By Orly Elhanaty, Dietetic Intern
Looking for an easy-to-make, nutritious meal that is perfect for a chilly winter day? This butternut squash soup, that is full of vitamins, fibers and antioxidants, will be your go to recipe. This soup is healthy and nutritious and can be served for lunch or dinner alike. It is a gluten-free, vegetarian (can also be made vegan) dish, suitable for any occasion! With only 10 ingredients, it’s easy to make, and you can cook a big batch today, and enjoy the soup all week long.
The vegetables in this recipe can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease as well as some cancers through their antioxidant activities. Micronutrients such as carotenoids, flavonoids, vitamin C and folic acid, can reduce oxidative damage and block the actions of carcinogens [i].
Spices are not only used to increase the aroma, flavor, and color of food, but are also considered for therapeutic purposes for their potential prevention of different acute and chronic diseases. Various bioactive compounds of spices are responsible for different types of therapeutic properties, thanks to their antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antitumorigenic, anti-inflammatory, and glucose and cholesterol-lowering properties [viii].
Ingredient Highlights:
Butternut squash: Butternut squash has an orange-colored peel and flesh, a characteristic that is attributed to its’ high carotenoid content. Carotenoids are pigments found in nearly all colored fruits and green leafy vegetables. The consumption of carotenoids has been associated with various health benefits, including improved vision, absorption of iron, immune functions, decreasing inflammation, insulin resistance, and risk of cancer/ heart disease [i, ii, iii]. Butternut squash is also high in fiber, water and low in fat, making an excellent dietary source of nutrients that aids in controlling body weight, reducing cholesterol and triglyceride levels and protecting against chronic diseases [ii, iv, v].
Tip: look for butternut squash that is heavy for its size. The overall size doesn’t matter, as long as it is heavy for its size.
Carrots and Celery: Carrot and celery are part of the root vegetable family. Root vegetables can help to control blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. They contain a lot of fiber. One of their most important features is their high content of carotenoids. In addition, they are rich in vitamin C, therefore, they are a superfood [vi].
Tip: The amount of carotenoids in carrots determines the color of the vegetable. The greater their content, the more intense the color.
Garlic: Garlic is considered a functional spice because of its diverse array of nutritional benefits, phytochemicals, and fiber. It contains high levels of potassium, phosphorus, zinc and more [viii]. Garlic has a wide range of health benefits. It is known to support the function of the immune system. The active compounds in garlic help to reduce high blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels [viiii].
Turmeric and curcumin: Curcumin is the main active component of turmeric. Curcumin has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer effects [x]. Research on the mechanism of action of curcumin reveals that curcumin decreases anti-inflammatory properties and helps to reduce the pain of people who are suffering from arthritis, its antioxidants may help to protect the liver from being damaged by toxins, and it is an effective aid in reducing blood cholesterol. Other possible uses include benefits for cancer and diabetes [ix, x]. The underlying anticancer mechanisms of curcumin mainly depend on the inhibition of cancer cell growth, induction of cancer cell apoptosis, and suppression of cancer cell metastasis [xi].
Tip: Do not take curcumin/turmeric supplements without speaking to your doctor. It is recommended to take this in the food/natural form. By adding black pepper, the bioavailability of curcumin increases significantly. The piperine found in black pepper enhances curcumin absorption, making it more readily available to be used by your body. In addition, the combination of the two enhances their flavor [xii].
Recipe, Serves 8
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/8 tsp of garlic powder or 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 5 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½ inch chunks (about 2 medium butternut squash)
- 5 large carrots, peeled and cut into ¼ inch chunks
- 5 celery ribs, cut into ¼ inch chunks
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 10 cups water
- 1 tsp curcumin
- Pinch of saffron threads (optional)
- Greek yogurt or non-dairy yogurt (optional)
Instructions:
1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until golden brown, about 7 min. Add the garlic powder/cloves and sauté for another 5 min. Add the butternut squash, carrots and celery. Place a lid on the pot and allow the vegetables to cook for 20 min.
2. Add the salt, pepper, water and saffron, stir to combine all the seasonings and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are soft (about 30 min; Stir occasionally).
3. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the soup to cool for 10 min. Puree the soup, while in the pot, using an immersion blender (if one is not available, allow the soup to completely cool down and puree in small batches in a blender).
4. You can add a spoon of Greek yogurt and a pinch of saffron as topping before serving.
5. You can transfer the soup to another pot and reheat before serving. In addition, you can ladle the soup into individual serving bowls and reheat every portion before serving.
References:
[i] AICR/WCRF. Diet, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Cancer: A Global Perspective, 2018.
[ii] Gómez-Caravaca AM, et al. Simultaneous determination of phenolic compounds and saponins in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) by a liquid chromatography—diode array detection—electrospray ionization—time-of-flight mass spectrometry methodology. J Agric Food Chem 2011;59:10815-10825.
[iii] Man S, et al. Chemical study and medical application of saponins as anti-cancer agents. Fitoterapia 2010;81:703-714.
[iv] Fan, N., Fusco, J. and Rosenberg, D. (2023) “Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Walnut Constituents: Focus on Personalized Cancer Prevention and the Microbiome”, Antioxidants, 12(5), p. 982. doi: 10.3390/antiox12050982. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/12/5/982
[v] AICR/WCRF. Diet, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Cancer: A Global Perspective, 2018.
Yerli Filmler SEO hizmetleri ile web sitemizin performansı gözle görülür şekilde arttı. http://royalelektrik.com/esenyurt-elektrikci/
Gizem Filmleri SEO çalışmaları sayesinde daha fazla potansiyel müşteri web sitemize ulaşıyor. http://www.royalelektrik.com/beylikduzu-elektrikci/
What a great post! It is a delight to read because of your extensive research and straightforward explanations. This article taught me a lot, and I will be using it again and again. Your willingness to share your knowledge with us is greatly appreciated.
This really helped me see things from a different perspective.
Suç Filmleri SEO sayesinde Google’da rakiplerimizi geride bıraktık. http://royalelektrik.com/esenyurt-elektrikci/
Hızlı ve güvenilir takipçi Google SEO ile e-ticaret sitemizin satışları ciddi oranda arttı. https://www.royalelektrik.com//esenyurt-elektrikci/
great articlesitus toto Terpercaya
Gerçek kullanıcılar Google SEO sayesinde web sitemin trafiği büyük ölçüde arttı. Kesinlikle öneririm! https://royalelektrik.com/blog/
This answered a lot of questions I had—thanks!
Organik hit satın al SEO çalışmaları sayesinde Google’da daha görünür hale geldik. https://www.royalelektrik.com/beylikduzu-elektrikci/
Anında takipçi SEO optimizasyonu sayesinde daha fazla müşteri web sitemizi buluyor. https://royalelektrik.com//esenyurt-elektrikci/
Üsküdar lavabo gideri açma Gider tıkanıklığını kameralı sistemle buldular ve hiçbir yer kırılmadan açtılar. Çok memnun kaldık. https://followmylive.com/read-blog/1996
Üsküdar Tuvalet açma Lavabo tıkanıklığı için acil olarak çağırdık, anında müdahale ettiler ve sorunumuzu çözdüler. https://ou812chat.com/read-blog/1036
Üsküdar yer süzgeci temizleme Üsküdar tıkanıklık açma servisimiz binalarınızda yaşamış olduğunuz pimaş tıkanıklığı, logar tıkanıklığı, lavabo tıkanıklığı, tuvalet tıkanıklığı ve kanal tıkanıklığı gibi birçok sorununuza uzman ekipleriyle hızlı çözümler üretmektedir. https://ouptel.com/read-blog/10976
Rasakan sensasi paling asik disini big77
Undercut Styles 2024
Plerr Ama Kau Kontol Kuda
Üsküdar gider açma Üsküdar da tuvalet tıkanıklığı yaşadığımızda, bu firma ile iletişime geçtik ve hizmetlerinden çok memnun kaldık. Profesyonel yaklaşımları ve sorunumuza hızlıca müdahale etmeleri bizi gerçekten etkiledi.Teşekkür ederiz! https://felo.denostips.com/read-blog/8923
selamat datang di situs slot terbaik, https://ojs.uninus.ac.id/api/ daftar
This is such a well-rounded post, thanks for the insights!
selamat datang di situs slot terbaik, https://umcced.edu.my/toto/ daftar
You’re so awesome! I don’t believe I have read a single thing like that before. So great to find someone with some original thoughts on this topic. Really.. thank you for starting this up. This website is something that is needed on the internet, someone with a little originality!
I like the efforts you have put in this, regards for all the great content.
selamat datang di situs slot terbaik, https://sih3.kepriprov.go.id/ daftar
selamat datang di bandar togel online terbaik, toto macau resmi dan terpercaya
Great information shared.. really enjoyed reading this post thank you author for sharing this post .. appreciated
List beberapa orang yang ber Pala Botak
This is really interesting, You’re a very skilled blogger. I’ve joined your feed and look forward to seeking more of your magnificent post. Also, I’ve shared your site in my social networks!
This is one of the best explanations I’ve seen on this subject.
I admire your thoughtful approach to the material,
Technoob You’re so awesome! I don’t believe I have read a single thing like that before. So great to find someone with some original thoughts on this topic. Really.. thank you for starting this up. This website is something that is needed on the internet, someone with a little originality!
certainly like your website but you need to take a look at the spelling on quite a few of your posts. Many of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very troublesome to inform the reality nevertheless I will definitely come back again.
I just like the helpful information you provide in your articles
I’m glad I stumbled upon this blog.
selamat datang di bandar togel online terbaik, toto slot resmi dan terpercaya
selamat datang di situs toto slot, toto slot daftar
This was a refreshing take on the topic, thanks!
great articlejembut kuda Terpercaya
great articlejembut kuda Terpercaya
This is a great post, I’ve already recommended it to others.