Organic winter squash is a nutritional "best bet"-provided you introduce it to your baby in the right way, at the right time.
Editor's Note: Read this article carefully for age and feeding guidelines.
Nutritional Profile
While varieties of orgnic winter squash abound from early fall to late winter, these great gourds-popular since the Pilgrims' days-are available year-round, according to Irena Chalmers, author of The Great Food Almanac.
Check your farmer's market or regular shopping venues for:
- Acorn squash
- Butternut squash
- Delicata squash
- Hubbard squash
- Delicious squash
- Banana squash
- Spaghetti squash
- Golden nugget squash
- Turban squash
"Winter squash, like most yellow and orange vegetables, is rich in beta-carotene-a powerful antioxidant shown in some studies to be protective against cancer, heart disease, macular degeneration and other degenerative diseases," says Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN, a certified clinical nutritionist and author of The Whole Soy Story.
"Because beta-carotene is a fat-soluble vitamin, the squash should be eaten with fat in order to properly absorb it," she tells OrganicBabyStyle.com. "Because the human body can convert beta-carotene into vitamin A in the upper intestine, many dietitians consider beta-carotene and vitamin A to be interchangeable."
Squash is also low in calories: less than 50 calories per half-cup serving, according to registered dietitian Cindy Heroux, owner of the consulting firm Speaking of Wellness in Orlando, Florida, and author of The Manual That Should Have Come With Your Body. It is low in sodium, a good source of potassium and often high in calcium (depending on variety), she says.
Important Health Note
Do not make your own baby food with winter squash until your infant is at least 10 months old. Infants cannot easily convert beta-carotene to vitamin A. They also lack the stomach acids required to break down nitrates-naturally occurring chemicals found in winter squash that can lead to a potentially fatal condition known as "blue baby syndrome." This illness is actually a form of anemia that causes infants to become "cyanotic" (turn blue, hence the name).
Jarred squash, such as Gerber's Tender Harvest Organic Pears & Winter Squash and Gerber's Tender Harvest Organic Butternut Squash & Corn, as well as Earth's Best Winter Squash, is perfectly fine after the age of 6 months.
As your baby reaches the 10-month mark, you can facilitate the conversion of beta-carotene into vitamin A by serving fresh organic winter squash with butter (the fat to which Dr. Daniel refers).
Always talk to your doctor before making major food changes as your baby develops.
Fresh or Frozen?
Frozen organic squash is a fine alternative for infants 10 months and older. While vegetables are most nutritious when freshly harvested, winter squash is different.
"Mother Nature packages it in a tough skin, making it ideal for long-term winter storage," Dr. Daniel says.
Nonetheless, she recommends buying fresh squash whenever possible.
"The only advantage I could see in frozen squash would be for the consumer who finds the tough skin challenging and would risk personal injury while cutting or peeling the squash," she says.
"Frozen is fine-as long as we are talking about plain squash, with no added ingredients," Heroux tells OrganicBabyStyle.com "Most vegetables are frozen within hours of harvest, which protects the nutrients from degrading. They may actually contain more nutrients than fresh if the 'fresh' versions have been picked far in advance, transported long distances and spent days at the grocery store or in your refrigerator."
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