Tuesday, 19 March 2013

Today’s Amazing Fact: Squash helps against birth defects!


Squash in the same family as pumpkin and acorn squash. Squash is low in calories but rich in vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber--nutrients which promote optimal health. In addition, this vegetable may reduce your risk of developing lung cancer, and it fights heart disease coupled with its effective fight against birth defects. 

Nutrient-Dense Food
One cup of squash cubes, baked, offers only 82 calories, 0 g fat, 2 g protein, 22 g carbohydrates and nearly 5 g dietary fiber. Butternut squash is an outstanding source of vitamin A, meeting over 100 percent of the Recommended Daily Value, or DV, in a 1 cup serving; over 30 percent of the DV for vitamin C; and is a good food source of vitamins E, B1, B3, B6 and folate. It also contains appreciable amounts of the minerals potassium, magnesium and manganese. 
Vitamin A is important for healthy eyesight and reproductive health and, along with vitamins C and E, supports immune system function. The B vitamins serve many functions in the human body, such as acting as co-enzymes in energy metabolism and supporting nervous system function. Potassium and magnesium help lower blood pressure and manganese is also involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins and helps nourish the nerves and brain.

Folate in Squash Protects Against Birth Defects
Squash contains folate, which has been shown to reduce the incidence of neural tube defects and other birth defects when taken by women before and during pregnancy. A cup of Squash contains 15 percent of the recommended daily allowance of folate. Folate also works to prevent heart attacks by working against elements that break down blood vessel structures in your body. There is also a correlation between folate intake and reduced incidences of colon cancer.

Reduces Lung Cancer

Vitamin A precursors known as carotenoids offer health benefits. The predominant carotenoid in winter squash is beta-cryptoxanthin, and is responsible for its orange-red color. Other fruits and vegetables rich in beta-cryptoxanthin are pumpkins, papayas and red bell peppers. This carotenoid may reduce your risk of developing lung cancer. Researchers measured lifestyle and dietary data in over 60,000 Chinese adults for a study that was published the September 2003 issue of "Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention." They discovered that those eating the most beta-crytpoxanthin-rich foods enjoyed a 27 percent reduction in lung cancer risk. Current smokers had an even more significant risk reduction; a 37 percent lower risk of lung cancer compared to smokers who ate the least of these beta-crytpoxanthin-rich foods.


Benefits Heart Health

Nutrients in Squash, including vitamins A and C, maganese and magnesium, work together in your body to help protect against some forms of heart disease. Magnesium is indicated as a helpful agent in the prevention of strokes and works with potassium to maintain healthy blood pressure levels. The folate in squash also protects against heart attacks by helping to neutralize dangerous levels of harmful homocysteine in the body. A healthy intake of fiber, present in squash, is associated with lower rates heart disease.
Butternut squash promotes heart health in two ways. First, it is particularly rich in dietary fiber, providing 5 g per cup, cooked. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines for Americans, diets rich in dietary fiber decrease the risk of coronary heart disease by lowering total blood cholesterol levels. Butternut squash is also is rich in folate, a B vitamin that, among other functions, is needed to break down a toxic metabolic byproduct in the body, known as homocysteine, according to the American Heart Association. A high level of homocysteine in the bloodstream is associated with an increased risk for heart attack and stroke because it directly damages blood vessel walls.
Squash Improves Lung Health
Researchers have found that a vitamin A deficiency, caused by a carcinogen in cigarette smoke, can contribute or lead to the debilitating disease of emphysema. Squash, as well as sweet potatoes, contain high levels of vitamin A that may help protect against emphysema. Also, there is a correlation between eating foods high in the carotenoid beta-cryptoxanthin, and decreased incidence of lung cancer. These findings may explain why some smokers don't get lung cancer while others suffer from lung problems and die of cancer. While quitting smoking is ideal, a diet rich in vitamin A and beta-cryptoxanthin may protect lung health if a person unable to quit or is still exposed to cigarette smoke.
Eating Squash Helps Fight Diseases
Squash is a good food for those suffering from arthritis in either form. Its antioxidants help reduce inflammation and improve symptoms of asthma in addition to arthritis. Squash contains copper, which may be useful for lessoning the pain of rheumatoid arthritis. Fiber, present in squash, protects from colon cancer by working to rid the body of harmful substances.
Choose From Many Excellent Varieties of Squash
Butternut, turban, hubbard and acorn are all Squashes, along with the familiar pumpkin. They keep well in a cool dry storage spot, making them an ideal food to store over the winter months. There are a myriad of ways to prepare Squashes, with baked, boiled and pies the most common. Squash varieties include pattypan, yellow squash and zucchini. They are related to cucumbers and melons, and the seeds are also edible, as is the skin. Zucchini is often prepared in baked goods, crookneck yellow squash is delicious steamed with butter and pattypan is great steamed or baked.

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