The Origins of Squash

Squash, which is a flowering plant (family of Cucurbitaceae), is defined as a vegetable, but is botanically seen as a fruit due to the number of seeds it contains.

But what is the advantage? 

Squash is an ingredient which will allow you to create both sweet and savory plates!

Squash originates from Mexico and Central America, where it was originally cultivated by indigenous people, however, discovered by European settlers just after 1942. The Hubbard Squash, named by Lady Elizabeth Hubbard in the 19th century, is the best-known American squash.

How many types of Squash are cultivated worldwide?

In total there are more than 30 different types of squash, which all vary in different sizes, shapes, colors, methods of cultivation and preparation.

The families of squash can be divided into two types: summer and winter. Summer squashes are plants that grow quickly and produce small fruits which come in diverse shapes and colours which ranges from yellow to green. Examples that we all know in the summer squash family are zucchini and yellow crooked squash!

However, on the other hand, pumpkin and butternut squash are both part of the winter squash family! They are vine plats that produce large fruits which can be stored for longer than the average summer squash.

What is the difference between Pumpkin and Butternut Squash?

The most renowned winter squashes are Pumpkin and Butternut Squash. Although they share some features, at the same time they represent two distinct varieties. 

Pumpkin

Pumpkin is often seen by many cultures as the symbol of Halloween. It is a rounded fruit, colored yellow-orange. It is made out of 90% of water. What most people do not know is that there are more than 45 types of pumpkins, which can be cultivated on every continent (besides Antarctica). 

The main health benefits of pumpkins are:

1. Beta-carotene (that gives the orange color to the pumpkin), which helps to protect against asthma and heart disease.
2. It contains vitamin C and potassium, which supports the health of your heart.
3. Additionally, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Beta-carotene help sustain eye health and also help prevent degenerative damage in elderly people.

Curious about what pumpkin was used for in the past? 

It has ancient origins! Pumpkin seeds used to be consumed by the Aztecs as a satiating snack. However, other indigenous populations used the pumpkin pulp as a medical mixture, which focussed on alleviating burns.

So what we have in common with history is that, as we did in the past, we have never stopped consuming every part of the pumpkin: from the skin to pulp, the whole pumpkin is edible.

Butternut Squash

A fruit that reminds you of a bell, colored in a cream skin, with yellowish or orange pulp. But what are the most important health benefits of butternut squash?

• Vitamin A and Vitamin C are the first important antioxidants that help protect cells from damage caused by unstable molecules. They also help in slowing down the ageing process, and support the growth of tissue like skin and hair! Lutein and Zeaxanthin, the which are the other two antioxidants, also support eye health.
• The high quantity of fiber found in butternut squash helps to prevent constipation.
• Potassium helps in preventing higher blood pressure, and with other elements such as Magnesium, Manganese, and Calcium, they all play a key role in improving your bone density.

But how can you store Butternut Squash? It is advised to store butternut squash in a cool, dry and dark place away from fruits that will ripen quickly, for instance apples. Apples when ripening release ethylene gas which can affect the butternut squash, which will lead to the rotting of your butternut squash. Also ensure good air circulation, however do not refrigerate!

Healthy recipe with Squash

Here is a healthy recipe from The Longevity Diet book:

Pumpkin Soup with croutons

• Pumpkin or squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped (300 g)
• Olive oil (12 ml/1 tbsp)
• Chili flakes (optional)
• Parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Croutons (40 g)
• Pumpkin seeds (9 g/1 tsp)

Instructions:

1. Boil the pumpkin or squash in salted water. 
2. Once cooked, drain the water. 
3. Add the oil, chili flakes, onion, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. 
4. Stir well. 
5. When soup reaches the desired consistency, puree it with a hand blender.
6. Serve in a bowl garnished with croutons and pumpkin seeds.

Alternative: You can also try the tasty Butternut Squash soup, which can be found in our ProLon® 5-Day.

Butternut Squash and the link with our ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet 

Butternut squash is a key ingredient in our second version of the ProLon® 5-Day. Being a key component of our 4 soups, the fruit provides our soup with a light orange color, while consisting of a dense consistency which can be compared to pureed soup. And let us not forget the sweet and nutty flavor that can be found on plate.

Although all of our ProLon® 5-Day soups are dried, our soups still contain all the properties of their ingredients, which when combined with all the different nutrients in our box, will allow for your body to enter the fasting state, in which the process of cellular regeneration and energy boost starts, following an additional 25% of hydration to your skin.

What is mental wellness?

Mental Wellness is “a resource that helps us think, feel, connect and function”.

Although many suggest that we evolved from animals, we are quite different. Our mind allows us to act reasonabily, while still being able to balance it with the rationality of our actions. This is done out of pure primordial instinct. This simply allows us to manage and face a variety of situations, while acting differently to each situation. 

The majority of our actions are conscious, allowing us to know how we will act, as a result of our behaviour. This allows us to often think of alternative solutions to be able to treat a problem or situation from a different perspective.

Why is Mental Wellness important?

Mental wellness is important as it allows us to behave accordingly to everyday circumstances. It also teaches us how to improve the way we act, in order to be able to relate to the world in the future.

Mental wellness is needed to be present in your everyday life, allowing you to actively be the protagonist of your life.

If you feel mentally active, relaxed and good, it will allow you to have control of your own functions. It will allow you to intensely enjoy each moment during the day, as you are only concentrating on the current moment and how you are interacting with the world around you. There is nothing to hinder you.

However, the worst thing for your mental wellness is stress. If you allow stress and bad thoughts relating to stress to take control, you won’t have the chance to be present and live life optimally.

Periods of stress are always creeping around the corner, however it is important to find simple solutions to tackle them consistently.

3 tips to implement to improve your mental wellness

To ensure your mental health, here are some tips which you can implement to your everyday life:

1. Take breaks or pauses during the day, ensuring balance between hectic times and times in which you can rest;
2. Get 7-8 hours of sleep. Make sure to switch off all your electronic devices while you are sleeping, so you can get a good night’s rest;
3. Follow a healthy diet. Healthy food can really help both your body and mental wellness. Nutrients like spinach and nuts, rich in antioxidants, can improve your memory and general concentration!

Mental wellness and the ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet

Thanks to many years of research and development, our products are correctly calibrated with the right amount of fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Five days of our ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet will allow your body to have a break from all the mental heaviness correlating to stress and allow you to better focus on daily activities, which will allow for your mental wellness and clarity to reach its old highs. 

ProLon healthy foods help support mental health and wellness and will get you feeling lighter, more energetic and more concentrated.