GET SQUASHED

As cold and flu season ramps up, hearty winter squash to your add grocery list. In-season acorn, butternut, delicata, and other varieties can help support your immune system.

- JANET HELM, MS, RDN

Stock up on winter squash to protect yourself during sniffle season. Butternut squash and pumpkin get their rich orange flesh from beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is crucial for the development of T and B lymphocytes (white blood cells) that fight infection, according to a 2021 review published in the Journal of Physics. One cup of cubed butternut squash provides more than 100 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin A. Winter squash is also high in