PUMPKINS
Typical serving size:
1 cup, cooked (86 oz or 244 g)
HOW THEY HARM
Choking hazard (seeds)WHAT THEY HEAL
Cancer High blood pressure Crohn’s disease To most North Americans, pumpkins (a type of winter squash) are a symbol of Halloween and ThanksgivingIn fact, they have more uses than just as traditional jack-o’-lanterns and pie filling—the strong-flavored flesh of pumpkins can be cooked and enjoyed in many ways
One cup (244 g) of cooked canned pumpkin contains 83 calories, 7 g of fiber (almost as much as you’d get from 4 slices of whole wheat bread), and 3
4 mg of iron, which is almost 20 percent of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for women
Because pumpkins absorb water, they lose some nutrients and have fewer calories when they are boiled
Sugar pumpkins, which are smaller and sweeter than the large deep-orange pumpkins, are the best choice for cooking
QUICK TIP:
Bake some seeds Pumpkin seeds are easy to prepareScoop out the seeds, wash them and let dry, then bake them on an oiled baking sheet at 250°F (121°C) for an hour
Commercial varieties, sometimes sold as “pepitas,” are often salted
Although the seeds are often thrown away, they are a rich source of protein
One ounce (28 g) of pumpkin seeds provides 7 grams of protein—almost as much as an equal serving of peanuts—as well as 3 mg of iron (20 to 30 percent of the adult RDA)
They are high in unsaturated fats, a source of vitamin E, and rich in B vitamins
When the coverings are consumed too, the seeds are high in fiber
Health Benefits
Helps protect against cancerLike all orange-pigmented vegetables, pumpkins are rich in beta- carotene, the plant form of vitamin A: Two cups of canned or baked pumpkin provides more beta- carotene than a carrot
Studies have shown that this antioxidant may help prevent some forms of cancer
Pumpkin seeds, too, appear to have anticancer properties and have been incorporated into some supplement formulas that may help fight prostate cancer
Lowers blood pressure
Pumpkins are a rich source of potassium, which is an important nutrient for good blood pressure control
One cup of pumpkin has more than 500 mg, although regular canned pumpkin will provide about the same amount of sodium, so it’s best to cook it yourself and control the added salt—or look for a no-salt-added brand, if sodium is a problem for you
Helps those with Crohn’s disease
Although no one diet seems to work for people living with the inflammatory bowel problems associated with Crohn’s disease, pumpkins and pumpkin seeds are among a handful of foods that seems to be well tolerated by most
Health Risk Choking hazard
While the risk may be small, it’s quite real
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises not giving pumpkin seeds to children under the age of 5
