By Dinah Torres Castro
How much fun is it to take your little ones pumpkin picking? Many parents make this an annual tradition. We buy the pumpkins and decorate them for Halloween, sometimes leaving them on our porches past the Thanksgiving holiday. Most of us enjoy a nice slice of pumpkin pie or a treat of pumpkin latte around this time of year, but we don’t really take advantage of all that pumpkins have to offer.
Pumpkins are rich sources of vitamins A and C, potassium, fiber and protein. We need vitamin A for our eyesight, especially in dim lighting, and just one cup of cooked pumpkin can give us 200% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A. Pumpkins are also a good source of carotenoids (the compounds that give them that bright orange color) and the antioxidant called beta-carotene that may play a role in cancer prevention. Few of us know that pumpkins are a good source of fiber, with 3 grams of fiber in a cup of pumpkin. With only 49 calories in that serving, we can feel fuller longer on fewer calories. This can help with weight loss. The potassium in pumpkins helps restore the body’s electrolytes after a heavy workout, and it helps keep your muscles functioning at their best. Pumpkins also contain 11 milligrams of vitamin C, roughly 20% of the 60 milligrams recommended daily for women (men need about 75 milligrams.) For years we have known that vitamin C is needed for growth, development and repair of body tissue. In addition, it is also involved in many body functions, including the formation of collagen, absorption of iron, the immune system, wound healing, and the maintenance of cartilage, bones and teeth. It may not be the cure for the common cold (though it’s thought to help prevent more serious complications.) The benefits of vitamin C may include protection against immune system deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease, and even skin wrinkling. Pumpkin seeds are rich in the amino acid called tryptophan, the ingredient in turkey that many believe causes us to feel sleepy after our Thanksgiving meal. Tryptophan is used in the production of serotonin, a chemical in the brain that is responsible for maintaining mood balance. Research indicates that a deficit of serotonin can lead to depression. Just a handful of pumpkin seeds may help you keep a brighter outlook on life.
By looking at the nutritional benefits of pumpkins, we can see how nutritionally powerful pumpkins are. Check out the links below for recipes, fun facts, and information on storing, cooking and using pumpkins.
19 Pumpkin Spice Recipes:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/12-pumpkin-spice-recipes-way-155045568.html
Many Uses for Pumpkin:
http://extension.unl.edu/statewide/dodge/Many%20Uses%20for%20pumpkinOct%2014.pdf
All About Pumpkins:
https://cals.arizona.edu/yavapai/fcs/allaboutpumpkins.pdf
Dinah Castro is a Bilingual Family Well-Being Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s Family Health and Wellness Program. She can be reached at 631-727-7850 ext. 351 or at dc258@cornell.edu.