Did you know that eating summer squash or yellow squash could help boost your heart health? Did you know that this bright yellow fruit can add the much needed essential nutrients to your diet? Well, it’s true! Apart from these, summer squash comes with a host of other benefits.

Would you like to more? Keep reading.

What Is A Summer Squash?

Summer squash is the name of a fruit from the Curcubita family. The summer squash is a cousin of the pumpkin. It is an undeveloped squash, and the rind is more tender than other squashes. Summer squashes are bright yellow in color, and many people use them to cook some delicious recipes all around the world.

Summer squashes include:

• Pattypan squash (Scallop squash)
• Yellow crookneck squash
• Tromboncino or Zucchetta
• Zucchini (courgette)

Benefits Of Summer Squashes:

Summer squashes have many health benefits, and some of the important ones are as follows:

1. Vitamin-Rich:

Summer squash is especially rich in vitamins like Vitamin C, Vitamin A and other minerals like magnesium, folate, copper, riboflavin, and phosphorus. It has a high concentration of carotenoids, like beta-carotene. Summer squash also contains a high amount of potassium and manganese, which help balance fluids and process glucose. Summer squash is rich in other essential nutrients like dietary fiber as well.

2. Alleviates PMS Symptoms:

Summer squash is a rich source of the mineral manganese. Manganese helps reduce the symptoms of PMS and women who include it in their diet experience lesser cramps and fewer mood swings than women who don’t consume summer squash. So, you know what you need to add to your lunch-time salad.

3. Heart Health:

Summer squash is low in fat and contains no cholesterol. Fat and cholesterol usually lead to heart problems. So, including summer squash in your diet reduces your chances of contracting heart attack and stroke.

The nutrients present in summer squash also make it an effective agent for promoting heart health. Magnesium lowers blood pressure while beta-carotene and vitamin C prevent cholesterol oxidation. As cholesterol oxidizes and lines the arteries, consuming summer squash can directly reduce your chances of contracting atherosclerosis. The folic acid level of summer squash helps reduce chemicals like homocysteine. Homocysteine might increase your risk of contracting heart disease or stroke.

While the nutrients contribute to your heart health, summer squash’s high fiber level also helps lower cholesterol levels in your body. So, you are eating something that clears cholesterol in your arteries and keeps you healthy.

4. Low-Calorie Count:

Summer squashes are low in calories. The carbohydrate content is also quite low. Moreover, it does not contain any cholesterol. So, if you are looking to get into shape, summer squash is the best choice for you.

5. Prevents Cancer:

Summer squashes are rich in antioxidants. They contain high amounts of vitamins A and C, which help purge damage-inducing and cancer-causing free radicals from your body. The high beta-carotene content protects your body from dangerous chemicals and carcinogens. The high Vitamin C levels also slow the aging process and inhibit cancer cell growth.

6. Colon Health:

The high-fiber content of summer squash makes it an excellent agent for removing toxins from your body. It is a good bulking agent, which helps push the stool through the large intestine.

7. Prevents Constipation:

The high-fiber content not only promotes colon health, but also prevents constipation. So, if you are suffering from constipation, have some summer squash.

8. Promotes Eye Health:

Summer squash is rich in vitamin A. The high beta-carotene and lutein levels in summer squash help prevent cataracts and macular degeneration. Thus, if you want to keep your eyesight intact, you might want to include this amazing fruit in your diet.

9. Prostate Health:

Summer squash alleviates the symptoms of a prostate condition benign prostatic hypertrophy, or BPH. BPH patients typically suffer from an enlarged prostate gland, which inhibits urinary and sexual functions in your body.

10. Healthy Bones:

Summer squash’s high manganese and vitamin C content help promote healthy bone development. Manganese helps in the development of bones while vitamin C helps quicken iron absorption that helps develop bone strength. Vitamin C promotes collagen production.
Collagen is the structural protein that provides the framework for the skeleton. Other nutrients like zinc also help prevent the onset of osteoporosis and other bone-related disorders.

If you haven’t cooked summer squash before, you might find it tough doing. But don’t worry! Here are some ideas on how to include summer squash in your diet:

• You can stir-fry summer squash or include it in some casserole
• You can marinate summer squashes and grill them
• You can slice or grate summer squash and add it to your favorite salad
• You can add some summer squash slices and tomatoes to rice to cook it
• Add yellow and zucchini squash to your next vegetable tray
• Grated summer squash makes a good substitute for carrots in a carrot cake.

Pan Grilled Summer Squash Recipe:

If you still can’t seem to cook summer squash, try out this extremely simple, yet wonderfully tasty recipe:

You Will Need:

• Olive oil (1 ½ teaspoons)
• Garlic, one minced clove
• Salt (¼ teaspoons)
• Black Pepper (¼ teaspoons)
• Chopped Onions (2 medium onions)
• Chopped Fresh Basil (one small cup)
• Summer squashes (2, cut in 1 inch diagonal slices)

How To:

1. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the squash slice, onions, and the minced garlic clove.
2. Cook the mix until the slices turn golden brown.
3. Now add the salt and pepper.
4. Let the mix cook for 2 minutes and turn off the heat.
5. Set it out in a bowl and enjoy.

Do you know about any other health benefits of summer squash? Have you tried any recipe of summer squash before? Leave your suggestions and opinions in the box below. We would love to hear from you.

The post 10 Amazing Health Benefits Of Summer Squash appeared first on STYLECRAZE.

by Ameya C via STYLECRAZE