Spaghetti Squash
Jan 18, 2023Spaghetti squash is a winter squash. If the squash was cured before you purchased it, and it likely was, it will stay good for three months or more if it’s then stored in a cool dry place. Curing just means that it was stored for around two weeks in warms air with good circulation.
Spaghetti squash’s texture is different from its other winter cousins in that its texture remains firm even after cooking. Until I first tried spaghetti squash I didn’t think I cared for any winter squash.
Cutting into a spaghetti squash is not unlike carving a pumpkin. You find very similar seeds inside the cavity and experience the same slimy strands between your fingers.
One of the delights of spaghetti squash is, well, its spaghetti-like feature. It is a great heathy substitute for refined flour pasta. It has good natural sources of vitamins A and C, antioxidants, and of course, fiber and much more.
Remember, fiber feeds gut bacteria and binds to and moves toxins. Those suffering from hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, IBS, or constipation greatly benefit from natural fiber. Fiber from whole foods protects the mucosa in the intestines from inflammation, infection, and colon cancer, not to mention, it keeps you regular.
Often this variety of squash is on the sweet side. There are so many ways to dress spaghetti squash! Anything you would toss with pasta, you can toss with spaghetti squash. Even when fully cooked the squash remains firm and a bit crunchy. Its texture is firmer than pasta, which might be an adjustment. It may look like spaghetti, but its texture is not quite the same. Even so, this squash does just fine as a main dish!
Kristi Taylor is a Master Herbalist, Clinical Herbalist and Natural healing Guide®. She endeavors to share her knowledge and passion of natural healing with whomever will listen – because nature’s wisdom never ceases to delight and amaze!
Reference
Desai MS, Seekatz AM, Koropatkin NM, Kamada N, Hickey CA, Wolter M, Pudlo NA, Kitamoto S, Terrapon N, Muller A, Young VB, Henrissat B, Wilmes P, Stappenbeck TS, Núñez G, Martens EC. A Dietary Fiber-Deprived Gut Microbiota Degrades the Colonic Mucus Barrier and Enhances Pathogen Susceptibility. Cell. 2016 Nov 17;167(5):1339-1353.e21. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.10.043. PMID: 27863247; PMCID: PMC5131798.
