Health Benefits of Spaghetti Squash/Spaghetti squash is a variety of winter squash, although it is ready for harvest in early autumn. When cooked, this large, hard-shelled squash yields long strands that many cooks use as a low-calorie alternative to pasta. The yellow flesh of the spaghetti squash contains many nutrients.

This vegetable is native to the Americas, and was later taken to countries all around the world by European explorers. It was popular in Asia for many years before catching on in the United States around 1980. Its botanical name is Cucurbita pepo, but some people call it vegetable spaghetti, vegetable marrow, or squaghetti.

 

Spaghetti squash is a cool climate crop which can be grown on wide range of soils but does best in well-drained and slightly acidic soil with pH of 5.5-7 in full sun. It is a highly diverse and economically important member of Cucurbitaceae. It comprises of hundreds of cultivars of pumpkins, gourds and squash. Mature fruit is sweet and used to make confectionery or cooked and added to baked goods. It has been domesticated for thousands of years in the New World.

Spaghetti Squash Scientific Classification

Scientific Name: Cucurbita pepo

It is an annual herb climbing and creeping with 5-angled stems upto 15 meters long. It has shallow root system which is branched and grows from well-developed taproot. Stems are setose, scabrous, branching and often rooting at the nodes. Petioles are setose, grooved, estipulate and 6-24 cm long. Plant has tendrils which borne at 90 degrees to leaf insertion i.e. coiled and one to six branched. Tendrils are poorly developed on bushy plants. Leaves are simple, alternate, broadly ovate to deltoid, palmately lobed with 5-7 lobes, scabrous, marginally toothed and palmately veined, 20-30 cm long, and 10-35 cm broad.

Facts About Sphagetti Squash

Plant description

Spaghetti Squash is a vigorous annual, monoecious and trailing vine or emi-bushy herb with shallow and extensively branched roots having well developed taproot. Stems are five angled, hard, angular, short to semi-erect and pubescent-scabrous light green. Tendrils are simple and have 2-6 branchlets. Leaves are simple, alternate, broadly triangular usually with deep acute lobes 20–30 × 20–35 cm with denticulate to serrate-denticulate margins. Flowers are pentamerous, solitary, bright yellow and borne in leaf axils. Male flowers have long and light green peduncle about 7-20 cm and tubular corolla 5-10 cm long which is divided into five lobes for upto 1/3 or more of its length. Female flowers have sulcate, sturdy and shorter peduncle of 2-5 cm. Ovary is ovoid, smooth, cylindrical and calyx is small. Fruit is an oblong cylindrical pepo about 12 inches in length and 6 inches in diameter which is light green that turns to ivory to yellow or yellow with white or greenish streaks when mature. It contains ovoid, flattened and white seeds in yellow, orange or white flesh.

Flower

Flowers are monoecious bearing solitary actinomorphic flowers which produce nectar. Calyx is campanulate with five free sepals. Each sepal is linear and 0.9-3 cm long and smaller on pistillate flowers. Corolla is yellow, campanulate, five parted with erect to spreading petals which are apically acute and 5-10 cm long and 3 cm broad. Staminate flowers form on 3-20 cm long peduncle and have 3 stamens with free filaments. Pistillate flowers form on shorter peduncles 2-5 cm long. The plant blooms flower from July to August.

Fruit

Fruits are oval, flattened, scalloped, globular, fusiform, tapering to curved or straight neck on one or both ends. It can be upto 5 times longer than wide. Skin is smooth, wrinkled, warty, furrowed with shallow to deep longitudinal ridges. Fruit is white, yellow or light to dark green. Flesh is variable in color and thickness. Fruit weighs from 30 g to 50 kg which comprises of numerous seeds.

Health Benefits of Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti squash is nutritious and offers high amount of Vitamin A, potassium, folic acid, and beta carotene. Potassium helps to maintain proper muscle and nerve function. Spaghetti squash is rich in minerals such as iron, calcium, zinc, and phosphorus as well as B vitamins such as thiamin, niacin, and riboflavin.

1. Gut health

Spaghetti squash has a high content of fiber which offers 2 grams per cup i.e. 10 percent of daily recommended intake. Fiber is crucial for maintaining digestive health. It feeds good bacteria in the intestines which is a vital part of the digestive and immune systems. It promotes digestion by moving slowly through the gastrointestinal tract and promotes regularity. A healthy gut provides excellent immunity.

2. Weight management

Spaghetti squash is low in carbs and high in fiber which is a perfect substitute for regular pasta for those who are trying to lose weight. A cup of spaghetti squash offers 10% of adults fiber needs for a day. Diet rich in fiber helps to assist weight loss because it promotes satiety which means a feeling of fullness. The fiber helps to prevent overeating and indulging in sugary cravings.

3. Rich in antioxidants

Foods such as oranges, pomegranates, spaghetti squash, and kale have good amounts of antioxidants. Spaghetti squash has beta carotene and Vitamin C that helps to prevent chronic diseases and inflammation. Antioxidants have the ability to combat cell-damaging free radicals and toxins.  The damaged cells when replicated, it create high chances for inflammation and chronic disease. It is loaded with other essential nutrients such as magnesium, potassium, and manganese. It is also rich in Vitamin A which is beneficial for eye health and B vitamins contribute to proper cell functioning.

4. Low glycemic

Spaghetti squash is a food low in glycemic for more even blood sugar levels. A low glycemic index won’t cause a sudden spike in blood sugar like higher carbohydrate alternatives. It has polysaccharides which is a type of fiber preventing blood sugar from rising after meals.

5. Combat inflammation

Spaghetti squash has omega-3 fatty acids which makes it anti-inflammatory and overall healthy.

Traditional uses

• In Central and North America, it is used as medicine.
• It is effective in eliminating tapeworms. Take an emulsion made from grounded seed with water.
• Seeds act as mildly diuretic and vermifuge.
• Apply the leaves externally to burn.
• Use the fruit pulp as a decoction to provide relief from intestinal inflammation.
• Use the fruit for loose stools, throat infections, and eye infections.
• Seeds are used to cure painful chests, fever, bronchitis, kidney problems, and reduce thirst.
• Seeds are used for treating hypertrophy of the prostate.
• Use the fruit pulp as a decoction to provide relief from intestinal inflammation.

Culinary uses

• Spaghetti squash can be baked, steamed, boiled or micro-waved.
• Serve it with sauce as a substitute for pasta.
• Roast the seeds.
• Ground the seeds and mix them with cereals for making bread.
• Sprout the seeds and use them in salads.
• Use the seeds to extract oil.
• Cook young leaves and stems as a potherb.
• Cook the stems and leaves as a potherb.
• In West Africa, fruits are used in soups and couscous.
• Shoots and young leaves are used as a potherb.
• Seed oil is used in cooking.
• Immature fruits are consumed raw, fried, or cooked.
• Mature fruits are added to pies, soups, and other baked goods.
• It pairs well with onions, tomato, greens, garlic, fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, parsley, oregano, mint, zucchini, cucumbers, red pepper, bell pepper, soy sauce, snap peas, tamari, fish sauce, cream, pine nuts, cream, mozzarella, ricotta, shrimp, ground beef, chicken, pancetta and Italian sausage.

Precautions

Some people might be allergic to spaghetti squash causing food allergy symptoms such as itching, hives, digestive issues and swelling.

Although allergic reactions to this squash are rare, they can occur in some individuals, often appearing as a mild rash or swelling of the throat, lips, and tongue. More severe allergic reactions may require immediate medical attention, including hives, serious swelling of the throat, or anaphylaxis. Discontinue use immediately if allergic symptoms appear. Due to the high fiber content of this squash, some people may also temporarily experience mild gastrointestinal symptoms, such as diarrhea, bloating, cramps or excess flatulence.

How to prepare and cook spaghetti squash

Now that you know how good spaghetti squash is for you, how do you actually cook this big gourd sitting on your counter?

“The most important thing to remember is that you have to cook it thoroughly,” Czerwony says. “It’s heavy and thick, so you’ll have to roast or steam it for a while to really soften it up.”

Because the edible part of the spaghetti squash is inside that hard exterior, you’ll need to cut the squash in half eventually. Since that can be quite a battle, even with a good, sharp knife, Czerwony recommends cooking the squash first.

“You can certainly try to cut it open before you cook it, but because that outer layer is so thick, it can be very tough to cut open. You might wind up cutting yourself or even hacking the squash a bit too much,” she says.

Czerwony recommends roasting the squash first so it’s easier to cut.

Follow these step-by-step instructions for the perfect spaghetti squash:

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Roast for 40 – 50 minutes, until easily pierced with a knife.
2. Let the squash cool and then cut in half. Scoop out the seeds.
3. After the seeds are cleared out, scrape the inside of the squash with a fork. The flesh should shred away in long, thin strands, very similar to spaghetti pasta. And you’ll yield plenty of squash to eat.
4. Prep your plate with sauce, protein or anything else you enjoy eating with spaghetti squash!

“Because the skin is so thin, you get a lot out of the squash,” Czerwony says. “And the seeds are edible, too. You can rinse them off and then roast them in a few ways, like pumpkin seeds. There’s not a lot of waste.”

Again, though, just be sure it’s fully cooked. “Even if you’ve roasted it whole for a while, make sure the flesh inside is still fully cooked,” Czerwony says. “You’ll be able to tell because the flesh will be hard to shred if it’s not.

References

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