Is Butternut Squash Healthy? Nutrition and Potential Benefits

Butternut squash is delicious and packed with essential nutrients that support overall health. Rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, this versatile vegetable may offer many benefits, from immunity support to promoting heart health. Discover how incorporating butternut squash into your diet can be a nutritious addition to a balanced lifestyle.

What is butternut squash?

Butternut squash is a popular nutritional option for soups or stews. These orange-fleshed, hearty squashes have longer seasons than others, like courgettes. Butternut squash is a versatile vegetable with a sweet, nutty flavor that pairs well with savory and sweet dishes.

Native to the Americas, butternut squash, part of the Cucurbita moschata family, is among the oldest known crops cultivated for at least 6,000 years.

Nutritional profile of butternut squash

Butternut squash is most often consumed cooked, but it can be eaten raw. One cup of cooked butternut squash (205 g) contains 1,140 micrograms of vitamin A (RAE), which exceeds the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for healthy adults. Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) are reference values on how much of a specific nutrient people should consume to stay healthy.

Vitamin A supports eye health and immune system function. It is a fat-soluble vitamin, which is better absorbed with fat-containing foods. Individual factors may also impact the absorption. Consuming one cup of cooked butternut squash won't mean you will exceed the dietary intake of vitamin A. Other squash nutrition attributes include being naturally low in fat and sodium, 0.184 g and 8.2 mg per cup, respectively.

One cup (205 g) of cooked butternut squash has only 82 calories, 1.84 grams of protein, 21.5 grams of carbohydrates, and 6.5 grams of fiber. This serving also contains vitamins C, E, B6, thiamine, niacin, folate, and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and manganese.

Additionally, butternut squash is rich in beta-carotene, known for its antioxidant properties. Beta-carotene is a carotenoid, a precursor of vitamin A. One cup of cooked butternut squash has 4,570 micrograms of beta-carotene.

Potential health benefits of butternut squash

Butternut squash offers vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and fiber that support certain health systems and contribute to your daily nutrient intake. However, no single vegetable can guarantee overall health. While adding butternut squash to your diet can be beneficial, maintaining a balanced, nutrient-rich diet is vital for overall wellness.

May contribute to gut health

Butternut squash may help support our overall daily dietary fiber intake. Dietary fiber is essential for digestive health support; it nourishes beneficial gut bacteria, helping support their growth and contributing to regular bowel movements.

However, many adults fall short of the recommended daily intake of 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories. For a standard 2,000-calorie intake, adults should consume around 28 grams of fiber. One cup of cooked butternut squash can contribute to 23% of our daily fiber needs.

Butternut squash is rich in soluble fiber, a type of dietary fiber that may contribute to gut microbiome support, which is linked to the maintenance of proper gut function and immune system support.

Along with eating butternut squash to support your daily fiber intake, adding other fiber-rich foods is important. Diversity in dietary fiber is essential to support gut health. Other fiber sources include fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

May contribute to eye health

Butternut squash contains vitamin A and precursor compounds, making this vegetable beneficial for eye health when part of a healthy and balanced diet.

Vitamin A contributes to eye health and immune system function. This vitamin is a fundamental component of rhodopsin, the light-sensitive protein present in our retina that responds to light entering the eye. It also helps support conjunctival membranes and cornea function.

Beta-carotenes, due to their antioxidant properties, may also contribute to preventing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, the scientific research is still ongoing.

The maintenance of eye health depends on many factors. While including butternut squash as a nutrient-dense vegetable in a healthy and balanced diet may contribute to eye health due to certain micronutrients, it is essential to recognize the overall nutrition and other lifestyle factors to support long-term eye health.

May contribute to weight management

A single vegetable cannot support weight management as it requires a healthy and balanced diet and physical activity; butternut squash is a nutrient-dense, low-calorie food that may contribute to daily fiber intake and appetite regulation, making this vegetable a favorable addition to a dietary plan for weight management.

One cup, or 205 grams, of cooked butternut squash only has 83 calories and seven grams of fiber. This represents around 23% of an average daily fiber needs, based on a standard 2,000-calorie intake, for which the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories.

Fiber is a carbohydrate that our body cannot break down. Dietary fiber can slow digestion, leading to a prolonged feeling of fullness.

A 2019 randomized controlled trial involving 345 adults with overweight or obesity found that adequate dietary fiber intake and a calorie-restricted diet may contribute to weight management. Adequate dietary fiber intake may help control appetite and improve overall gut health.

May contribute to heart health

Butternut squash contains potassium, an essential mineral for blood pressure regulation. One cup of cooked butternut squash has 582 mg of this mineral, representing 22% of women’s daily recommended intake (2,600 mg) and 17% of men’s recommended intake (3,400 mg).

Low potassium intake, especially accompanied by high sodium intake, is associated with an increased risk of hypertension. Butternut squash may contribute to overall daily potassium intake.

Moreover, yellow and orange vegetables and fruits, such as butternut squash, are rich in carotenoids, an antioxidant pigment responsible for these vegetables' color. Carotenoids may contribute to the protective effects of cardiovascular health by protecting against oxidative stress and supporting healthy endothelial function.

Adding fruits and veggies rich in carotenoids, like butternut squash, corn, orange bell peppers, tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, and cantaloupe, may contribute to overall heart health maintenance.

However, cardiovascular health is influenced by a complex interplay of lifestyle factors and underlying health conditions. While butternut squash has favorable micronutrients for heart health, it is important to remember that it results from the cumulative effects of a balanced, micronutrient-rich diet over time, not isolated foods. If you are specifically looking for a heart-healthy diet, it is always recommended that you consult with your healthcare provider, who can provide more recommendations based on your situation.

How to include butternut squash in your diet

Butternut squash is a versatile vegetable to eat or cook. It pairs well with different flavors and seasonings for savory and sweet dishes.

Some of the best and simplest ways to cook butternut squash include:

1. Cube and roast it with olive oil, and seasonings to your taste for a quick side dish, top salads, quiches, frittatas, or pasta dishes.
2. Cube, boil, and puree it, season to taste for a side dish and combine with coconut milk for a powerful dairy-free soup, or sweet treats, like bread, muffins, cookies, or pies.
3. Add cubed butternut squash to stews, curries, chili, sauce, and butternut squash.
4. Raw grated butternut squash holds up well giving that crunchy twist for salads and slaws.

While dietary needs may vary from person to person, one cup of cooked butternut squash, about 205 grams, can count as one serving of vegetables. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends half your plate be fruits and vegetables.

Who should avoid butternut squash?

Butternut squash is a wholesome food due to its potassium content; people on beta-blocker medication or with certain health conditions should consume it in moderation.

Individuals with sensitivities or allergies to the Cucurbitaceae family, which includes several vegetables such as squashes, pumpkins, cucumbers, zucchini, gourds, and melons, should pay close attention to any side effects when consuming butternut squash.

Kidneys help balance the right amount of potassium in the blood. If you have kidney problems and consume high amounts of potassium, this could also lead to hyperkalemia.

Final word

Butternut squash is a versatile and nutritious food containing vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. Adding butternut squash may contribute to a healthy diet and support overall well-being.

While eating butternut squash is safe for most people, it is best to consult with a healthcare professional before adding this vegetable to your diet if you are sensitive to certain foods.