PUMPKINS THE HEALTHY FALL FOOD

It’s October and chances are you have already had or are going to carve one of those bright orange pumpkins to sit on your porch to show you have the Halloween spirit.  But what if I were to tell you that pumpkin can do so much more good in your tummy - then where would that good ol’ Jack-O-Lantern be?

Who knew pumpkin was so good for you?  Well, we did of course, and here are some of the benefits that you can get by carving a pumpkin for dinner or a snack rather than for the front porch.

1. Pumpkin keeps your eyesight sharp.  According to the National Institute of Health, one cup of cooked, mashed pumpkin contains more than 200% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A.  Vitamin A is essential in aiding vision, especially in dim light.

2. The Skinny on Pumpkins - they help with weight loss.  With 3 grams per one-cup serving and only 49 calories, pumpkin is a great source of fiber which keeps you feeling full longer on fewer calories.  People on a fiber-rich diet seem to eat less, which means pounds get shed.

3. Have you ever seen a wrinkled pumpkin? NO!  So just imagine what it can do for your skin.  Health magazine reports the same free-radical-neutralizing powers of the carotenoids in pumpkin that may keep cancer cells at bay can also help to keep the skin wrinkle-free.   

4. After a hard workout - no banana for me - give me a pumpkin!
Did you know a cup of cooked pumpkin has more potassium - 564 mg than a banana with 422 mg?  Extra potassium helps the body to restore the balance of electrolytes and helps to keep muscles operating at their best.

5.  Attention Men - Pumpkin Seeds are great for Prostate Health.  

Pumpkin seeds have been valued as an important natural food for men’s health. This is due to their high zinc content, which is important for prostate health (where it is found in the highest concentrations in the body), and also because pumpkin seed extracts and oils may play a role in treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, or enlarged prostate). Research suggests that both pumpkin seed oil and pumpkin seeds may be particularly beneficial in supporting prostate health.

6.  Pumpkin Seeds and Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

The pumpkin seed oil has been found to exhibit anti-inflammatory effects. One study even found it worked as well as the anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin in treating arthritis, but without the side effects.