. The human body transforms beta-carotene into vitamin A, which can help reduce the risk of breast cancer, colon cancer and age-related macular degeneration. It also aids in the development of healthy lungs in unborn babies. Beta-carotene can even help prevent heart attacks and strokes by halting the build-up of oxidized cholesterol in the body. In terms of diabetes, it has been known to regulate blood sugars. Its anti-inflammatory powers can reduce symptoms of arthritis and asthma.

Magnesium
The Mayo Clinic approves the mineral magnesium to help with calcium absorption and to build strong bones and teeth. These qualities make it an excellent dietary choice for people with osteoporosis. It also promotes heart health by preventing blood clots and maintaining blood pressure to reduce the risk for heart attack and stroke.

Eye Health
The flesh of butternut squash gets its orange color from beta carotene, a carotenoid that the body converts to retinol, or vitamin A. The Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center describes vitamin A, in the form of retinol and retinal, as essential for healthy eyes. Retinol binds to the protein opsin to form the visual pigment rhodopsin, which permits night vision by allowing rod cells to detect small amounts of light. A retinol deficiency leads to night blindness. Furthermore, long-term vitamin A deficiency leads to xerophthalmia, which can cause permanent blindness. Raw butternut squash provides about 400 percent of the daily value for vitamin A in every 100 g serving.

Heart Benefits
Butternut squash may provide nutritional benefits that improve heart health. It contains antioxidants such as beta carotene and vitamin C, which may lower the risk for heart disease by preventing free radicals from oxidizing LDL cholesterol. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health, lower vitamin C intake may lead to higher risk for coronary heart disease. A 100 gram serving of raw butternut squash has 35 percent of the daily value for vitamin C.  The fiber in butternut squash may contribute to heart health, too. According to the Mayo Clinic, dietary fiber may decrease inflammation and blood pressure.

Weight Management
Butternut squash can potentially aid in weight management. It has a low energy density, with about 45 calories per 100 grams. The Mayo Clinic identifies water and fiber as two components that make a food filling. Water composes about 86 percent of raw butternut squash, providing volume without calories. Raw butternut squash also has 8 percent of the daily value fiber per 100 g serving. Fiber can promote weight loss because it slows down digestion and makes you feel full longer. If you are eating butternut squash to lose weight, the preparation method is important. If you add high-calorie ingredients like butter and sugar, you will increase the calorie content of the dish.

Picture
Butternut Squash Soup
  • 4 C butternut squash, peeled, seeded, diced
  • 2 C water
  • 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
  • 4 dates, pitted
  • 1 large, ripe banana
  • 1 t curry (yellow is best)
  • ¼ t allspice, dry ginger, cinnamon, cayenne
  • 1 sprinkle salt
Blend all until smooth and warm. Feel free to add more water if necessary.

3 Comments
Chelle
11/16/2019 02:13:30 am

Thank you. Highly informative and the recipe looks delicious enough to try.

Reply
barbara pantalone
12/11/2019 12:42:13 pm

Thank you for the list of health benefits! I have a question is there beta carotene in it? Is that a concern if there is?

Reply
Sky
1/25/2021 09:00:43 am

Please clarify the line in your recipe:

"¼ t allspice, dry ginger, cinnamon, cayenne"

Do you mean a 1/4 tsp of each of these items? Or mix them up into a single 1/4 tsp? (Meaning all 4 ingredients are in the single 1/4 tsp?)

Also - does the curry you use have cayenne (or another spicy pepper/chili) in it? Mine does, and it seems that having 2 separate ingredients with a spicy pepper in it would overwhelm the flavor of the squash. Thoughts? What does yours have in it?

Or shall I just use some turmeric instead?

Thank you! :-)

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

     About the Blogger

    Haley is passionate about Raw Food and how God has used it to heal her. She loves to share what she knows with anyone who is curious, and finds herself talking to everyone around her about her lifestyle. 

    God comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.  For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us. (2 Corinthians 3-7)

    This Scripture applies to every area of  life that Haley is passionate about. In order to be grateful, confidant, and assured of anything in your life...it must be tested and proved. That testing is never easy and rarely pleasant...but it IS purposeful. She now can take the comfort that God has given her and share it with you. Amen!

    Archives

    January 2020
    August 2019
    December 2017
    June 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    January 2016
    October 2015
    April 2014
    January 2014
    June 2013
    January 2013
    July 2012
    February 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    May 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010

    Categories

    All
    31 Days Of Raw
    Apples
    Appliances
    Banana
    Bananas
    Bible Study
    Bill
    Birthday
    Blenders
    Blending
    Blendtec
    Business Cards
    Calcium
    Calendar
    Calories
    Camping
    Challenge
    Chia
    Christian
    Classes
    Cold
    Consultating
    Coupon
    Crackers
    Creations
    Csa
    Daily Food Journal
    Dehydrator
    Desserts
    Detox
    Dinner
    Dip
    Dips
    Dirty Dozen
    Dr. Oz
    Exercise
    Faith
    Farmer Markets
    Farmer\'s Market
    Farmers Market
    Feminine Health
    First
    Flu
    Food Storage
    Free
    Future Plans
    Generosity
    Goals
    Grace
    Green Crisps
    Greens
    Green Smoothie
    Green Smoothies
    Grocery Shopping
    Handstands
    Healthmaster
    Healthy Food
    Help!
    Help!
    Hurom
    Juice Cleanse
    Juicers
    Juicing
    Mainstream
    Medicine
    Newsletter
    Ninja
    Nuts
    Online Classes
    Oprah
    Organic
    Overeating
    Part-time
    Pictures
    Pies
    Prayer
    Price Matching
    Protein
    Public
    Q&A
    Raw Potlucks
    Raw Recipe Night
    Raw Recipe Party
    Recipe
    Restaurants
    Reviews
    Salad
    Secret
    Special
    Stewardship
    Teaching
    Travelling
    Uncookbook
    Vegan
    Video Club
    Virtual Consultation
    Vitamix
    Water
    Website
    Yoga

    RSS Feed

  • Home
  • 7 Day Detox Program
    • Detox Program FAQs
    • Contact Me
    • Testimonials
  • UnCookBooks
    • Lists of Recipes