Recipe: Risotto with Butternut Squash & Mushrooms

Try this delicious recipe tonight and enjoy all of the healthy benefits of butternut squash and risotto!

Even though butternut squash is technically a fruit because it contains seeds, it is simply delicious in this Risotto recipe! Low in fat, butternut squash delivers an ample dose of dietary fiber, making it an exceptionally heart-friendly choice. It provides significant amounts of potassium, important for bone health, and vitamin B6, essential for the proper functioning of both the nervous and immune systems. The folate content adds yet another boost to its heart-healthy reputation and helps guard against brain and spinal-cord-related birth defects, such as spina bifida.

Squash’s tangerine hue, however, indicates butternut’s most noteworthy health perk. The color signals an abundance of powerhouse nutrients known as carotenoids, shown to protect against heart disease. In particular, the gourd boasts very high levels of beta-carotene, which your body automatically converts to vitamin A.  Beta-carotene has been identified as a deterrent against breast cancer and age-related macular degeneration, as well as a supporter of healthy lung development in fetuses and newborns. What’s more, with only a 1-cup serving, you get nearly half the recommended daily dose of antioxidant-rich vitamin C.

Additionally, the mushrooms in the Risotto are an excellent source of potassium, a mineral that helps lower elevated blood pressure and reduces the risk of stroke. One serving of mushrooms also provides about 20 to 40 percent of the daily value of copper, a mineral that has cardioprotective properties.  Additionally, mushrooms are a rich source of riboflavin, niacin, and selenium. Selenium is an antioxidant that works with vitamin E to protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals.

Shiitake mushrooms have been used for centuries by the Chinese and Japanese to treat colds and flu. Lentinan, a beta-glucan isolated from the fruiting body of shiitake mushrooms, appears to stimulate the immune system, help fight infection, and demonstrates anti-tumor activity.

Parts of this article came from http://www.wholeliving.com/article/power-foods-butternut-squash and http://www.vegetarian-nutrition.info/updates/mighty-mushrooms.php.