The Versatile & Wholesome Pumpkin - Health Benefits Beyond Pumpkin Pie

Did you know that every October, a good portion of the world's pumpkin crop is harvested? Besides being Halloween decorations for our front porches or what make up the traditional pumpkin pie, pumpkins have many other uses and healthful qualities.

Pumpkins are part of the same plant family that includes squash and cucumbers and can be found in an array of shapes and sizes. Pumpkins can weigh less than a pound or more than a thousand pounds. Legend has it that these orange vegetables hailed from Central America as their seeds have been found in archeological sites in Mexico dating back 7000 years. This means, pumpkinseeds were being consumed before pumpkins were being engraved with ghastly ghosts, bats, and owls.

There are many popular varieties of pumpkins for growers but the best carving pumpkins are often not the best tasting. Sugar pumpkins, one of the smaller varieties, are good for recipes because they are sweet, smooth, and are almost without string on their flesh. You can use heirloom seeds to grow many varieties including the Jack-Be-Little and the New England pie pumpkins.

The orange color of pumpkins is due to the high amounts of carotenoids, which have great anti-cancer properties. Pumpkins also contain lutein and ziazanthin, which can help promote eye health and keep macular degeneration at bay. Vitamin C and potassium are also an added health benefit, as well as fiber. You can get your daily dose of pumpkin in other ways besides eating pie at every turn. Use it in stews or with cheese and butter, or in a flan desert, as they do in other parts of the world. Because pumpkins are usually only available around Thanksgiving and Halloween, you can use butternut squash the rest of the year.

Make use of the seeds from your pumpkin by roasting them for a snack. Pumpkinseeds are high in zinc and essential fatty acids. Pumpkinseed oil contains good fats, which have been linked to healthier skin, an increase in energy, and improved mental function. Be sure to roast your seeds at 300 degrees or less to protect the inherent good fats.

To puree pumpkin, cut your pumpkin into large chunks and arrange them in a steamer. Let the chunks steam for 30 to 45 minutes. When the inner flesh is soft, the steaming is complete. Remove the chunks from the steamer and scrape the pulp away from the skin. Now you are ready to whip with a beater or puree in a food processor.