Winter squash belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and represents other species like melon and cucumber. It is usually cooked before eating. Their hard protective skins are difficult to pierce which also accounts for their large storage life. Apart from being an excellent source of Vitamin A, winter squash is also rich in complex carbohydrates such as starch and fiber. Anti-cancer properties are also found in winter squash. It contains a range of health promoting nutrients like iron, niacin, potassium, beta carotene and is also known to be good for lung health. Read on to know a complete nutritional profile of winter squash and know why it is beneficial for over all health.
Winter Squash Nutrition Facts
Amount of Winter Squash: 1 cup
Total Weight of Winter Squash: 205 g
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Nutrients
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Amount
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Basic Components
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Protein
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1.82 g
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Carbohydrates
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17.94 g
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Water
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182.49 g
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Ash
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1.48 g
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Calories
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Total Calories
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79.95
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Calories From Fat
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11.62
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Calories From Saturated Fat
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2.40
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Carbohydrates
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Dietary Fiber
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5.74 g
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Starch
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Fats
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Total Fat
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1.29 g
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Saturated Fat
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0.27 g
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Mono Fat
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0.10 g
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Poly Fat
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0.54 g
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Vitamins
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Vitamin A IU
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7291.85 IU
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Vitamin A
Retinol Activity Equivalent
Beta Carotene
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0.00 RE
4343.95 mcg
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Niacin – B3
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1.44 mg
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Vitamin C
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19.68 mg
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Vitamin E (Gamma Tocopherol)
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Folate
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57.40 mg
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Minerals
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Calcium
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28.70 mg
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Copper
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0.19 mg
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Iron
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0.68 mg
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Magnesium
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16.40 mg
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Manganese
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0.43 mg
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Phosphorus
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41.00 mg
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Potassium
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895. 85 mg
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Selenium
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0.82 mcg
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Sodium
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2.05 mg
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Zinc
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0. 53 mg
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Saturated Fats
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16:0 Palmitic
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0.00g
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Mono Fats
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18:1 Oleic
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0.09 g
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Poly Fats
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18:2 Linoleic
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0.20g
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18:3 Linolenic
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0.34 g
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Other Fats
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Omega 3 Fatty Acids
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0.34 g
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Omega 6 Fatty Acids
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0.20 g
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Amino Acids
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Alanine
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0.08 g
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Arginine
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0.10 g
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Aspartate
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0.19 g
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Cystine
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0.02 g
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Glutamate
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0.32 g
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Glycine
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0.07 g
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Histidine
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0.03 g
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Isoleucine
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0.07 g
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Leucine
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0.10 g
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Lysine
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0.07 g
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Methionine
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0.02 g
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Phenylalanine
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0.07 g
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Proline
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0.07 g
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Serine
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0.07 g
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Threonine
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0.06 g
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Tryptophan
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0.03 g
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Tyrosine
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0.06 g
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Valine
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0.08 g
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Buying & Storing Facts
- Careful purchasing is required for winter squash, as it is prone to decay. Buy the squashes that are firm and have dull rinds. Soft rinds are an indicator that the squash is watery and lacks flavor. Hence, choose the ones with hard rinds.
- The storage life of water squash is more than that of summer squash. It can be stored safely from one week to 6 months, depending on the variety of winter squash you choose.
- Winter squash should be stored away from direct light. It should not be exposed to extreme temperatures. The ideal temperature for winter squash storage is between 10 and 15 degrees C.
- Cover the pieces of winter squash in a plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator. They will be able to sustain a maximum of three days.
- The ideal way of freezing winter squash is to cut its pieces in individual sizes for different recipes.
