Butternut (or butternut), which belongs to the variety of butternut squash , is ideal for warming up on cold winter nights.
Its very sweet taste and its unctuous flesh make it a delicious and comforting dish.
Very low in calories, rich in vitamins and minerals, we urgently adopt this squash from the family of cucurbitaceae to concoct dishes rich in flavor.
Butternut, a vegetable low in calories (but rich in minerals)
Very rich in water , butternut squash accounts for only 45 kilocalories per 100 gram serving.
This true slimming ally is not less tasty. When cooked, we particularly appreciate the sweetness it provides in the mouth because of the very small amount of sugar it contains (only 2%).
In addition, butternut is particularly rich in potassium (308 mg per 100 g), in calcium with 44 mg (5% of recommended daily intake [RDA]), in magnesium with 31 mg (7% of RDA), in phosphorus with 29 mg (4% of RDA) and iron with 0.6 mg (7% of RDA).
Good student, it also contains copper and manganese .
Similarly, this squash is an important source of dietary fiber as it contains about 1.8 g per serving.
Finally, it contains only 1 g of protein per serving, which helps to make it an ideal food in a diet because it provides a large number of minerals without risk of caloric overload.
A squash full of vitamins
Butternut is also very rich in vitamins .
The most represented are vitamin A and vitamin C. In fact, butternut helps to limit the risks of developing certain cardiovascular pathologies , and, more generally, diseases related to aging.
In addition, vitamin C helps reduce lung problems such as asthma.
To a lesser extent, it also contains vitamin E , B1 (thiamine) , B2 , B3 (PP or niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 and vitamin B9 (folic acid) .
Why is butternut orange?
The orange color of this squash is due to its high content of carotenoids , both alpha and beta-carotenes (10 mg per squash).
These compounds have antioxidant properties that make them excellent allies to fight against free radicals , responsible for cellular aging.
How to cook butternut squash?
Butternut squash, which weighs an average of 1.5 kilograms, can be cooked in many ways.
When it is very young (that it has a beautiful beige color), it can be eaten raw and grated to profit optimally from all its nutritive virtues (the bittersweet and a bit bitter taste can surprise at first). Thanks to its hard skin, this squash is kept for several months if it is kept in a dry and cool place (less than 15 ° C) away from the light (and that as long as the skin remains firm).
Note that the butternut flower is also edible and can be eaten raw in salad or cooked and stuffed with meat.
Easy to peel, it can also be mashed, pan-fried, au gratin or prepared in soup, just like a potato.
The advantage of butternut is to be naturally sweet and creamy , which avoids having to add cream or butter to give it a velvety texture.
The seeds , raw or roasted, can also decorate dishes .. These are particularly rich in zinc and they have diuretic properties .
