Pumpkin Nutrition in a Nutshell

By Ken Kudra

Pumpkins are a great source of nutrition. These orange wonders are full of beta-carotene like all orange fruit and vegetables. It is also a good source of vitamin C, calcium, and fiber. Pumpkin seeds and the oil pressed from them are full of zinc and unsaturated fatty acids... the ones we need to stay healthy.

Pumpkin provides a lot of nutrition for the amount of calories consumed. Using this seasonal vegetable as a fiber source also tends to fill you up enough to curb your appetite and keep you from overeating. Pumpkins are also a very good source of potassium.

In order to carry oxygen to your cells, your red blood cells use iron. Pumpkins help supply your daily-recommended requirement of this important mineral. Zinc will help prevent osteoporosis, a degenerative condition of the spine and hips. This mineral is also important in maintaining the health of your reproductive system, especially in maintaining fertility and sperm motility.

Compounds known as lutein and zeaxanthin are found in pumpkins. They help rid the lenses in your eyes of damaging free radicals. They can help you avoid disorders like macular degeneration and cataracts. This simple garden vegetable helps your vision, your bones, your reproductive system and helps maintain your weight at a healthy level. It also protects your skin. Can you believe something so good for you taste so good? You can even eat it as a dessert!

When you add more of this healthy food to your diet, it does not matter if you use a canned pumpkin soup recipe or use fresh pumpkin. Both are healthy and full of nutrients your body needs to remain healthy. Pumpkin soup can be prepared so it is low in calories or you can make it rich in cream and other luxurious ingredients. It is a simple food that is elegant and rustic all at the same time.

Add pumpkin to your diet and see if you do not feel a difference. It is really a shame that this amazing food is under appreciated and overlooked in this country. Pumpkins should shine all year round, not just at Halloween and during the holidays as a simple dessert. It should be in a place of honor in the culinary world.

The versatile pumpkin needs to be celebrated. It is one of the few foods that are equally good in both sweet or savory dishes. Add pumpkin to your menu several times a month using various recipes. Try it as a bread, as a soup or as a roasted vegetable. Do not relegate pumpkins to being a novelty-serving dish. Eat some!

Once you have added more pumpkin into your diet, you will be amazed how you ever did without its rich flavor. You will realize that you are feeling better, looking better and that you are healthier. Pumpkin can help you avoid major health issues and help you lose weight. Not bad for something that most people think of as a decoration! - 30289

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