There are over 700 varieties of squash, several dozen of which are cultivated widely all over the world. Squashes belong to the same family as gourds, melons and cucumbers. They include summer squashes such as zucchini, crookneck, and patty pan, and the winter squashes such as acorn, buttercup, butternut, Hubbard, pumpkins, and turban are the most common types now available. Squash is a trailing or climbing vine with large leaves and large, generally yellow, flowers. The part most commonly eaten is the round, seed-filled fruit called the pepo.
Squash flowers are also edible.
Winter squash is a very good source of vitamin A and other carotenoids. Carotenoids are antioxidants and protect against carcinogenic cell damage and blood vessel cell damage. A good winter squash packs a sweet wallop of flavor. They have a dark yellow to orange flesh and a thick rind. The sweetest squashes are generally those with the deepest colored flesh.