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Nutrition Facts for Philippine Squash Seeds

Whether stewed with coconut milk for the popular dish, Ginataang Kalabasa, or baked into cookies with nuts and raisins, squash, or kalabasa, is a versatile part of Philippine cuisine. Many are familiar with the emerald-green or burnt-sienna colored vegetable's supply of vitamins and minerals. However, don't discard those seeds---they hold valuable health benefits as well.

  1. Background

    • Kalabasa (Cucurbita maxima Duchesne), is the Philippine name for squash, which grows in Mindanao, the Cagayan valley and various parts of the country. Traditional remedies include squash pastes for poisonous insect bites and poultices for conditions such as ulcers and boils.

    Crop Conditions and Varieties

    • The vegetable grows year-round but flourishes in warm, dry climates. The seeds have an oblong shape and are approximately 1.3 cm long. Kalabasas range in colors, sizes and shapes. Some varieties include Batac and Davao Golden.

      Kalabasa is a popular warm season crop of the Filipino farmer: It requires minimal upkeep and financial output but yields abundantly. An estimated 2 to 2.5 kg is recommended for planting a hectare (unit of area in the metric system equivalent to 10,000 square meters or 2.471 acres). The average yield per hectare is 50 to 80 tons depending on climate, variety and maintenance, notes Jesse Dagoon in his book "School Gardening and Vegetable Production."

      Kalabasa seeds are planted two to three per hill. There are roughly 20,000 hills in a hectare. Once planted, it takes five to seven days for seeds to sprout.

    Kalabasa Health Benefits

    • Kalabasa is a source of vitamin A and B. A group of Filipino schoolchildren who consistently ate yellow and green leafy carotene-rich vegetables, such as squash, restored low vitamin A concentrations back to normal levels, according to a 2007 joint study done by Tufts University and the Nutrition Center of the Philippines.

      The shoots and flowers of kalabasa contain iron, calcium and phosphorus. A 2000 study by investigators from the University of the Philippines found that spinasterol, an ingredient in squash flowers, halted the occurrence of skin tumors by more than 55 percent.

    Kalabasa Seeds Nutritional Value

    • Kalabasa seeds are high in essential fatty acids. In addition, they contain saponin, a plant detergent that reduces blood cholesterol and stalls cancer cell growth. As an alternative remedy, the seed's oil serves as a nerve tonic. Kalabasa seeds can be ground into paste or pressed for vegetable oil.

    Complementary Medicinal Cure

    • The seeds are a diuretic (increases urine excretion) that combats urinary disease and an anthelmintic that rids tapeworms from the body. In his 1980 handbook, "Philippine Medicinal Plants in Common Use: Their Phytochemistry and Pharmacology," medical anthropologist Michael L. Tan indicates that kalabasa seeds can be prepared alone or with sugar water or milk.

    Considerations

    • Avoid consuming kalabasa if undergoing renal treatment. According to the Philippines' National Kidney and Transplant Institute, eating high phosphorus foods may cause skin itchiness and weaken kidney function for certain individuals. Consult with a physician before consuming kalabasa if you are susceptible to this condition.

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