Pumpkins are an excellent source of important vitamins and minerals like Vitamin A, E, C and B2 and Potassium, Manganese and Copper! They are also full of Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus!
Pumpkins are great for your eyes because they are rich in carotenoids! Carotenoids promote healthy eyes and night vision as well as protect against cataracts and age-related macular degeneration!
Because Pumpkin is so rich in carotenoids, vitamin C and E, and Potassium, they help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and several types of cancers. Carotenoids also help promote longer life and vitamin C and E prevent wrinkles!
Pumpkins are a low GI( Glycemic index) food, which is associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, age-related macular degeneration and obesity.
Pumpkin is packed with fiber and low in calories, making it a great weight-loss food! Fiber helps to lower cholesterol levels, regulate blood sugar , protect against heart disease and colorectal cancer!
The Vitamin C found in Pumpkins help antioxidants to function and your body absorb Iron!
The Vitamin A that is in Pumpkin aids in growth and development!
Folate can also be found in Pumpkin! It aids in cell renewal and fetal development!
How to Eat Pumpkin
As you can see, Pumpkin really is a healthy vegetable and more than just a seasonal flavor! Besides the usual ways of eating pumpkin, there are also some unusual ways that you can enjoy this nutritious squash!
Pumpkin is of course delicious in drinks like Pumpkin Spice Lattes, Hot Cocoas, Frappuccinos and Smoothies. I love to try out vegan recipes and tweak them to make it my own! Hopefully I will be sharing some of those with you soon!
Baked goods also benefit wonderfully from pumpkin! I have several recipes like pumpkin muffin tops and muffins here on my blog!
Savory dishes are also a delicious way to enjoy pumpkin! It can be added to chili, curries, soups, pastas or even roasted and added to salads, rice bowls or just eaten on its own!
However you choose to enjoy pumpkin, the health benefits are the same! Eating pumpkin fresh is always best, but you can also use the canned version! Keep in mind that 'pumpkin flavored' or flavoring has none of the nutritional benefits that fresh or even canned has to offer!
Pumpkin is a wonderful seasonal vegetable and is packed full of nutritional benefits and eating more of it shouldn't be hard around this time of year! Now that you know all the health benefits of pumpkin, you have even more reason to eat it everyday and feel super healthy and festive!
Please share this post with your friends and family! Spread the love of a healthy lifestyle to more people so the world can become a healthier place!
You can follow the blog via email, Google and social medias! Following the blog helps you to stay-up-to-date on all the posts and even get some extra blog content!
Twitter- SpinachisGood
Tumblr- justrunningforfood
Pinterest- Hannah Plunkett
Instagram- That_Vegan_Runner
New Posts Every Friday!
Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!
H. Banana
No comments