Where do significant portions of fat-soluble nutrients, such as Vitamin A precursors, reside in summer squash, thus making preparation methods important?
Answer
Concentrated just under or within the skin
The text emphasizes that a significant portion of essential fat-soluble nutrients, including compounds that function as precursors to Vitamin A, are localized near the surface of the vegetable. This means these valuable components reside just under or directly within the skin. Consequently, this localization dictates that preparation methods must be considered carefully. Aggressively peeling the squash before cooking can lead to a substantial loss of these fat-soluble benefits, suggesting that lightly steaming or sautéing the whole vegetable maximizes nutritional intake.

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