Spaghetti squash is an anti-inflammatory food. And if you’re trying to stay away from gluten or inflammatory foods for healthy eating, then squashes fit the bill. Spaghetti squash can even take the place of spaghetti carbs.
It also has more fiber. And you can count on A, B, and C vitamins.
Both vitamins A and C are antioxidants that help to protect against chronic diseases that can develop from chronic inflammation.
And your allergies and eczema skin symptoms can be telltale. It doesn’t always have to be an internal diagnosis as inflammatory warning signs.
I learned this firsthand when I experienced adult eczema in a nightmarish way during the world pandemic. It was a 3 month saga I’d love to forget. But then ended up in the hospital emergency room a year later for a related episode that had to do with food eating habits.
Before then, I knew common allergy foods from the outside as I planned parties and food menus working with thousands of groups with known food allergies and gluten sensitivities.
Gluten flour was a red flag for the chef foods prepared and I’d add a special label to food items on food tables that were gluten-free
For my preventing eczema better food habits, white flour and white table sugar are ingredients I try to use less of in my recipes and low-sugar desserts. That seems to do the trick (along with skin moisturizing often)!
Because white table sugar is a primary inflammatory food source. It raises blood sugar.
That’s probably no surprise as too much sugar can make your skin crawl (itch) and no research (other than asking your sweet taste buds 😋) has sanely suggested that sugar is good for you.
But that’s hard news to swallow when you’re a sweet tooth (and a Vata body like me).
But I’m happy to say that even though I love baking (and do it weekly), I’ve learned how to bake healthy and keep eczema at bay. And yes make bakes that are sweet tooth satisfying (otherwise why bother?).
…Boring rice crackers are not my cup of tea. I’m looking for the sweet childhood desserts I remember that leave no inflammatory memory.
Because I’m a foodie…
And when I started in catering management for upscale hotel chains, there was only a vegetarian menu option outside of what others ate.
Then common requests grew like “hold the onions” and “hold the garlic.”
And peanut and nut allergies cropped up.
When I dug deeper into creating menus for food allergy group requests, we found that guests who had some peanut allergies could sometimes eat tree nuts like pine nuts.
They even reported back they liked certain dishes with them.
And shellfish can be another tricky allergy area, but gratefully I didn’t work much with those foods.
An affected person who has even a trace of the shellfish can experience a life threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis shock. Like gluten to Celiac disease people, it can be a real issue.
Your body gives different health conditions signs as warning. But a warning is a warning..
And in my trial-and-error food tasting experiences, I learned eczema was dramatically reduced with low daily refined sugar intake and reducing processed white flours.
Honey and gluten-free flours seem fine.
So substituting food ingredients became my way. And I remembered spaghetti squash from my catering days.
Plus, adding more anti-inflammatory eat-from-the-rainbow foods including vegetables, whole fruits, lean healthy proteins, healthy fats and whole grains.
All grains like flours are not created equal. How they are prepared and the details of their ingredient profiles change their effect.
A frequently asked question is: what foods are high in gluten?
The answer: whole grains are healthy. They’re also guilty.
Wheat, barley, and rye are the sources.
Being smart about healthier low-glycemic index starchy carbs and nutrient-dense foods pays off.
Also corn, oats, and quinoa (pseudo-grain) meals are good ideas since they are naturally gluten-free.
Corn is actually the largest agricultural crop produced in the United States.
But what spikes the blood sugar of one person is different for another person in our biodiversity.
Testing food and exposing yourself to a variety of healthy foods helps the body function as you get more vitamins, minerals, and anti-inflammatory nutrition.
Adding more organic plant-based 🌱 in nature when possible, and less plant based (factory) foods 🏭 help your entire body system run better.
Every little bit of our effort counts…
And adding more healthy food variety, and nutrient-dense plant-forward foods is a double-win, scoring points for our bodies and our earth. 🌍
Small switches can be as easy as exchanging pasta made from flour for a spaghetti squash bowl (steps below).
Also, focus on anti-inflammatory foods and include a Mediterranean Diet or Mediterranean-style diet. Many of the foods are found in both diets. Like spaghetti squash would be acceptable on both diets.
Changing your habits like a regular sweet one for a plant-based breakfast is doable. I’m living proof. 😊
And I take another page from my catering days where Crudite was a platter offered at almost every event.
That’s basically raw veggies like cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, and asparagus.
Those are good sources of fiber that your body needs to better absorb foods.
We often forget about the fiber as we’ve been primed to think of the macros (protein, carbs, and fat).
Instead of sodas, I opt for a healthy beverage or smoothie that is made from foods with high fiber.
That could be your start. And you can look forward to your baked in gourd spaghetti squash.
Spaghetti Squash (Gluten-Free) and Roasted Seeds
Equipment
- Bread knife or safer sawing knife.
- Spoon
Ingredients
- spaghetti squash gourd
- extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
Instructions
- Score the gourd lengthwise. do not try to cut the hard gourd raw
- Bake your spaghetti squash for about 20 minutes at 350°F or so. Then softened, you can cut where you scored. Tip: for the ends (like on pumpkins, take the firmly planted inside squash knife and twist to the right at the top and then at the bottom of the squash and that should do the trick break it open fully into two halves)
- Face the two halves down on a baking sheet. You can add a ‘lil EVOO if you like.
- Bake for 50 minutes or until you can scoop out strands easily with a spoon. You can test with a fork if you like. About half way through, when you see browning, flip the halves so they're facing up, and add a 'lil more EVOO drizzle.
- Optional: keep the healthy seeds and enjoy them as snacks! Roast them along when you're baking the squash.
