As the weather cools off, butternut squash takes center stage in the produce section of grocery stores. And many people look forward to enjoying foods like butternut squash soup or roasted winter veggies.
Not only delicious and comforting, it’s also packed with nutrition. It has an impressive amount of beta-carotene and other antioxidants that can help prevent chronic diseases and support other facets of health สมัคร UFABET
Here are the benefits, plus its nutrition facts, risks, and uses.
1. Promotes Eye Health
Butternut squash contains nutrients that are beneficial for your eyes, particularly vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene. It’s what gives butternut squash its orange color.
Vitamin A is a key component of rhodopsin—a protein in your retina. It’s also important for the conjunctival membranes and cornea to function normally.
Furthermore, beta-carotene—a form of provitamin A that’s also an antioxidant—helps prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Besides vitamin A, butternut squash also contains vitamin C. Another antioxidant that can help prevent and treat early AMD. Interestingly, some of the highest concentrations of vitamin C in your body are found in your eyes. Researchers believe that eating more dietary vitamin C (as opposed to taking supplements) may lower the risk of developing cataracts. But more research is necessary to confirm this.2
Another antioxidant found in butternut squash, vitamin E, may also prevent and treat early AMD. It can also prevent oxidative stress linked with eye diseases like cataracts.3
The research is largely inconclusive on whether supplementation of any of these nutrients individually helps prevent these eye diseases. So getting them in through foods is especially important.
2. Reduces Chronic Disease and Cancer Risk
Butternut squash is a plant food packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. As a result, it may help prevent against chronic disease.
Fiber is a nutrient many Americans don’t consume enough of, yet it’s associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and better blood sugar control.
Meanwhile, the antioxidants in butternut squash can protect against oxidative stress. Which is linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer, neurological diseases, respiratory diseases, and more.
For example, a large meta-analysis found that higher dietary intake of beta-carotene was linked to reduced risk of lung cancer for non-smokers. Additionally, an umbrella review of dozens of studies found that vitamin C intake was linked to reduced risk of various cancers and cardiovascular disease.