« What Can I Cook With The Ingredients I Have In My Pantry | Home | Get A Lot Of Recipes Available In Allrecipes.com »
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Pumpkin Nutrition
By Ken Kudra | November 18, 2009
If you are looking to add more nutrition to your diet, look no further than pumpkins. These large orange squash are chock full of beta-carotene just like carrots, tomatoes and other similar colored fruit and vegetables. Pumpkins are an excellent source of vitamin C, fiber, and calcium. The seeds from pumpkins are full of zinc and unsaturated fatty acids that we need to maintain our health.
Pumpkin provides a lot of nutrition for the amount of calories consumed. Using this seasonal vegetable as a fiber source also tends to fill you up enough to curb your appetite and keep you from overeating. Pumpkins are also a very good source of potassium.
Pumpkin is high in iron, which is important because it helps your red blood cells carry oxygen. The zinc you get from pumpkins helps protect you from osteoporosis of the hip and spine. Zinc is also good for the reproductive system and maintaining fertility.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are important compounds found in pumpkin that help neutralize the free radicals that can damage the lenses in your eyes. This can help prevent macular degeneration and cataracts as you get older. Isn’t it amazing that this simple vegetable can protect your eyes, your bones, and your reproductive system? It is also good for your skin. How many vegetables can do all this and still taste great in both sweet and savory dishes?
There are many ways to add more pumpkin to your menu. You could learn how to make pumpkin soup. Soup is a great way to enjoy the flavor of pumpkin and get the most out of its nutrients. You can make a rich soup for special occasions, or you can make a low calorie soup if you are watching your weight. This simple, rustic food can easily be elevated to the status of fine dining.
Adding pumpkin to your meals provides you with all these great nutrients in one easy package. This overlooked source of nutrition is highly under appreciated. Do not use pumpkins just to decorate for Halloween or to make dessert during the holidays. Place the pumpkin out for everyone to see as a delicious food source.
The versatile pumpkin needs to be celebrated. It is one of the few foods that are equally good in both sweet or savory dishes. Add pumpkin to your menu several times a month using various recipes. Try it as a bread, as a soup or as a roasted vegetable. Do not relegate pumpkins to being a novelty-serving dish. Eat some!
Once you have added more pumpkin into your diet, you will be amazed how you ever did without its rich flavor. You will realize that you are feeling better, looking better and that you are healthier. Pumpkin can help you avoid major health issues and help you lose weight. Not bad for something that most people think of as a decoration!
Every pumpkin soup recipe shares the richness of its main ingredient. Pumpkin isn’t just something you carve on Halloween… it is an ingredient that makes a very elegant, delicious soup that is suitable all through the autumn and winter. This seasonal item is great as an appetizer or a main dish.
Topics: Recipes | No Comments »