11 Surprising Benefits of Pumpkin You Must Know

There are many fruits which are not only delectable but also have numerous other benefits. One such fruit you must know is lemon, but did you know about the numerous benefits of pumpkin?

Pumpkin is a type of winter squash that belongs to the Cucurbits family. Even though pumpkin is commonly viewed as a vegetable, it is scientifically a fruit since it contains seeds. But it is nutritionally more similar to vegetables than fruits.

Besides its delicious taste, there are plenty of benefits of pumpkin as well. Let us have a look into those interesting and amazing benefits of pumpkin

11 Amazing Benefits of Pumpkin You Must Know

1. Benefits Of Pumpkin For Blood Pressure

Pumpkin is rich in fibre, potassium, and vitamin C and is low in sodium. These are all the elements that contribute to maintaining healthy blood pressure. If consumed according to a proper diet, pumpkin can help you regulate your blood pressure and keep it stable.

2. Benefits Of Pumpkin For Digestion

There are different kinds of fibres in pumpkin. One of those is insoluble fibre which supports healthy digestion and can keep your trips to the bathroom regular.

Apart from this, zinc is found in pumpkin seeds. Zinc is a digestion booster, so it helps enzymes involved in digestive processes work smoothly.

3. Benefits Of Pumpkin For EyeSight

One cup of pumpkin gives you 200% of your recommended daily vitamin A intake. If you get it right, your eyes will thank you. Vitamin A helps you in having healthy eyes and see more clearly, particularly in low-light conditions. Therefore, eating pumpkins regularly sharpens our eyesight.

4. Benefits Of Pumpkin For Healthy Aging

One of the benefits of pumpkin is that it keeps your immunity boosted and reduces skin aging. In addition to helping your body fight off the common cold, the antioxidants in pumpkin will also help your body ward off all kinds of damage made by free radicals.

As a result, you will have a better chance of avoiding chronic conditions like heart disease and cancer.

The antioxidant power of beta carotene¹ in pumpkins works to combat the effects of aging on the skin. It also helps ease inflammation, which keeps your skin and your body happier. Therefore, pumpkin makes you look good. 

5. Benefits Of Pumpkin For Healthy Cholesterol

Pumpkin contains two types of fibre:

• Soluble fibre
• Insoluble fibre

Soluble fibre essentially acts like a sponge, mopping up harmful LDL cholesterol. Research shows that the accumulation of too much bad cholesterol on artery walls can decrease blood flow and increase the risk of heart disease.

6. Benefits Of Pumpkin For Boosting Immunity

Pumpkin is loaded with plenty of nutrients that boost your immune system. It contains beta-carotene, which your body turns into vitamin A. Vitamin A is known to strengthen your immune system and help fight against infections.

It is also rich in vitamins C and E, which are important antioxidants for repairing cells of our body from damage. Therefore, eating pumpkin boosts immunity.

7. Benefits Of Pumpkin For Losing Weight

Pumpkin is a great food for controlling weight because pumpkin has fewer calories as compared to other food items. Pumpkin has very good fibre content and hence can be a good substitute for high-calorie foods. 

In the spirit of making more of your meals produce-based, eating pumpkin is an easy one to put into practice. One cup of canned pumpkin provides 83 calories. Therefore it can be included in the daily and can be a substitute for high-calorie foods. 

8. Pumpkin Keeps You Energized

The fibre content of the pumpkin will fill you up, help stabilize blood sugar and keep your energy up throughout the day. This is one of the best benefits of pumpkin. Therefore, eating pumpkins will give us a lot of energy.

9. Benefits Of Pumpkin For Sound Sleep

Pumpkin seeds have tryptophan², an amino acid that helps in making a chemical called serotonin. In addition to keeping you happy, serotonin also plays a key role in promoting good sleep.

Therefore, eating pumpkins regularly helps you get rid of irregular sleep schedules. For people suffering from insomnia, this is one of the golden benefits of pumpkin. 

10. Benefits Of Pumpkin For Hypertension

As we know, a pumpkin supports maintaining healthy blood pressure, which indirectly means that it controls hypertension³. Pumpkin contains potassium which is known for controlling blood pressure. Potassium also helps with bone health and decreases the risk of diabetes.

Around 10% of your daily potassium is found in just a half-cup serving of canned pumpkin. Therefore, eating pumpkins helps in controlling hypertension.

11. Benefits OF Pumpkin For Post-Workout Recovery

One of the essential benefits of pumpkin seeds is that they support post-workout recovery. Whether you are topping them on a salad or stirring them into yogurt, pumpkin seeds are great to incorporate after a workout.

Pumpkin seeds provide zinc and protein, two nutrients important for recovery. It is better to eat them within 45 minutes of working out as a part of a well-balanced snack or meal.

Though there are countless benefits of pumpkin, including pumpkin in your diet can be a little controversial. It is advised to consult a dietician to include pumpkins into your diet in safe proportions. Furthermore, there are also many easy ways to include pumpkin in a few regular dishes.

3 Ways You Can Eat A Pumpkin

You need to eat the pumpkin flesh and seeds, but not the rind. Roast a pumpkin in a microwave for 45 minutes at 350⁰.

For roasting it, split the pumpkin and remove the seeds. Next, apply a considerable amount of oil as well as salt, and place it with the flesh down in the microwave. 

1. Pumpkin Puree

You can buy cans of pumpkin puree available in grocery stores, or you could also make it at home. Although canned and homemade puree can have pros and cons of their own. Pumpkin puree can be used in many dishes for a healthy twist. 

2. Pumpkin Seeds As A Healthy Snack

Pumpkin seeds are loaded with potassium, magnesium⁴, zinc, and iron. They pack a combo of 6 grams of fibre and 7 grams of protein per 1.5-ounce pack, making them a great snack for kids and adults.

Pumpkin seeds may be small, but they are loaded with numerous nutrients. Consuming small amounts of pumpkin seeds can fill in the required amount of vitamins and nutrients for the day.

It is best to extract pumpkin seeds from the pumpkin yourself than to buy pumpkin seeds from the market. The seeds available in the market contain a lot of unhealthy amounts of salt and preservatives.

To extract seeds from the pumpkin, you need to first take the seeds out of the pumpkin manually. Once you have taken them out of the pumpkin, you need to rinse them in water, then roast them in the microwave at 350⁰.

Just beware of pumpkin spice treats because they tend to be overly sweetened and devoid of real pumpkins.

3. Other Ways To Eat A Pumpkin

• Adding In Smoothies: A bit of pumpkin puree adds a nutrient boost to your morning smoothie. Mix warm fall spices like cinnamon and nutmeg with some almond butter for the ultimate fall treat.
• To Make A Curry: Mix some pumpkin with warming ingredients like ginger and coconut milk to enjoy on a chilly fall day. Click here for the recipe.

• Combining With Pancakes: You can add a little bit of pumpkin puree to your favourite pancake recipe for richness in both colour and flavour. Just add it to the batter and mix it up gently.
• To Make Oatmeal: Mix pumpkin puree into oats with chia seeds to make pumpkin overnight oats. Click here to find out the recipe.
• To Make A Yogurt Treat: If you like the taste of pumpkin puree, mix a bit of that with plain Greek yogurt, honey, and chocolate chips for a new blend of flavours. 

How To Select Pumpkin?

When you hear the word “pumpkin,” you might think of the big orange-coloured pumpkins from a pumpkin patch. Those are great for carving and decorating your front porch, but they are not the ones you will want to eat.

For that, look for smaller pumpkins at the grocery store or farmers’ market labelled “sugar” or “pie,” They are smaller and sweeter than carving pumpkins. A few examples of varieties include Sugar Pie and Baby Pam.

• You will want to choose a pumpkin that does not have any soft spots or bruises as those indicate rotting.
• When choosing the right pumpkin, look for a dried-out stem [and avoid it], so you know it will not fall off or start to rot.
• While you probably will not see pie pumpkins in stores much bigger or smaller, 4 to 8 pounds is desirable, so you have tender flesh.
• You will also find canned pumpkin puree at the grocery store. Pure pumpkin puree will offer the authentic health benefits of pumpkin, but be sure to check the ingredient label before buying.
• Be very mindful while selecting pumpkin puree, as it sits right next to the pumpkin pie filling that contains some added sugars. It should just be the pumpkin itself. Many purees incorporate puree of sweet potatoes or butternut squash too.

What Are The Different Varieties Of Pumpkins?

All pumpkins might look the same at first glance at the pumpkin patch, but there are a few things to look out for. Farmers and grocers will label pumpkins as ‘sugar’ or ‘pie’ when they are the smaller, sweeter varieties better for cooking.

Some names you might find are Baby Pam, Autumn Gold, Cinderella, and Fairy Tale. While it is possible to find over 70 different pumpkin varieties, these are the 10 major kinds to look out for when buying one.

• Jack be Little: These miniature small pumpkins are the ones you usually find at Thanksgiving tables. You can even use them as soup bowls or to make desserts like pies. 
• Jarrahdale: These Australian heirlooms err on the greenish-blue side, but that does not make them any less flavorful. They are nearly stringless in texture, making them easy to cut into and eat.
• Baby Boo: These perfectly shaped white pumpkins are palm-sized, with a soft center. 
• Fairy Tale: Also known as mosques de Provence, this is a French heirloom with deep orange flesh suitable for puree.
• Cotton Candy: The name says it all! This incredibly sweet pumpkin is ideal for any dessert.

• Rouge Vif D’etampes: This French heirloom is vivid red and a showpiece pumpkin if there ever was one. Its stunning taste and colour make it versatile.
• Hybrid Pam: Hybrid Pam looks like a cross between butternut squash and a jack o’ lantern. It has firmer flesh, which makes it great for pies as well as roasting.
• Cinderella: These huge pumpkins are named after the carriage in the most popular classic movie “CINDERELLA.” They are more used for carving than eating.
• Black Futsu: This is a rare Japanese heirloom with unforgettable bumpy black skin. Do not let the exterior fool you, though, because some irresistibly sweet flesh lies just underneath.

EndNote

Pumpkin is a very versatile ingredient for dishes and very healthy as a supplement. Though there are many more benefits of pumpkins, a handful of these benefits are mentioned proving that pumpkins are a requirement in our regular diet.

Steering you away from many major health-related problems, pumpkin is a very delicious ingredient well. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is pumpkin good for kidneys?

Fibre, Vitamin C, and beta-carotene are just a few of the nutritional advantages that pumpkin offers that are perfect for the renal diet. So go ahead and indulge in a few of these seasonal treats today!

2. Is pumpkin okay for diabetics?

It is a healthy selection for those with diabetes because it is mild in caloric and glycemic index. If you eat pumpkin in its lowest refined form, including it in your dietary regimen may help you control your blood sugar.

3. Does pumpkin raise blood sugar?

Although pumpkin has a relatively low glycemic load and a glycemic index of 75, it won’t result in a significant increase in blood sugar levels.

If you liked this article, do not forget to check out other interesting articles on our website.

1. Wang, Lin, et al. “Biotechnology advances in β-carotene production by microorganisms.” Trends in Food Science & Technology 111 (2021): 322-332. ↩︎
2. Comai, Stefano, et al. “Tryptophan in health and disease.” Advances in clinical chemistry 95 (2020): 165-218. ↩︎
3. Mills, Katherine T., Andrei Stefanescu, and Jiang He. “The global epidemiology of hypertension.” Nature Reviews Nephrology 16.4 (2020): 223-237. ↩︎
4. Song, Jiangfeng, et al. “Latest research advances on magnesium and magnesium alloys worldwide.” Journal of Magnesium and Alloys 8.1 (2020): 1-41. ↩︎

Last Updated on March 20, 2024 by Suchi