Friday "Food Facts"... Acorn Squash

Acorn Squash

... an edible gourd that grows on a vine. It is considered a winter squash but is of the same family as the summer squash - zucchini. Squash seeds have been found in ancient Mexican archeological digs dating back from somewhere between 9,000 and 4,000 BC. and the term acorn squash first appeared in print in 1937.

...It is also know as the pepper squash or Des Moines and it is the more nutritional dense then any of the other summer squashes. The acorn squash has significant levels of Vitamin C, vitamin A, thiamin, pantothenic, acid, and other B-family vitamins, and it's range of minerals are magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, phosphorous and calcium.

... it is know to give your immune system a boost, improve visual health, skin health, blood pressure, digestion, and strong bones.

Here is a link for recipes and ideas to make with acorn squash - http://www.foodnetwork.com/topics/acorn-squash-recipes.html

Friday Food Facts...Calcium

 

 Calcium

... is a mineral found in many foods. The body needs calcium to maintain strong bones and teeth. The body also needs calcium for the muscles to move and for nerves to carry messages between the brain and other parts of the body. Calcium is used to help blood vessels move blood throughout the body and to help release hormones and enzymes that affect almost every function in the human body.

I like finding ways I can get more of my vitamins and minerals from natural sources when possible. Today I wanted share some sources for Calcium.

The most common are - milk, yogurt and cheese
~But if your like me - dairy free then you need to look elsewhere...
Kale, broccoli, Chinese Cabbage, spinach, okra, collard greens, almonds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, quinoa, oats, beans, canned salmon, dried figs,