The only butter you should be eating...Butternut Squash!

Sorry folks, there isn't any butter in butternut squash. (Heavy sigh).

However, this vegetable - technically a fruit because it contains seeds - is very nutrient dense and an extremely tasty addition to your autumn meals.

Butternut squash is a winter squash and is part of the gourd family, along with pumpkin (which I also love). It gets its rich golden color from beta-carotene, which is commonly referred to as Vitamin A. Vitamin A can function as an antioxidant, but it's best known function is in maintaining healthy vision. The body converts the carotenoids found in foods such as butternut squash to retinol. Retinol binds to a protein in the body called opsin (think "optical" = eye), and thus forms rhodopsin. Rhodopsin allows you to see at night by enabling rod cells (in the eyes) to detect very small amounts of light. Long term Vitamin A deficiency can lead to xeropthalmia, which can cause permanent blindness (eek!!!).

Don't fear, though. Raw butternut squash contains about 400% of the recommended amount of Vitamin A for every 100 grams. Since most of us don't weigh our food or can guess what 100 grams looks like, imagine if you cut up a raw butternut squash into cubes and placed them in a measuring cup. 100 grams would fill up about 1/2 the cup.

Oh, and you most certainly can overdose on Vitamin A, in fact, Vitamin A is one of the worst vitamins to take too much of. Why, may you ask? The reason is because vitamin A must be metabolized through the liver, and too much vitamin A can cause serious, serious, serious liver problems. You'll be fine so long as you don't a)take individual vitamin A supplements that exceed the upper limit established and/or b)eat EXCESSIVE amounts of vitamin A rich foods (please don't eat 3 whole butternut squashes in one sitting. Please.)

Why else do I LOVE butternut squash? It also has vitamin C and fiber. Vitamin C is an antioxidant and can help with immune function, and fiber is our friend because it keeps up regular and feeling full.

Bottom line? Tis the season for squash..so eat up! :)