Pumpkin – The Wonder Veggie
The brilliant colors of Fall are in bloom. With Fall comes a variety of nourishing hearty fruits and vegetables including the great pumpkin. This is the best time to find fresh pumpkin so take advantage of it! Fresh fruits and vegetables will always provide you with the most nutrients and natural enzymes that the body can use more readily. Pumpkin and its seeds provide many important nutrients, on top of loads of fun for family and friends.
Dr. Helen Lee, DC offers the following nutritional benefits of pumpkin and its seeds.
Nutritional Benefits of Pumpkins:
1. Vitamins: Pumpkin and its seeds contain nutrients such as vitamin C, E, iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium, both beta & alpha carotenoids (anti-oxidants which help prevent cell damage), and lutein (support healthy eyes).
2. Organ Health: The nutrients in pumpkin and its seeds help support the health of your kidney, bladder and prostate.
3. Sickness Prevention: Helps with minimizing osteoporosis, increases digestive health by helping with parasites & tapeworms, and lowering cholesterol.
4. Protein: Pumpkin seeds are high in protein.
5. General Benefits: Pumpkin seeds help the body get rid of parasites and other unwelcomed digestive inhabitants, and they contain healthy essential fatty acid oils.
6. Important Fact: Organic, raw pumpkin seeds will provide you with the most nutrients and enzymes.
Easy ways to incorporate pumpkin into your diet:
1. A handful of raw pumpkin seeds as a snack or mixed with trail mix, on top of cereal
2. Pumpkin seed butter [or pumpkin butter] spread on toast
3. Pumpkin pie/desserts/pancakes/waffles
4. Pumpkin baked or browned with spices in risotto, veggie chili, rice, spaghetti
Be sure to check out our many delicious recipes using pumpkin:
Pumpkin Muffins
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
Pasta Pumpkin Sauce
Pumpkin Seed Pesto Ravioli
Spicy Stew in a Pumpkin Shell
Pumpkin Soup
