#SPAGHETTI SQUASH NUTRITION HOW TO#

I used to be intimidated by items like squash at the grocery store because I never knew how to prepare them the “right” way. Or, create a yummy dish like the one below! But for others, the flavor might be too bland and need the addition of marinara sauce. Roast the seeds of the squash and use them for a salad topping.If they’ve never tasted it before, the first thing people usually ask me about spaghetti squash is, “Does it really taste like spaghetti?” To me, the answer is yes: a little like angel hair pasta because it is thin, fragile and stringy.Top the shreds with chili, onions, and cheddar.Add the shreds instead of rice or noodles to your favorite homemade vegetable soup.Make an Asian cuisine-inspired soup by adding shreds, mushrooms, and green onions to ginger-flavored broth.

#SPAGHETTI SQUASH NUTRITION FULL#

Top the shells full of shreds with your favorite pizza ingredients and mozzarella for easy pizza bowls.Make burrito bowls by piling the shreds into the shells and topping with taco meat, black beans, and salsa.Serve the shreds of spaghetti squash with marinara sauce (with or without meat).The shreds are delicious served plain, but many people use them as pasta substitutes. You can use the scraped shells as serving dishes. How to Prepare Spaghetti SquashĪfter cooking your spaghetti squash, use a fork to shred the flesh. Use a heavy chef's knife and don't try to cut through the squash’s tough stem. If you choose this method, be sure to rest the squash on a thick kitchen towel to keep it from rolling. Some people prefer to oven roast squash halves for a faster cook time and a bit of caramelization. After the cooking time is up, let the squash rest a bit before cutting into it. Any time you cook one whole, you need to poke a few holes in the shell to let the steam escape. You can also cook a whole spaghetti squash in a pressure cooker or a slow cooker with a little water. For that reason, some people roast them whole in the oven. It offers fair amounts of these nutrients:Ĭutting a spaghetti squash can be hazardous because the shell is so hard. Spaghetti squash contains a wide spectrum of vitamins and minerals, although not in large amounts.

As a low-calorie food, spaghetti squash is also less likely to promote tooth decay than starchy or sweet foods. Winter squash varieties contain good quantities of Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Vitamin A contributes to the health of the salivary glands and tissues in the mouth. Vitamin C is necessary for healthy gums, and a lack of it can lead to tooth loss. Vitamins A and C are vital for good dental health. The vitamin C in spaghetti squash also has antioxidant qualities.

Beta-carotene is an antioxidant, so it can protect cells from damage, including cell damage that may lead to cancer.

People need between 21 and 38 grams of fiber per day.Īs you might guess from its yellow color, spaghetti squash contains beta-carotene, the substance that makes carrots orange. Good bowel function means a lower risk of hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, and colorectal cancer. Fiber in the diet contributes to colon health by increasing the regularity of bowel movements. It has over 2 grams per serving, which is more than regular pasta but not as much as many other vegetables. To get the maximum value from vegetables, eat them without added oils.īecause of the appearance of spaghetti squash, you might assume that it is rich in fiber. Maintaining a healthy weight can improve many conditions, including diabetes and heart disease. Since people use it as a substitute for high-calorie foods, it can be a valuable part of a weight-control regimen. Health BenefitsĪlthough it would be inaccurate to describe spaghetti squash as a powerhouse of nutrition, it does have some health benefits: Its botanical name is Cucurbita pepo, but some people call it vegetable spaghetti, vegetable marrow, or squaghetti. It was popular in Asia for many years before catching on in the United States around 1980. This vegetable is native to the Americas, and was later taken to countries all around the world by European explorers. The yellow flesh of the spaghetti squash contains many nutrients. When cooked, this large, hard-shelled squash yields long strands that many cooks use as a low-calorie alternative to pasta. Spaghetti squash is a variety of winter squash, although it is ready for harvest in early autumn.

Spaghetti squash nutrition