It’s the complete package of health and flavor. Divided into two categories, summer and winter, squash is a versatile vegetable living among a family of gourds. With roughly 80 calories to a cup, the health benefits of squash are undeniable. It’s brimming with magnesium, potassium, manganese and calcium, as well as vitamins A and C. Plus, it is low in sodium and saturated fat, and high in fiber, naturally providing that full feeling all humans desire. It’s rarely processed, in fact, and often served fresh.
But there’s more to squash than meets the eye. Test your squash knowledge with the fun facts below.
- Squash is one of the longer-lasting veggies – It can last for three months, possibly even longer, if stored properly (in a dry, cool place with plenty of ventilation).
- The whole squash plant is edible – flowers, leaves, fruit, stems, seeds, shoots and all.
- The pigment that gives a gourd its warm tone may be helpful in warding off some forms of cancer.
- Florida tops the list of states in squash production, with New York, California and North Carolina trailing closely behind it.
- The original cultivators of squash aren’t certain. Some suggest it was the Incans. In any case, squash plants are on record as far back as 8,000 B.C. in Peru and Central America.
When you go shopping for your next gourd, keep in mind the larger it is, the bigger the flavor. And be sure it’s heavy, too. The more moisture inside, the fresher the squash.
GARLIC PARMESAN SPAGHETTI SQUASH RECIPE
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