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Types of squash fall into two kitchen groups, and the split is about harvest, not taste. University of Kentucky extension publications describe summer squash as fruit harvested when immature and winter squash as fruit harvested when mature, after the rind has hardened, which is why most winter types store well. This guide lists the main kinds in each group, from zucchini and yellow crookneck to butternut squash, acorn squash and hubbard, and ranks USDA FoodData Central entries by vitamin C (summer) and vitamin A (winter) per cup.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- University of Kentucky extension calls summer squash Cucurbita pepo harvested while the fruit is immature; the common kinds are yellow crookneck and straightneck, zucchini, scallop and cocozelle.
- University of Kentucky extension calls winter squash a taxonomically diverse group in the Cucurbita genus, harvested mature with a hardened rind, across four species.
- In USDA data a cup of baked butternut cubes lists about 1,144 micrograms RAE of vitamin A, above the FDA Daily Value of 900, while a cup of cooked spaghetti-type flesh lists about 9.
- Summer squash is watery and low in calories in USDA data: about 18 to 27 calories per cup across the five entries here, against 42 to 115 for the winter entries.
- The Dietary Guidelines put winter squash with the red and orange vegetables and summer squash with other vegetables.
Types of squash: summer and winter groups
University of Kentucky extension’s summer squash publication says summer squashes are warm-season cucurbits, Cucurbita pepo, harvested when the fruits are immature, and that they grow on bush plants rather than vines. The University of Kentucky winter squash publication says winter squash are harvested when mature and the rinds have hardened, so most types can be stored for use during the winter.
Summer squash
- Yellow squash: University of Kentucky extension names crookneck and straightneck as the yellow types, among the most common summer squash.
- Zucchini: the other most common type in the same University of Kentucky list; our zucchini guide covers it in detail.
- Scallop squash: the flat, scalloped-edge kind, also called pattypan in stores, which University of Kentucky extension includes in the summer group.
- Cocozelle: a striped Italian kind that University of Kentucky extension also lists; USDA has no separate entry for it.
Winter squash
- Cucurbita pepo: University of Kentucky extension places acorn squash and spaghetti squash here, the same species as summer squash.
- Cucurbita maxima: hubbard, buttercup and kabocha squash, per University of Kentucky extension.
- Cucurbita moschata: butternut squash, per the same University of Kentucky extension publication.
- Cucurbita mixta: cushaw, the fourth species University of Kentucky extension lists.
- Others in stores: delicata squash and pumpkin are sold as winter types; the Dietary Guidelines list pumpkin with acorn, butternut and kabocha as winter squash, though the University of Kentucky page does not assign either one a species.
Summer squash ranked by USDA vitamin C per cup
The table uses USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entries and the USDA one-cup portion of slices. Each percent Daily Value (%DV) uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children 4 and older: 28 grams of dietary fiber, 4,700 milligrams of potassium, 90 milligrams of vitamin C and 900 micrograms RAE of vitamin A.
| Summer squash (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Calories | Carbohydrate | Fiber | Potassium | Vitamin C | Vitamin A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crookneck and straightneck squash, raw, sliced (168464) | 1 cup, 127 g | 24 | 4.9 g | 1.3 g (5%) | 282 mg (6%) | 24.5 mg (27%) | 10 mcg RAE (1%) |
| Scallop squash, raw, slices (169289) | 1 cup, 130 g | 23 | 5.0 g | 1.6 g (6%) | 237 mg (5%) | 23.4 mg (26%) | 14 mcg RAE (2%) |
| Zucchini, includes skin, boiled, sliced (169292) | 1 cup, 180 g | 27 | 4.8 g | 1.8 g (6%) | 475 mg (10%) | 23.2 mg (26%) | 101 mcg RAE (11%) |
| Zucchini, includes skin, raw, sliced (169291) | 1 cup, 113 g | 19 | 3.5 g | 1.1 g (4%) | 295 mg (6%) | 20.2 mg (22%) | 11 mcg RAE (1%) |
| Summer squash, all varieties, raw, sliced (170487) | 1 cup, 113 g | 18 | 3.8 g | 1.2 g (4%) | 296 mg (6%) | 19.2 mg (21%) | 11 mcg RAE (1%) |
Winter squash ranked by USDA vitamin A per cup
The winter table uses cooked USDA entries, baked where USDA has a baked entry; pumpkin is boiled and mashed, and the spaghetti row is USDA’s boiled-or-baked entry. SR Legacy has no entries for kabocha or delicata, so they are not in the table.
| Winter squash (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Calories | Carbohydrate | Fiber | Potassium | Vitamin C | Vitamin A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butternut squash, baked, cubes (169296) | 1 cup, 205 g | 82 | 21.5 g | 6.6 g (23%) | 582 mg (12%) | 31.0 mg (34%) | 1,144 mcg RAE (127%) |
| Pumpkin, boiled, mashed (168449) | 1 cup, 245 g | 49 | 12.0 g | 2.7 g (10%) | 564 mg (12%) | 11.5 mg (13%) | 706 mcg RAE (78%) |
| Hubbard squash, baked, cubes (168476) | 1 cup, 205 g | 102 | 22.2 g | 10.0 g (36%) | 734 mg (16%) | 19.5 mg (22%) | 687 mcg RAE (76%) |
| Winter squash, all varieties, baked, cubes (170490) | 1 cup, 205 g | 76 | 18.1 g | 5.7 g (20%) | 494 mg (11%) | 19.7 mg (22%) | 535 mcg RAE (59%) |
| Acorn squash, baked, cubes (169293) | 1 cup, 205 g | 115 | 29.9 g | 9.0 g (32%) | 896 mg (19%) | 22.1 mg (25%) | 43 mcg RAE (5%) |
| Spaghetti squash, boiled or baked (169299) | 1 cup, 155 g | 42 | 10.0 g | 2.2 g (8%) | 181 mg (4%) | 5.4 mg (6%) | 9 mcg RAE (1%) |
Summer squash vs winter squash in USDA data
The two groups differ most in vitamin A and starch. Orange-fleshed winter entries lead on vitamin A in USDA data: about 1,144 micrograms RAE for a cup of baked butternut, 706 for mashed pumpkin and 687 for baked hubbard. Acorn and spaghetti types, both Cucurbita pepo in University of Kentucky’s list, sit at the bottom with about 43 and 9 micrograms RAE in USDA data. Our vitamin A foods list and beta-carotene guide rank other orange foods.
Winter squash also carries more carbohydrate and fiber per cup. USDA lists about 29.9 grams of carbohydrate and 9.0 grams of fiber for a cup of baked acorn cubes and 10.0 grams of fiber for baked hubbard, against about 3.5 to 5.0 grams of carbohydrate for the summer entries. Acorn also lists the most potassium of any row, about 896 milligrams per cup in USDA data. Summer squash holds its own on vitamin C: a cup of raw crookneck or straightneck slices lists about 24.5 milligrams, 27% of the FDA Daily Value. Our starchy vegetables guide and vitamin C foods list give wider context.
Boiling changes the per-cup figures because a cooked cup packs more squash: USDA weighs a cup of boiled zucchini slices at 180 grams against 113 grams raw, so the boiled cup lists more potassium. Fresh, frozen and canned forms differ, and the Nutrition Facts label on a package is the figure for that product.
Squash in the Dietary Guidelines and related guides
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, list winter squash such as acorn, butternut, kabocha and pumpkin among the red and orange vegetables, and summer squash and winter melons among other vegetables. Related guides on this site cover cucumber, chayote, winter melon and bitter melon, and squash seeds are covered in our guide to pumpkin seeds. Our edible mushrooms guide covers another vegetable from the other-vegetables group.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between summer squash and winter squash?
Harvest stage. University of Kentucky extension describes summer squash as harvested when the fruit is immature, and winter squash as harvested mature after the rind hardens, so most winter types store well.
What are the main types of summer squash?
University of Kentucky extension lists yellow crookneck and straightneck, zucchini, scallop squash and cocozelle.
What are the main types of winter squash?
University of Kentucky extension lists acorn and spaghetti (Cucurbita pepo), hubbard, buttercup and kabocha (Cucurbita maxima), butternut (Cucurbita moschata) and cushaw (Cucurbita mixta).
Which summer squash types are most common?
University of Kentucky extension names the yellow crookneck and straightneck types and zucchini as the most common, and USDA files zucchini under summer squash in SR Legacy.
Which winter squash lists the most vitamin A?
In USDA data, a cup of baked butternut cubes lists about 1,144 micrograms RAE, 127% of the FDA Daily Value, followed by mashed pumpkin and baked hubbard.
Which foods do the Dietary Guidelines count as winter squash?
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans list pumpkin with acorn, butternut and kabocha as examples of winter squash.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a health condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Edible Mushrooms: Types Sold in Stores and USDA Values, Butternut Squash: Nutrition Facts, Vitamin A and Is It Healthy?, Spaghetti Squash: Calories, Nutrition and How It Compares to Pasta, Starchy Vegetables: List, USDA Nutrition and Non-Starchy Swaps, Types of Cucumbers: Slicing, Pickling and Seedless Types.