What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Butternut Squash Regularly

If you've avoided butternut squash because it's laborious to peel and cut up, you'll be happy to know that grocers have made it easy by offering packages of peeled, cubed squash. This is a good thing, because butternut squash is a popular ingredient in many cold-weather staples, from soups to pasta. And although many people love butternut squash for its bright orange color and mildly sweet, nutty flavor, it also delivers on numerous nutritional perks.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the health benefits of this popular winter squash as well as some tips for incorporating it into your diet.

Why We Love Butternut Squash

It May Help with Weight Management

Adding low-calorie, fiber-rich foods like vegetables to your diet can support weight-loss goals. In addition to its numerous health benefits, fiber makes meals more satisfying by filling you up for longer, so you aren’t reaching for a snack just an hour or two later. Including butternut squash in meals can boost your fiber intake, as one serving of butternut squash provides about 10% of your Daily Value for fiber. Plus, butternut squash has only about half the total carbs of sweet potato, but it has a similar flavor and can be used in many of the same dishes. 

Although there isn’t research directly analyzing butternut squash and weight loss, we know that eating more vegetables can help with weight management. For example, a 2023 research study from Frontiers in Nutrition found that consuming more fruits and vegetables may lead to better success with weight loss, due to the fiber they provide. And consuming a moderate intake of vegetables may also lower the risk of weight gain, according to a 2023 study in Nutrients.

It May Improve Heart Health

Butternut squash is packed with fiber, potassium and vitamins A and C, as well as antioxidants like carotenoids—all nutrients that can reduce your risk of chronic diseases. In fact, diets rich in carotenoids, like the beta carotene in butternut squash, are associated with a lower risk of heart disease, concludes a 2020 review in Antioxidants.

Although most people think of bananas as the premier potassium-rich food, butternut squash actually packs more of this nutrient per serving—493 mg per 1 cup raw butternut squash versus 422 mg in 1 medium banana, per the USDA. Potassium plays an important role in blood pressure management by counteracting the effects of sodium, finds a 2020 review in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

It Might Support Eye Health

Butternut squash is a standout source of vision-protecting nutrients like vitamins A and C. In fact, this orange-hued winter squash provides over 80% of your Daily Value for vitamin A.

One way your body gets vitamin A is through carotenoids, which are the pigments that give these veggies their sunshine hues. There’s an array of different carotenoids, but butternut squash packs specific compounds called lutein, zeaxanthin and beta carotene. A 2020 review in Antioxidants found that this trio may help reduce the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration by counteracting damage from blue or UV light.

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It May Support Immune Function

If cold and flu season has you stocking up on orange juice to boost your immune system, consider adding a butternut squash (or two) to your cart. The vitamins A and C in butternut play an active role in the formation of white blood cells, which work overtime to prevent infection and illness. Although there is still some debate about how effective supplemental vitamin C is when trying to prevent the common cold, there is no harm in adding more vitamin C-rich foods to your diet to support your immune system health.

It Might Improve Digestive Health

Fiber doesn’t just help you feel full—it’s also a nutrient that promotes gut health. Butternut squash provides a combination of soluble and insoluble fiber. Both work together to promote regular bowel movements and keep them soft so they are easier to pass. In addition to better BMs, eating a fiber-rich diet also supports a healthy gut microbiome, finds a 2022 review from Microorganisms. And a healthy gut is key for aging well, according to experts.

Nutritional Information

According to the USDA, 1 cup (140 grams) of cubed raw butternut squash contains:

• Calories: 63
• Carbohydrates: 16 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3 g
• Total Sugar: 3 g
• Added Sugar: 0 g
• Protein: 1 g
• Total Fat: 0 g
• Saturated Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 0 g
• Sodium: 6 mg
• Potassium: 493 mg
• Vitamin A: 745 mcg
• Vitamin C: 29 mg
  

Is Butternut Squash Safe for Everyone?

Butternut squash is generally safe for most people, but there are a few precautions. If you follow a low FODMAP diet, you'll want to test butternut squash by eating just small amounts and seeing how your gut handles it. And while you're probably not going to eat an entire butternut squash in one sitting, if you're on certain blood pressure medications, including beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors, it's a good idea to pay attention to how much dietary potassium you're getting. This is because potassium helps lower blood pressure, so too much of it over time, combined with blood pressure medication, may send your blood pressure too low. And though rare, there is a possibility of a food allergy to butternut squash, so pay attention to any changes in skin and breathing, or gastrointestinal upset after eating butternut squash.

4 Ways to Enjoy Butternut Squash

The mild flavor and beautiful color of butternut squash make it an appealing addition to a variety of dishes. Here are a few ways to enjoy this winter squash.

• Roast it. Roasting butternut squash brings out its natural sweetness and is an amazing addition to salads.
• Blend it. Blending roasted or steamed butternut squash into soup makes the perfect cold-weather dinner.
• Spiralize it. Zucchini isn't the only vegetable that can be spiralized. Butternut squash makes fun, colorful zoodles—or would that be boodles?
• Stuff it. After the seeds are removed from the butternut squash, it leaves the perfect cavity for stuffing. That's exactly what we do with our Cheesy Twice-Baked Butternut Squash.

Butternut Recipes to Try

Slow-Cooker Curried Butternut Squash Soup

4.6

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Burrata

5.0

Butternut Squash Noodles

5.0

Our Expert Take

Butternut squash is a popular winter vegetable that’s beloved for its mildly sweet and nutty flavor that works well in a variety of dishes. It’s also a great source of essential nutrients, from fiber to potassium and vitamins A and C. Use butternut squash in soups, salads and more to reap the potential health benefits of this delicious winter produce staple.