# Butternut Squash



## Fit Freak (Jan 17, 2003)

What opinons are out there regarding butternut squash as a carb souce on a cut?  I'm looking for some alternatives to oatmeal and sweet potato for my complex carb sourse.  I prefer not to eat brown rice as I find it doesn't fill me up at all.

Nutritional breakdown per 100 grams is:

Calories - 45
Protein - 1
Fat - .1
Carbs (net) - 11.7

Basically I'm looking to combine about 150 grams with my string beans and of course a protein source such as beef/chicken.  OPINONS???


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## Freeman (Jan 17, 2003)

I have no idea...better relay this one to DP or w8!


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## nikegurl (Jan 17, 2003)

i love spaghetti squash and know that's a good carb source.  not sure about the butternut squash.

here are the numbers for 1 cup spaghetti squash

42 calories
.4 fat
10 carb
2 fiber  
(net carb 8 g)
1 protein


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## P-funk (Jan 17, 2003)

What is a good way to cook squash?


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## tidalwaverus (Jan 17, 2003)

cut it in half remove seeds put it upsidedown in a glass pan with 1 cup of water and bake at 350 for 30 mins. then add butter UMMMMMMMMM


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## P-funk (Jan 17, 2003)

> cut it in half put it upsidedown in a glass pan with 1 cup of water and bake at 350 for 30 mins. then add butter



Thanks a lot TW.


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## Fit Freak (Jan 17, 2003)

I just cut it into cubes, peel it, and boil it.....then mash it.  Stores great in the fridge for a few days.

Thanks Nikegurl....my thought is that's it's ok too.  BTW...I've heard of spaghetti squash but what does it look like?  Butternut squash is lightish orange/yellow and resembles the shape of a bowling pin....just in case you deide to look for it in the grocery store.


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## tidalwaverus (Jan 17, 2003)

also forgot to tell you to cover it too 

try it but go lt. on the butter


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## P-funk (Jan 17, 2003)

I think but I am not 100% positive but I though I saw it some were that squash is a starch and has a GI closer to that of a baked potato instead of the lower GI carbs like sweet potatos or oatmeal.  Does anyone now this for sure.  I would love some squash!


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## Fit Freak (Jan 17, 2003)

Squash is a starch but so too are sweet potatos....IMO...the glycemic index is "often" overrated since it measures the bodies response to that carb alone.  When we combine protein and fats with the carb the GI changes significantly.  That being said I feel the GI is more relevant when you're eating something on it's own...say like an apple for a snack instead of a banana.

You are right though...the GI is a bit high.  BUT....the GI also changes depending on the variety of squash.


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## Fit Freak (Jan 17, 2003)

I've beed adding some butternut squash...but only 100-150 grams which equates to about 12-18 grams of carbs.  Combine that with some chicken and vegies and I thinkk it looks good...and keeps some variety in the diet too.


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## P-funk (Jan 17, 2003)

Mixing the starch with some protien and fat is the way to go to slow down the insulin spike.  But I still get nervous about high GI foods on a cut so I will probably leave out the squash until I start bulking or for a carb up.  

Does butternut squash have the lowest GI out of the squashes?


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## Fit Freak (Jan 17, 2003)

Funny you ask...I thought so...but I searched several sources and can't seem to find a source to back up my thought...I'm still looking but if anyone finds its GI...and the GI rating of other varieties of squash...please post and include a link...thx


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## Yanick (Jan 17, 2003)

Source:Mendosa

"But what if the meal contains protein and fat too, as it usually does? How does that affect our mixed meal calculations? 
The conventional wisdom holds that between 50 to 60% of protein becomes glucose and enters the bloodstream about 3 to 4 hours after it's eaten. It's generally accepted that fat has little affect on blood glucose. 

In fact, recent studies indicate that neither protein nor fat have more than a minuscule affect on blood glucose. This seems to be true for people both with and without diabetes. The protein studies are particularly interesting. 

A 50-gram dose of protein (in the form of very lean beef) resulted in only about 2 grams of glucose being produced and released into circulation. Neither does adding protein to carbohydrate slow the absorption or peak of the glucose response. 

Fat delays the peak but not the total glucose response, according to these new studies. Therefore, it looks like you can simply ignore protein and fat in mixed meal calculations."


Searchable GI


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## Fit Freak (Jan 17, 2003)

One of the sources I checked was Medosa but I couldn't find Butternut Squash at all....did you see it?


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## Dr. Pain (Jan 17, 2003)

> _*Originally posted by Yanick *_
> Source:Mendosa
> 
> "But what if the meal contains protein and fat too, as it usually does? How does that affect our mixed meal calculations?
> ...



Yan...good post, but I'm gonna have to disagree with the statement.......

When they say 50 grams...the usually mean net weigh....as in 50 grams of of beef, or chicken, or whatever.....not 50 P........so you are actually looking at about 15 P....and at that low level..a level which practically nobody comsumes...there was still a 13% conversion to SG.

Also see:

http://www.teque.co.uk/veganmc/insulin.htm


The way I see it, it's a known empirical fact, fat and fiber do "delay" as mentioned above....but I would amend that to read..."and reduce" the total glucose response.   It is clearly evident in type 2 diabetics (age onset), and even severve hypogylcemics...who take glucometer readings 6 or more times a day....that certain foods and combinations of foods can have a mitigating effect on glucose response 

DP


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## Fit Freak (Jan 18, 2003)

Right on DP....good post 

Correct me if I'm wrong but my understanding of the GI is the effect on blood sugar based on ingesting 50 grams (from carbs) of a particular source.  Therefore you would also look at the effect of 50 grams of protein on the absorption of glucose.  That would be the equivalent of about 8oz or about 250 grams of meat.


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## Yanick (Jan 18, 2003)

DP,

i wasn't really agreeing with that statement.  I just sorta posted to get some replies going.  I actually totally agree with you.  I've never read those studies that Mendosa is talking about, and he doesn't site references.  Which is one of the reasons why i'm a little skeptical of his statement.

I've also read studies showing that fat does slow gastric emptying.  I have also experienced it empirically, like you said.

FF,

I didn't look for the GI of squash, i just posted the link there so people who don't know where to find a GI could have one.


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## Fit Freak (Jan 18, 2003)

Nikegurl....tonight I bought some spaghetti squash....only 7 grams of carbs (net) per 100 gram portion versus 12 grams of carbs per 100 gram serving of butternut squash.  Thanks for the info as I'm now switching over to the spaghetti variety since the carbs are lower...taste is similar


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## Dr. Pain (Jan 18, 2003)

Add 1/2 pound of shrimp, brocoli, onions, sauted in butter & olive oil, w/chrushed red peppers....then simmered with heavy cream and enough parmesan to make a white sauce,  over your SS? 


DP


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## Fit Freak (Jan 18, 2003)

Damn...that sounds good....maybe on my cheat day I'll give that one a try...thx DP


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