It's pumpkin season. “It's a real nutritional bomb”

It is worth including pumpkin in your diet. Why? – It's a real nutritional bomb. It provides vitamins and antioxidants that can have a beneficial effect on every function of the body, says Dr. Lizzy Davis from the Faculty of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, USA, quoted on the university's website.

Davis explains that, contrary to popular belief, pumpkins are actually fruits because they develop from flowers. – Pumpkins belong to the cucurbit family and appeared in North America about nine thousand years ago – explains the researcher. They were an important food for Native Americans, who grew corn, legumes and pumpkins. The nutrition specialist emphasizes that pumpkin is worth including in the diet because it will bring health benefits. – The orange color of pumpkin is the result of its high content of vitamin A and beta-carotene, which have a beneficial effect on eyesight, skin, cardiovascular system and immune system – explains Davis. Vitamin A stimulates the growth and regeneration of skin cells, and is also necessary for the proper level of white blood cells that fight pathogenic microorganisms. – This strengthens our immune system during the season of frequent infections – argues Davis. Dr. Marzena Styczyńska from the Department of Human Nutrition, University of Life Sciences Wrocław emphasizes that beta-carotene is present in pumpkin in an amount of about 6 milligrams per 100 grams, which is many times higher than the daily requirement for this ingredient. – Vitamin A has a beneficial effect on the skin and mucous membranes, is necessary for proper vision and participates in the metabolism of cholesterol. Lutein and zeaxanthin, key carotenoids present in the macula lutea of ​​the eye, are present in pumpkin in amounts of over 1,010 milligrams per 100 grams – adds the specialist. These natural antioxidants not only protect against free radicals, but also support the health of your skin, hair, nails and eyes.

Davis points out that pumpkin ingredients work synergistically. – Its seeds contain beneficial fats, necessary for the absorption of vitamin A from the skin – he says. Pumpkin seeds and the oil pressed from them are a source of valuable unsaturated fatty acids.

– Pumpkins themselves are rich in fiber and contain a large amount of vitamin C, which can be found in the largest amounts in fresh pumpkin, but is also present in certain amounts in dishes even after cooking – notes the researcher. Pumpkin is also a rich source of fiber, calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, phosphorus, vitamin E, K and B vitamins.

Dr. Styczyńska points out that there are currently about 800 varieties of pumpkins that differ in the shape and color of the outer skin. About 200 varieties are suitable for consumption, the rest are decorative. Some of the ornamental varieties can also be eaten, but their skin and flesh are usually hard and bitter due to their high cucurbitacin content. It is a substance that repels herbivores, also present in smaller amounts in cucumbers, zucchini and squash. – The antiviral and antiparasitic properties of cucurbitacin were formerly used in folk medicine. In Poland, we use about 20 varieties of edible pumpkin, the most popular are: ordinary pumpkin, giant pumpkin, butternut squash – with a higher carbohydrate content than other varieties, Hokkaido pumpkin – we can easily eat it with the skin, aromatic muscat pumpkin or pasta pumpkin – explains Dr. Styczyńska. Davis emphasizes that pumpkin can be prepared in many ways – it can be baked, grilled, boiled, added to cakes and sauces. Seeds can be added to many dishes, e.g. salads. – It is a delicate, easily digestible and filling vegetable that is one of the first to be introduced into children's diets. It is ideal for the menus of the elderly, pregnant women and in easily digestible, low-sodium and low-calorie diets. Pumpkin pulp, after cooking, helps regulate the acid-base balance of the body,” summarizes Dr. Styczyńska. Importantly, pumpkin is low-calorie – depending on the variety, 100 g of this vegetable provides only 20-45 kcal.