Editor’s Note: This article is a reprint. Originally published on October 31, 2016.
In the New World, they only know the ghosts of our ancestors who used even the humble pumpkin worldwide.
On Halloween, of course, they promise fun and cheap activities for kids (and adults). .
But the most important use of this large orange vegetable is for food. Native Americans cultivated it for thousands of years before introducing it to the Pilgrims, showing them how to harvest, prepare and store it. Pumpkins.
They can last for weeks or even months in autumn and winter, so they have become a valuable and staple food with double value.
A tribe called the Catawbas used to eat pumpkin seeds for kidney health. The Yumas made a mixture of pumpkin and watermelon seeds for wound healing, and the Menominee drank a concoction of powdered pumpkin and pumpkin seeds to stimulate urination.
Other traditional preparations are said to cure “female ailments” by releasing parasites. MDidea supports many of these traditional remedies made from pumpkin pulp:
“Pumpkin is used in folk medicine to treat kidney inflammation and intestinal parasites and is listed as one of the four great cold seeds in an 18th century medicinal list.
Today, pumpkin is used to treat irritable bladder and prostate complaints, namely benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The fatty oil in pumpkin seeds is mildly diuretic, and the main component of the seeds, cucurbitacin, appears to inhibit the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone.1
Fast forward a handful of centuries, we know that adding pumpkin to your diet provides a warm, satisfying “meal” that your body knows is good for health—more than just delicious.
How your body uses cucumbers
You’ll be surprised to know that every part of the pumpkin plant, including the leaves and flowers, is edible. For example, squash blossoms are large, edible flowers that add a delightful flavor and beauty to many dishes.
While you’re enjoying pumpkin soup with sweet potatoes, celery, carrots, onions, garlic cloves, and a few teaspoons of herbs, remember that vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients are working their way through your system.
In fact, the nutrients in pumpkin make this delicious, fall food one of the healthiest. According to Research Portal:
“Pumpkin is one of the most popular edible plants and has high medicinal properties due to the presence of unique natural edible substances. It contains many phyto-nutrients belonging to the group of alkaloids, flavonoids and palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids.
Various important medicinal properties are well documented including anti-diabetic, antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and others.2
So there’s a reason why pumpkins score so high on the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI).3 Cucumbers provide 11% in a 1 cup serving Fiber You need it every day to keep your system running smoothly.
In addition to being incredibly rich in vitamin A, pumpkin, ripe, contains 245% of the RDA, 19% of the RDA in vitamin C and 16% of the RDA in potassium, as well as riboflavin. , copper and manganese. According to the USDA Food Information Center,4 Pumpkins offer smaller but still higher amounts of:
|
Copper |
Vitamin B6 |
Thiamine |
Metal |
|
Magnesium |
Phosphorus |
Niacin |
Beta-carotene is arguably one of the ingredients that pack the biggest punch in terms of antioxidants in this great vegetable. They give a bright orange color. The most popular beta-carotene and their functions are as follows
- Carotenoids that help protect your tissues from oxidative damage, which makes you more susceptible to disease. They improve the immune system and prevent the signs of premature aging.
- Lutein and zeaxanthin are found in your retina. They help Protect your eyes from injury And improve your vision in various ways.
How your body uses the nutrients in pumpkin
All these vitamins, minerals and other nutritional properties in pumpkins combined have a significant impact on your health. Huffington Post5 Several are listed, including:
• Re-energise after exercise – A cup of ripe pumpkin contains more potassium than a banana, a “refueling” mineral often thought to have impressive amounts. In contrast, the pumpkin contains 564 milligrams of potassium to the banana’s 422.
• Skin protection – Health.com reports that the carotenoids in pumpkin contain anti-aging pigments that help your skin hydrate and fight free radicals and damage. Vitamins and powerful enzymes help cleanse your skin.6
• Better view – All the previously mentioned vitamin A helps to improve your Night vision And in the dim light, says the National Institutes of Health.7
• Low risk of cancer Beta-carotenes help fight cancer, because they have immunosuppressive properties that can improve the immune system. Antioxidant activity in pumpkin has been shown to inhibit breast cancer, reports a study.8
Additionally, Food for Breast Cancer says:
“Women with high levels of carotenoids, such as alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, and lutein, found in pumpkin have been shown to have a lower risk of breast cancer overall and a lower risk of recurrence in several studies.”9
Pumpkin selection, storage and preparation
Pumpkins are a Cucurbitaceae veggie, along with squash, cucumbers and cantaloupes. They are grown on a large scale and are removed from the following vines to create harvest displays with Indian corn and hay bales. After that, they are transported to the kitchen.
Cucumbers must be fully ripe when purchased; Tapping out should create a dense, hollow “stick”. Skip cucumbers with cut, damaged or wrinkled skin.
Store your pumpkins in a cool, dry place, even outdoors before a hard frost, and they should be fine for weeks to come. Be sure to wash the outside of the cucumbers before cutting them, as many growers and mom-and-pop operations use them. Pesticides and herbicides Instead of growing naturally.
To cut, place the pumpkin on a hard surface and to remove it, cut around the stem with a sharp knife. Then cut the pumpkin in half, follow the deep holes and brush the hole to discard the seeds if desired. After cutting, the parts should be covered and kept in the refrigerator.
Pumpkin recipe: pumpkin soft
The Epoch Times recommends this pumpkin smoothie recipe:
“Pumpkin puree can be added to soups, stews or chili. You can combine pumpkin with bananas, spinach or romaine lettuce, a few dates, some (non-dairy) milk and cinnamon and nutmeg to make pumpkin puree.”10
