Spaghetti squash is a vegetable that is shaped like a solid cylinder with a thick skin. It weighs an average of 4 to 8 pounds with a color that is either yellow or slightly orange. Each pound will yield a little more than one cup. The peak season for spaghetti squash is early fall until winter. It can be frozen after it's cooked. Spaghetti squash is a good food to add to your diet because it is rich in nutrients and low in calories.
Nutrient Rich
Spaghetti squash is full of healthy nutrients that the body needs each day. In one cup of spaghetti squash you will get 3 three percent of the daily requirement of vitamin A, iron and calcium; 8 percent of the amount of vitamin B-6 you should have; and 9 percent of the recommended dose of vitamin C. A serving even contains a gram of protein.
Extra Beta Carotene
The typical spaghetti squash is pale in color, between a light ivory and a dull yellow. Orangetti is a newer version that is more orange in color. It was developed in the 1990s and still available in markets. This type of spaghetti squash is even higher in beta carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. Beta carotene is an antioxidant and may boost the immune system.
Dieter's Dream
Eating spaghetti squash won't wreck your diet. A cup of the cooked squash has only about 40 calories. Spaghetti squash does have some carbohydrates and natural sugar, but only a small amount. It contains no fat. Just remember that calories and fat will increase if you add butter, oils or sauces when you prepare it.
Considerations
This squash has been given the name spaghetti because after it is cooked you can used a fork to pull off strands that look like spaghetti. Spaghetti squash can be served the same way you would serve spaghetti, with a marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese. You can also serve it as you would a vegetable -- baked, boiled or microwaved. It can be eaten with salt, pepper and butter or it can be prepared as a casserole side dish.
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