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pumpkins


When you think about pumpkins, what comes to mind? Many people think of pumpkins as little more than a Halloween decoration or a Thanksgiving pie filling. However, it may be time to rethink this plump, nutritious orange plant.
Beyond its delicious taste, pumpkin is nutritious and linked to many health benefits.

Here are the health benefits of pumpkin.

Highly Nutritious and Particularly Rich in Vitamin A:

Pumpkin has an impressive nutrient profile
One cup of cooked pumpkin (245 grams) contains (2):
Calories: 49 Fat: 0.2 grams Protein: 2 grams Carbs: 12 grams
Fiber: 3 grams Vitamin A: 245% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
Vitamin C: 19% of the RDI Potassium: 16% of the RDI Copper: 11% of the RDI Manganese: 11% of the RDI Vitamin B2: 11% of the RDI
Vitamin E: 10% of the RDI Iron: 8% of the RDI Small amounts of magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, folate and several B vitamins.
Besides being packed with vitamins and minerals, pumpkin is also relatively low in calories, as it’s 94% water.

Weight Loss:

Pumpkin is rich in fiber, which slows digestion. "Pumpkin keeps you feeling fuller longer," says Caroline Kaufman, MS, RDN and an upwave diet and nutrition expert. "There's seven grams of fiber in a cup of canned pumpkin. That's more than what you'd get in two slices of whole-grain bread.Pumpkin may be filling, but it's also a low-calorie superstar. "Canned pumpkin is nearly 90 percent water, so besides the fact that it helps keep you hydrated, it has fewer than 50 calories per serving," Kaufman says.

Immune health:

Looking for a way to ward off illness and improve your immune system? Try pumpkin. Pumpkin pulp and seeds are high in both vitamin C and beta-carotene "vitamin A" the fruit provides helps your body fight infections, viruses and infectious diseases. Pumpkin oil even helps fight various bacterial and fungal infections. Plus, pumpkin is packed with nearly 20 percent of the recommended amount of daily vitamin C, which may help you recover from colds faster.

Reduce Your Risk of Chronic Diseases:

Free radicals are molecules produced by your body’s metabolic process. Though highly unstable, they have useful roles, such as destroying harmful bacteria.
Pumpkin contains the antioxidants alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin and many others, which may protect your cells against damage by free radicals.

Sharp Vision:

It’s quite common for eyesight to diminish with age.
Pumpkins’ high vitamin A contents may protect your eyes against sight loss, which becomes more common with age.
Pumpkin is also one of the best sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, two compounds linked to lower risks of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts (1).

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