#42 October 2021 Simplify Health News - Healthy Fiber-Rich Fall Choices

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#42 October 2021 Simplify Health News

Healthy Fiber-Rich Fall Choices

Simplify Holistic Nutrition Consulting & Functional Medicine Health and Wellness Coaching

I hope you are doing well, and you have enjoyed this last stretch of gorgeous weather between late Summer and early Fall. What a treat to have blue skies, and sunshine during the day, and sleep with wide open windows at night with cool temperatures. As I am preparing soups for a friend going through a health- crises, I thought about squashes and want to look a little deeper.

Ready to cook? The dense texture and sweet flavor of winter squash make it a much-loved ingredient for soups, roasted sides, and baking.

Squash is very high in fiber, and some studies have shown a link between fiber-rich diets and lower levels of inflammation markers in the blood.

SUMMER SQUASH

It might be surprising to learn that summer squash is a vegetable that ranks quite high on the list of nutrient richness. Several recent studies have focused on one key area in the overall nutrient richness of summer squash— namely, its mineral content. They show this vegetable to be a valuable source of copper, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and iron.

Summer squashes—and especially the yellow-skinned varieties—have long been recognized for their richness in carotenoids. However, the extent of this richness has been underscored in a recent study from Korea. This large-scale study looked at all foods consumed by over 8,000 participants, and then analyzed the percentage of various carotenoids that were provided by each food. (Note that this study did not differentiate between summer and winter squashes, as both were included in the analysis.) For lutein and zeaxanthin, squash emerged at the top of the list, providing 36% of the lutein + zeaxanthin provided by all foods combined! For the carotenoid beta-cryptoxanthin, squash placed second (behind persimmon) with 18% of total daily beta-cryptoxanthin. And for beta-carotene, squash placed third (behind sweet potatoes and carrots) with 9% of total daily beta-carotene. These findings encourage us to remember that when we are thinking about carotenoids and vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes come to mind, we ought not to forget about squashes—including those mildly sweet yellow summer varieties.
While we are on the topic of carotenoids, it is well worth noting a recent study that compared carotenoids in the outer skin versus inner flesh of summer squashes, and enjoyment of whole vegetables including the skin since this part of the food can be uniquely concentrated in nutrients. (This approach is also connected with my recommendation of certified organic vegetables, which are much more likely to have lower levels of unwanted contaminants on their skin.) In this recent study, researchers compared the levels of lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, and total carotenoids in the skin and flesh of summer squashes. Carotenoid richness was typically 2–10 times higher in the skins than in the flesh of 22 different varieties that were analyzed. We view these results as a reminder that the skins of vegetables can be well worth eating, as long as care is taken to select vegetables that have not been exposed to unwanted contaminants during growing or post-harvest. (Whfoods.com George Mateljan)

Photo Credit: The New Fillmore

Photo Credit: This Art Called Life

GINGER TURMERIC BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

This Ginger Turmeric Butternut Squash Soup is extremely healthy and packed full of healing ingredients. It’s low-carb, vegan, and so deliciously bright and warm. It’s the perfect Fall meal to make when you want something warm but not too heavy.

The three main ingredients in this soup- squash, fresh ginger, and turmeric- are extremely healthy, not to mention pair very well together.

Fresh ginger is known to help with digestion and is a natural anti-nausea and anti-inflammatory spice.

By now, everybody is talking about the health benefits of turmeric floating around the internet. It can help with blood sugar balance, detoxifying the body, and preventing cancer, and even certain kinds of arthritis!

You can roast the seeds like you would pumpkin seeds- a little avocado oil, salt, pepper, cumin, and turmeric, in the oven on parchment paper, and top the soup with them as a garnish.

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash cooked

2 tablespoons fresh ginger peeled and chopped

1 onion diced

1 tablespoon Avocado Oil

2 cups chicken broth (bone broth for more health benefits) or vegetable broth, for vegetarian/vegan

15 oz. canned coconut milk

Himalayan Sea salt to taste

black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

Instructions:

In a large pot, sautee the ginger (2 tablespoon) and diced onion in Avocado oil (1 tablespoon) over medium heat until softened (about 3 minutes).

Add the stock (2 cups), bring to a boil.

Add the cooked butternut squash.

Stir in the can of coconut milk.

Season with salt, pepper, and turmeric (1 teaspoon).

Use an immersion blender to blend to a smooth puree. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Serve topped with roasted seeds and/or fresh cilantro, if desired.

Please see all foods that the new FIT 176 Test tests for on my home page. It tests for Butternut Squash, Summer Squash, and Zucchini.

If you have the interest to find out the foods that you are sensitive to and react with an inflammatory response, please find all 3 FIT tests that I am currently using under 'Services.'

I wish you all a happy and healthy October. Please contact me with questions about your Health in relation to the food choices you are making every day.

My clients are asking more and more about my knowledge on certain medical conditions and the matching beneficial or damaging foods. I am in my 18th year of studying and continue eagerly to keep up with evolving research. Please reach out and take advantage of my expertise. I am looking forward to hearing back from you.

In Health and Happiness,

Silke