Acorn squash, known in Costa Rica as ayote, is a delicious vegetable that seems too tasty to be healthy. Baked or boiled, sweetened or salted, the ayote is sure to become a fast favorite for any fan of pumpkin or butternut squash – the best part about it is its completely natural buttery taste, which comes right out of the oven (without the added fat of actual butter).
Ayote only has about 80 calories per cup of cubed baked pieces, and is high in vitamin C, B6, potassium, folate, thiamine, and magnesium. It is also loaded with beta-carotene, the precursor to Vitamin A – which is credited with improving eyesight and reducing the likelihood of lung cancer (although according to www.cancer.org , some studies say that long term use of high-dose supplements may actually increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers).
