Butternut squash

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Cucurbita moschata 'Butternut'
Cucurbita moschata Butternut 2012 G2.jpg
Ripe butternut squash
Species Cucurbita moschata
Hybrid parentage 'Gooseneck squash' × 'Hubbard squash'
BreederCharles Leggett
Origin1940s in Stow, Massachusetts, United States

Butternut squash ( Cucurbita moschata ), known in Australia and New Zealand as butternut pumpkin or gramma, [1] is a type of winter squash that grows on a vine. It has a sweet, nutty taste similar to that of a pumpkin. It has tan-yellow skin and orange fleshy pulp with a compartment of seeds in the blossom end. When ripening, the flesh turns increasingly deep orange due to its rich content of beta-carotene, a provitamin A compound. [2]

Contents

Although botanically a fruit (specifically, a berry), butternut squash is used culinarily as a vegetable that can be roasted, sautéed, puréed for soups such as squash soup, or mashed to be used in casseroles, breads, muffins, and pies. It is part of the same squash family as ponca, waltham, pumpkin, and calabaza. [3]

Butternut squash, baked
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 167 kJ (40 kcal)
10.5 g
Dietary fiber 3.2 g
Fat
0.1 g
0.9 g
Vitamins Quantity
%DV
Vitamin A equiv.
62%
558 μg
42%
4570 μg
Thiamine (B1)
6%
0.07 mg
Riboflavin (B2)
1%
0.017 mg
Niacin (B3)
6%
0.98 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)
7%
0.36 mg
Vitamin B6
7%
0.124 mg
Folate (B9)
5%
19 μg
Vitamin C
17%
15 mg
Vitamin E
9%
1.29 mg
Minerals Quantity
%DV
Calcium
3%
41 mg
Iron
3%
0.6 mg
Magnesium
7%
29 mg
Manganese
7%
0.17 mg
Phosphorus
2%
27 mg
Potassium
9%
284 mg
Zinc
1%
0.13 mg
Other constituentsQuantity
Water87.8 g

Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults, [4] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies. [5]

History

The word squash comes from the Narragansett word askutasquash, meaning "eaten raw or uncooked", [6] [7] and butternut from the squash's nutty flavor. Although American native peoples may have eaten some forms of squash without cooking, today most squash is eaten cooked. [7]

Before the arrival of Europeans, C. moschata had been carried over all parts of North America where it could be grown, [7] but butternut squash is a modern variety of winter squash. It was developed by Charles Leggett of Stow, Massachusetts, who, in 1944, crossed pumpkin and gooseneck squash varieties. [8]

Nutrition

Baked butternut squash is 88% water, 11% carbohydrates, 1% protein, and contains negligible fat (table). In a reference amount of 100 grams (3.5 oz), it supplies 167 kilojoules (40 kilocalories) of food energy and is a rich source (20% or more of the Daily Value, DV) of vitamin A (70% DV), with moderate amounts of vitamin C (18% DV) and vitamin B6 (10% DV) (table).

Uses

Butternut squash cut lengthwise showing seeds Cucurbita moschata 'Butternut' 3.jpg
Butternut squash cut lengthwise showing seeds

Storage

The optimal eating period of butternut squash is 3-6 months after harvest. [9] They are best kept at 10 °C (50 °F) with 50 percent humidity. [10] For the best flavor, butternut squash should be left to cure for 2 months after harvest. [9]

Culinary

One of the most common ways to prepare butternut squash is baking. Once cooked, it can be eaten in a variety of ways. The fruit is prepared by removing the skin, stalk, and seeds, which are not usually eaten or cooked. [11] However, the seeds are edible, either raw or roasted, and the skin is also edible and softens when roasted. The seeds can even be roasted and pressed into an oil to create butternut squash seed oil. This oil can be used for roasting, cooking, on popcorn, or as a salad dressing. [12]

In Australia, it is regarded as a pumpkin, and is used interchangeably with other types of pumpkin. [13]

In South Africa, butternut squash is commonly used and often prepared as a soup or grilled whole. Grilled butternut is typically seasoned with nutmeg and cinnamon or stuffed (e.g., spinach and feta) before being wrapped in foil and grilled. Grilled butternut is often served as a side dish to braais (barbecues) and the soup as a starter dish.[ citation needed ]

Butternuts were introduced commercially in New Zealand in the 1950s by brothers Arthur and David Harrison, nursery workers, and Otaki market gardeners.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Cucurbita</i> Genus of herbaceous vines in the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae

Cucurbita is a genus of herbaceous fruits in the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae, native to the Andes and Mesoamerica. Five edible species are grown and consumed for their flesh and seeds. They are variously known as squash, pumpkin, or gourd, depending on species, variety, and local parlance. Other kinds of gourd, also called bottle-gourds, are native to Africa and belong to the genus Lagenaria, which is in the same family and subfamily as Cucurbita, but in a different tribe. These other gourds are used as utensils or vessels, and their young fruits are eaten much like those of the Cucurbita species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spaghetti squash</span> Group of cultivars

Spaghetti squash or vegetable spaghetti is a group of cultivars of Cucurbita pepo subsp. pepo. They are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colours, including ivory, yellow and orange, with orange having the highest amount of carotene. Its center contains many large seeds. When raw, the flesh is solid and similar to other raw squash. When cooked, the meat of the fruit falls away from the flesh in ribbons or strands that look like and can be used as an alternative to spaghetti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acorn squash</span> Type of squash

Acorn squash, also called pepper squash or Des Moines squash, is a winter squash with distinctive longitudinal ridges on its exterior and sweet, yellow-orange flesh inside. Although considered a winter squash, acorn squash belongs to the same species as all summer squashes.

<i>Cucurbita pepo</i> Species of flowering plant that yields varieties of squash and pumpkin

Cucurbita pepo is a cultivated plant of the genus Cucurbita. It yields varieties of winter squash and pumpkin, but the most widespread varieties belong to the subspecies Cucurbita pepo subsp. pepo, called summer squash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zucchini</span> Edible summer squash

The zucchini, courgette or baby marrow is a summer squash, a vining herbaceous plant whose fruit are harvested when their immature seeds and epicarp (rind) are still soft and edible. It is closely related, but not identical, to the marrow; its fruit may be called marrow when mature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calabaza</span> Type of squash

Calabaza is the generic name in the Spanish language for any type of winter squash. Within an English-language context it specifically refers to the West Indian pumpkin, a winter squash typically grown in the West Indies, tropical America, and the Philippines. Calabaza is the common name for Cucurbita moschata in Cuba, Florida, Puerto Rico, Mexico and the Philippines. C. moschata is also known as auyama in Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela; ayote in Central America; zapallo in certain countries of South America; and "pumpkin", "squash", or "calabash" in English-speaking islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kabocha</span> Type of winter squash

Kabocha is a type of winter squash, a Japanese variety of the species Cucurbita maxima. It is also called kabocha squash or Japanese pumpkin in North America. In Japan, "kabocha" may refer to either this squash, to the Western pumpkin, or indeed to other squashes. In Australia, "Japanese pumpkin" is a synonym of Kent pumpkin, a variety of winter squash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squash blossom</span> Edible flowers of Cucurbita species

Squash blossoms are the edible flowers of Cucurbita species, particularly Cucurbita pepo, the species that produces zucchini (courgette), marrow, spaghetti squash, and many other types of squash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pumpkin seed</span> Seeds of pumpkin and similar squashes

A pumpkin seed, also known as a pepita, is the edible seed of a pumpkin or certain other cultivars of squash. The seeds are typically flat and oval with one axis of symmetry, have a white outer husk, and are light green in color after the husk is removed. Some pumpkin cultivars are huskless, and are grown only for their edible seed. The seeds are nutrient- and calorie-rich, with an especially high content of fat, protein, dietary fiber, and numerous micronutrients. Pumpkin seed can refer either to the hulled kernel or unhulled whole seed, and most commonly refers to the roasted end product used as a snack.

<i>Cucurbita moschata</i> Species of flowering plant

Cucurbita moschata is a species originating in either Central America or northern South America. It includes cultivars known as squash or pumpkin. C. moschata cultivars are generally more tolerant of hot, humid weather than cultivars of C. maxima or C. pepo. They also generally display a greater resistance to disease and insects, especially to the squash vine borer. Commercially made pumpkin pie mix is most often made from varieties of C. moschata. The ancestral species of the genus Cucurbita were present in the Americas before the arrival of humans. No species within the genus is fully genetically isolated from all the other species. C. moschata can be hybridized with all other species. It has been suggested that this shows that the species of Cucurbita have diversified more recently than those of related genera such as Cucumis and Citrullus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crookneck squash</span> Cultivar of Cucurbita pepo

Crookneck squash, also known as yellow squash, is a cultivar of Cucurbita pepo, the species that also includes some pumpkins and most other summer squashes. The plants are bushy and do not spread like the plants of winter squash and pumpkin. Most often used as a summer squash, it is characterized by its yellow skin and sweet yellow flesh, as well as its distinctive curved stem-end or "crooked neck". It should not be confused with crookneck cultivars of Cucurbita moschata, such as the winter squash 'Golden Cushaw', or the vining summer squash 'Tromboncino'. Its name distinguishes it from another similar-looking variety of C. pepo, the straightneck squash, which is also usually yellow. There is one similar non-edible C. pepo variety: C. pepo var. ovifera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delicata squash</span> Variety of winter squash

Delicata squash is a variety of winter squash with cylindrical fruits that are cream-coloured and striped in green or orange. As its name suggests, it has characteristically a delicate rind. It is also known as peanut squash, Bohemian squash, or sweet potato squash. It is a very sweet variety with a thin, edible skin and is typically cut into half rounds and roasted. It is a cultivar of the species Cucurbita pepo, which also includes the summer squash varieties pattypan squash, zucchini, and yellow crookneck squash, as well as winter squash varieties including acorn squash, spaghetti squash, and most pumpkins used as Jack-o-lanterns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winter squash</span> Squash harvested and eaten in mature stage; skin hardened into tough rind

Winter squash is an annual fruit representing several squash species within the genus Cucurbita. Late-growing, less symmetrical, odd-shaped, rough or warty varieties, small to medium in size, but with long-keeping qualities and hard rinds, are usually called winter squash. They differ from summer squash in that they are harvested and eaten in the mature stage when their seeds within have matured fully and their skin has hardened into a tough rind. At this stage, most varieties of this vegetable can be stored for use during the winter. Winter squash is generally cooked before being eaten, and the skin or rind is not usually eaten as it is with summer squash.

<i>Cucurbita maxima</i> Species of squash

Cucurbita maxima, one of at least five species of cultivated squash, is one of the most diverse domesticated species. This species originated in South America from the wild subspecies Cucurbita maxima subsp. andreana over 4,000 years ago. Cucurbita maxima, known for modern varieties as Hubbard, Delicious, Marblehead, Boston Marrow, and Turks Turban, originated in northern Argentina near the Andes or in certain Andean valleys. Secondary centers of diversity include India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and the southern Appalachians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pumpkin</span> Category of culinary winter Cucurbita squashes

A pumpkin is a cultivated winter squash in the genus Cucurbita. The term is most commonly applied to round, orange-colored squash varieties, though it does not possess a scientific definition and may be used in reference to many different squashes of varied appearance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red kuri squash</span> Type of winter squash

Red kuri squash is a thin skinned orange colored winter squash, a cultivated variety of the species Cucurbita maxima. It looks like a small pumpkin without the ridges. It belongs to the Hubbard squash group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tromboncino (squash)</span> Cultivar of Cucurbita moschata.

Tromboncino, also known as zucchetta, is a type of squash most often used as a summer squash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honeynut squash</span> Miniature winter squash

Honeynut squash is an interspecific hybrid winter squash cultivar bred from butternut and buttercup squash. It has dark tan to orange skin with orange fleshy pulp. When ripe, it turns from green to a deep orange and becomes sweeter and richer. Honeynut squash has a similar shape and flavor to butternut squash but averages about half the size and is sweeter. It has two to three times more beta-carotene than butternut squash. Honeynut squash can be roasted, sautéed, puréed, added to soups, stews, and braises, and has enough sugar content for desserts.

References

  1. "Commercial production of pumpkins and grammas". Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  2. "Top 5 health benefits of butternut squash". BBC Good Food. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  3. GourmetSleuth. "Butternut Squash". Gourmet Sleuth. Archived from the original on 28 November 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  4. United States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". FDA. Archived from the original on 27 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  5. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Food and Nutrition Board; Committee to Review the Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium (2019). Oria, Maria; Harrison, Meghan; Stallings, Virginia A. (eds.). Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. The National Academies Collection: Reports funded by National Institutes of Health. Washington, DC: National Academies Press (US). ISBN   978-0-309-48834-1. PMID   30844154. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  6. "How Did the Squash Get its Name?". Library of Congress. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 Victor E. Boswell and Else Bostelmann. "Our Vegetable Travelers." The National Geographic Magazine.96.2: August 1949.
  8. Spitza, Ashleigh; Sentinel, Milwaukee Journal (8 November 2017). "Butternut squash a brilliant choice for color and nutrition". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  9. 1 2 "Curing & Storage Chart for Winter Squash | Johnny's Selected Seeds". johnnyseeds.com. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  10. Munro, Derek B.; Small, Ernest (1997). Vegetables of Canada. NRC Research Press. p. 179. ISBN   9780660195032 . Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  11. "Butternut Squash". Veg Box Recipes. 2008. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  12. Bilow, Rochelle. "Butternut Squash Seed Oil Is Exactly What Your Pantry Has Been Missing". Bon Appétit. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  13. "The strange history of the butternut". Farmer's Weekly. 21 September 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2020.