Squash (plant)
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 69 kJ (16 kcal) |
| Carbohydrates | 3.4 g |
| - Dietary fiber | 1.1 g |
| Fat | 0.2 g |
| Protein | 1.2 g |
| Water | 95 g |
| Riboflavin (vit. B2) | 0.14 mg (12%) |
| Vitamin C | 17 mg (20%) |
| Potassium | 262 mg (6%) |
| Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. | |
Squashes generally refer to four species of the genus Cucurbita, also called marrows depending on variety or the nationality of the speaker. These species include C. maxima (hubbard squash, buttercup squash, some varieties of prize pumpkins, such as Big Max), C. mixta (cushaw squash), C. moschata (butternut squash), and C. pepo (most pumpkins, acorn squash, summer squash, zucchini).[1] In North America, squash is loosely grouped into summer squash or winter squash, depending on whether they are harvested as immature fruit (summer squash) or mature fruit (autumn squash or winter squash). Gourds are from the same family as squashes. Well known types of squash include the pumpkin and zucchini. Giant squash are derived from Cucurbita maxima and are routinely grown to weights nearing those of giant pumpkins. For more details, refer to list of gourds and squashes.
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Cultivation
Archaeological evidence suggests squash may have been first cultivated in Mesoamerica some 8,000 to 10,000 years ago,[2][3] and may have been independently cultivated elsewhere at a later date.[4] Squash was one of the "Three Sisters" planted by Native Americans. The Three Sisters were the three main native crop plants: maize (corn), beans, and squash. These were usually planted together, with the cornstalk providing support for the climbing beans, and shade for the squash. The squash vines provided ground cover to limit weeds. Weeds can be detrimental to the growing conditions of the squash. The beans provided nitrogen fixing for all three crops.
Summer squashes, including zucchini (also known as courgette), pattypan and yellow crookneck are harvested during the growing season, while the skin is still soft and the fruit rather small; they are eaten almost immediately and require little to no cooking. Winter squashes (such as butternut, Hubbard, buttercup, ambercup, acorn, spaghetti squash and pumpkin) are harvested at maturity, generally the end of summer, cured to further harden the skin, and stored in a cool place for eating later. They generally require longer cooking time than summer squashes. (Note: Although the term "winter squash" is used here to differentiate from "summer squash", it is also commonly used as a synonym for Cucurbita maxima.) The squash fruit is classified as a pepo by botanists, which is a special type of berry with a thick outer wall or rind formed from hypanthium tissue fused to the exocarp; the fleshy interior is composed of mesocarp and endocarp. The pepo, derived from an inferior ovary, is characteristic of the squash family (Cucurbitaceae). In culinary terms, both summer and winter squashes are generally considered as vegetables, even though pumpkin may be used for sweet dishes.
In addition to the fruit, other parts of the plant are edible. Squash seeds can be eaten directly, ground into paste, meal, "nut" butter, even a fine flour, or (particularly for hulless pumpkins) pressed for vegetable oil (e.g. bottle gourd, buffalo gourd, and pumpkin seed oils). The shoots, leaves, and tendrils can be eaten as greens. The blossoms are an important part of native American cooking, and are also used in many other parts of the world. Both the male and female blossoms can be harvested pre- or mid-flower.
Pollination
As with all other members of the family, the flowers come in pollen-bearing male form, and the ovary-bearing female form, with both forms being present on the plant. Squash has historically been pollinated by the native North American squash bee Peponapis pruinosa, and related species, but this bee and its relatives have declined, probably due to pesticide sensitivity, and most commercial plantings are pollinated by European honey bees today. One hive per acre (4,000 m² per hive) is recommended by the US Department of Agriculture. Gardeners with a shortage of bees often have to hand pollinate. Giant squash grown competitively are usually hand pollinated. Flowers are kept closed before and after pollination to prevent cross pollination. Inadequately pollinated female squash flowers will usually start growing, but abort before full development. Many gardeners blame various fungal diseases for the aborted fruit, but the fix proves to be[citation needed] better pollination, not fungicide.
Preparation
Though considered a vegetable in cooking, botanically speaking, squash is a fruit (being the receptacle for the plant's seeds). Squash can be served fresh (in salads) and cooked (squash stuffed with meat, fried squash, baked squash). Small pattypans are good for pickling.
Etymology
The English word "squash" derives from askutasquash (a green thing eaten raw), a word from the Narragansett language, which was documented by Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island, in his 1643 publication A Key Into the Language of America. Similar words for squash exist in related languages of the Algonquian family such as Massachusett.
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Squashes grow hanging from a network of stalks
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A yellow squash
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Petit pan (patty pan) squash
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Delicata squash, also known as Sweet Potato squash
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Various squashes such as Turban, Sweet Dumpling, Carnival, Gold Acorn, Delicata, Buttercup and Golden Nugget.
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Assorted autumn squash on display at the Byward Market, Ottawa, Canada
Uses in art
The squash has been an essential crop in the Andes since the pre-Columbian Era. This pottery was a sacred substance, formed in significant shapes and used to represent important themes. Squash are represented frequently in Moche ceramics.[5]
KALABASA BENEFITS AND NUTRITION Facts
According to BPI, kalabasa is widely used as a vegetable in the Philippines. It is very palatable when baked, boiled, or put in stews. The young shoots and flowers are much used as a green vegetable. The young shoots are excellent sources of calcium, phosphorus, and iron. According to Hermano and Sepulveda they are an excellent source of vitamin B. Nadkarni says that the fruit is largely used by Indians in their curries. It makes an excellent substitute for pumpkin in pies. Analyses of the fairy good source of calcium. According to Hermano it is also a good source of vitamin A.
Nadkarni reports that in India the pulp of the fruit is often used as a poultice for boils, carbuncles, unhealthy ulcers, etc. the dried pulp is a remedy for haemoptysis and hemorrhages from the pulmonary organs, being given in the form of a confection. The part of the fruit-stalk which is in immediate contract with the ripe gourd is removed, dried, made into a paste by rubbing with water, and given as a specific for bite of venomous insects of all kinds, but chiefly centipedes.
According to Planchon and Collin the seeds pulped or in emulsion, are employed as vermifuge. Greshoff tells of the occasional use of the presence of saponin in the seeds. Nadkarni reports that the seeds are given with sugar for tapeworm. They are given at bedtime, and followed next morning with a dose of castor oil. As a diuretic they are given in gonorrhea and urinary diseases. Kirtikar and Basu state that the oil from the seeds is used as a nervine tonic.
Nutritional Value per 100g of Kalabasa
Nutrient Amount
Water 85 – 91 g
Protein 0.8 – 2.0 g
Fat 0.1 – 0.5 g
Carbohydrates 3.3 – 11 g
Vitamin A 340 – 7800 IU
Vitamin B1 0.07 – 0.14 mg
Vitamin B2 0.01 – 0.04 mg
Niacin 0.5 – 1.2 mg
Vitamin C 6 – 21 mg
Calcium 14 – 48 mg
Iron 70.0 mg
Magnesium 16 – 34 mg
Phosphorus 21 – 38 mg
Energy Value 7 – 170 Kj
http://www.foodrecap.net/health/kasabasa-nutrition/
Nutrition Facts for Philippine Squash Seeds
Whether stewed with coconut milk for the popular dish, Ginataang Kalabasa, or baked into cookies with nuts and raisins, squash, or kalabasa, is a versatile part of Philippine cuisine. Many are familiar with the emerald-green or burnt-sienna colored vegetable's supply of vitamins and minerals. However, don't discard those seeds---they hold valuable health benefits as well.
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Background
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Kalabasa (Cucurbita maxima Duchesne), is the Philippine name for squash, which grows in Mindanao, the Cagayan valley and various parts of the country. Traditional remedies include squash pastes for poisonous insect bites and poultices for conditions such as ulcers and boils.
Crop Conditions and Varieties
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The vegetable grows year-round but flourishes in warm, dry climates. The seeds have an oblong shape and are approximately 1.3 cm long. Kalabasas range in colors, sizes and shapes. Some varieties include Batac and Davao Golden.
Kalabasa is a popular warm season crop of the Filipino farmer: It requires minimal upkeep and financial output but yields abundantly. An estimated 2 to 2.5 kg is recommended for planting a hectare (unit of area in the metric system equivalent to 10,000 square meters or 2.471 acres). The average yield per hectare is 50 to 80 tons depending on climate, variety and maintenance, notes Jesse Dagoon in his book "School Gardening and Vegetable Production."
Kalabasa seeds are planted two to three per hill. There are roughly 20,000 hills in a hectare. Once planted, it takes five to seven days for seeds to sprout.
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Kalabasa Health Benefits
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Kalabasa is a source of vitamin A and B. A group of Filipino schoolchildren who consistently ate yellow and green leafy carotene-rich vegetables, such as squash, restored low vitamin A concentrations back to normal levels, according to a 2007 joint study done by Tufts University and the Nutrition Center of the Philippines.
The shoots and flowers of kalabasa contain iron, calcium and phosphorus. A 2000 study by investigators from the University of the Philippines found that spinasterol, an ingredient in squash flowers, halted the occurrence of skin tumors by more than 55 percent.
Kalabasa Seeds Nutritional Value
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Kalabasa seeds are high in essential fatty acids. In addition, they contain saponin, a plant detergent that reduces blood cholesterol and stalls cancer cell growth. As an alternative remedy, the seed's oil serves as a nerve tonic. Kalabasa seeds can be ground into paste or pressed for vegetable oil.
Complementary Medicinal Cure
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The seeds are a diuretic (increases urine excretion) that combats urinary disease and an anthelmintic that rids tapeworms from the body. In his 1980 handbook, "Philippine Medicinal Plants in Common Use: Their Phytochemistry and Pharmacology," medical anthropologist Michael L. Tan indicates that kalabasa seeds can be prepared alone or with sugar water or milk.
Considerations
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Avoid consuming kalabasa if undergoing renal treatment. According to the Philippines' National Kidney and Transplant Institute, eating high phosphorus foods may cause skin itchiness and weaken kidney function for certain individuals. Consult with a physician before consuming kalabasa if you are susceptible to this condition.
http://www.ehow.com/about_6616395_nutrition-philippine-squash-seeds.html
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