Butternut squash facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cucurbita moschata 'Butternut' |
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Ripe butternut squash
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| Species | Cucurbita moschata |
| Hybrid parentage | 'Gooseneck squash' × 'Hubbard squash' |
| Breeder | Charles Leggett |
| Origin | 1940s in Stow, Massachusetts, United States |
Butternut squash is a type of winter squash that grows on a vine. It's also known as butternut pumpkin or gramma in places like Australia and New Zealand. This squash has a sweet, nutty taste, a bit like a pumpkin. It has smooth, tan-yellow skin and bright orange flesh inside. At one end, it holds its seeds. As it ripens, the orange color gets deeper because it's full of something called beta-carotene. This special compound helps your body make vitamin A, which is good for your eyes and skin!
Even though scientists call butternut squash a fruit (like a big berry!), most people use it like a vegetable in cooking. You can roast it, sauté it, or mash it into soups, casseroles, breads, muffins, and even pies. It belongs to the same squash family as other squashes like pumpkin and calabaza.
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 167 kJ (40 kcal) |
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10.5 g
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| Dietary fiber | 3.2 g |
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0.1 g
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Protein
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0.9 g
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| Vitamins | Quantity
%DV†
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| Vitamin A equiv.
beta-Carotene
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70%
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 |
10%
0.124 mg |
| Folate (B9) |
5%
19 μg |
| Vitamin C |
18%
15 mg |
| Vitamin E |
9%
1.29 mg |
| Minerals | Quantity
%DV†
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| Calcium |
4%
41 mg |
| Iron |
5%
0.6 mg |
| Magnesium |
8%
29 mg |
| Manganese |
8%
0.17 mg |
| Phosphorus |
4%
27 mg |
| Potassium |
9%
284 mg |
| Zinc |
1%
0.13 mg |
| Other constituents | Quantity |
| Water | 87.8 g |
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Link to USDA Database entry
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| †Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults. | |
Contents
The Story of Butternut Squash
The word "squash" comes from "askutasquash," a word from the Narragansett people's language. It means "eaten raw or uncooked." The "butternut" part of its name comes from its delicious nutty flavor. While Native American people might have eaten some types of squash raw long ago, today we almost always cook squash before eating it.
Long before Europeans arrived, the type of squash that butternut comes from (called Cucurbita moschata) was grown all over North America. However, butternut squash itself is a newer kind of winter squash. It was created by a person named Charles Leggett in Stow, Massachusetts, in 1944. He carefully bred two different types of squash together: a pumpkin and a gooseneck squash.
What Makes Butternut Squash Healthy?
Baked butternut squash is mostly water, about 88%. It also has carbohydrates (11%) and a little bit of protein (1%). It has almost no fat. If you eat about 100 grams of baked butternut squash, it gives you about 40 calories of energy. It's a fantastic source of vitamin A, providing over 60% of what you need each day! It also gives you a good amount of vitamin C. These vitamins are important for keeping your body strong and healthy.
How We Use Butternut Squash
Keeping Butternut Squash Fresh
Butternut squash tastes best when eaten about 3 to 6 months after it's picked. To keep them fresh, store them in a cool place, around 10 degrees Celsius, with some humidity. For the very best flavor, it's good to let them "cure" for about two months after harvest. Curing means letting them sit for a while to develop their full sweetness and flavor.
Cooking with Butternut Squash
One of the most popular ways to prepare butternut squash is baking. Once it's cooked, you can enjoy it in many different dishes. To prepare it, you usually remove the skin, the stem, and the seeds. However, the seeds are actually edible! You can eat them raw or roasted for a crunchy snack. The skin also softens when roasted, so you can eat that too.
You can even roast the seeds and press them to make butternut squash seed oil. This oil is great for roasting, cooking vegetables, drizzling on popcorn, or making a tasty salad dressing.
In Australia, people often call butternut squash a "pumpkin" and use it just like other types of pumpkin in their recipes.
In South Africa, butternut squash is very common. People often make it into a warm soup or grill it whole. When grilled, it's usually seasoned with spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. Sometimes, it's even stuffed with yummy fillings like spinach and feta cheese, then wrapped in foil and grilled. Grilled butternut squash is a popular side dish for "braais," which are South African barbecues. The soup is often served as a starter.
Butternut squash became available in stores in New Zealand in the 1950s. It was introduced by brothers Arthur and David Harrison, who worked in plant nurseries and grew vegetables for markets.
Butternut Squash in Music?
Believe it or not, butternut squash can even be used to make music! Some special groups, like the London Vegetable Orchestra, create musical instruments from vegetables. They might use zucchini as trumpets, butternut squash as trombones, pumpkins as drums, and aubergines as castanets. It's a fun and creative way to use these amazing plants!
See also
