RD FIT LIFE

What’s the Deal With Spaghetti Squash?

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One question I get often is “what’s the deal with spaghetti squash?”  Is it good or bad?  And is it REALLY better than pasta??

 

So here is what I know about spaghetti squash as well as my opinion on the matter!

Spaghetti squash is technically a fruit (we use as a winter vegetable) and is used in place of pasta often due to its stringy consistency.  It can be baked, boiled, steamed or my favorite, microwaved (just because its quicker).

So for the first question:

IS IT GOOD OR BAD?

I think it is a great food to choose when finding a pasta replacement.  Here is a side by side of the nutrition analysis for spaghetti squash vs. plain cooked pasta.

Spaghetti Squash VSAs you can see above with my analysis from the USDA Food Database, spaghetti squash is a way to get more food for less calories and carbohydrates.

Pasta is very starchy and high calorie.  It tends to spike blood glucose levels in diabetics and increase weight in the average American.  A serving of pasta is usually around 1/2 cup cooked.  It is rare that only a 1/2 cup of pasta is used during an entire meal.  Usually when pasta is cooked, it is used as a filler being the largest portion on the plate.

Spaghetti squash however is very low calorie, contains lots of vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber!  It should prevent the roller coaster blood sugar spikes especially when prepared with a protein.

So to answer the last question:

IS IT REALLY BETTER THAN PASTA?

My opinion is yes!

It is low calorie, all natural, loaded in nutrients and is so easy to make!

So here is a quick tutorial on how to make your spaghetti squash fast!

First slice it in  half and remove the inside pulp/seeds with a spoon.

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Then you’ll want to put the halves on a plate and cover with plastic wrap.  Put them in the microwave for about 10-12 minutes depending on the size of your squash.

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Once your time is up, touch your squash with a utensil to see if it is soft.  Don’t use your fingers because it should be VERY hot.  If it is, you’re ready for the next step!

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Begin scraping the insides of the squash with a fork to remove your spaghetti squash.  This helps keep the squash stringy.  And once you’re done scraping, you are ready to serve!

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Spaghetti squash is a great way to still have that “pasta feel” in a healthier way.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and learned something new!  Please feel free to share this post using the social media icons below!

Garlic: What are the Health Benefits?

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Garlic is a species within the onion genus (Allium) and is closely related to shallots, leeks and chives.  During the autumn season, garlic cloves are planted and will be harvested in early spring.  Here is a photo of our harvested garlic this spring.

garlic

Garlic has been known to be used in cooking and medicinally.  For cooking, it adds a spicy and very bold flavor to foods.

Medicinally, we have always heard that it could be used for heart health.  But why is that?  And is that all it could be used for?  Let’s take a look.

The active ingredient in garlic that everyone is so interested in is called allicin.

Medicinal uses for garlic (allicin):

1.  There are studies that show using allicin for treatment of hyperlipidemia in mice reduces the fatty streaks (atherosclerosis) and can also reduce platelet aggregation.

2.  Allicin is also well know for lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol which puts you at lower risk for heart attack or stroke.

3.  While taking allicin, immune function of lymphocytes in cancer patients improved, production of carcinogens were inhibited and tumor sizes were reduced.

4.  Free radicals that may damage endothelial cells may be stopped by aged garlic extract!  This means garlic may help with diseases that hurt your endothelial cells like atherosclerosis, diabetes and inflammatory diseases.

 

GARLIC NUTRITION:

Serving: 1 clove (3 g)

Calories: 4

Protein: 0.14 g

Carbohydrate: 0.99 g

Fat: 0.02 g

 

Conclusion:

Garlic is only beneficial to your health.  It has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and reduces inflammation of the endothelial cells.  What that means is that it reduces swelling of the cells that line your blood vessels which allows better blood flow.  So your blood vessels are not so constricted and the opportunity for plaque build up is reduced.

Every chance I get, I add it to recipes.  Not only for all the health benefits, but for the savory and spicy flavor!