Pumpkin

Pumpkin, Cucurbita pepo, is popular in the fall. For me it brings up memories of my dad carving a pumpkin for me every Halloween. There were some restrictions. The Jack O` Lantern had to have a happy face and could not be scary or grotesque.

Both the flesh and the seeds of this member of the squash family have  health benefits. Pumpkins come in all sizes and are usually orange or yellow, though some are green, white, red or gray. There are field pumpkins for carving and feeding animals and there are the smaller pie pumpkins that are best for cooking and baking purposes.

Pumpkin is a member of the vegetable kingdom and is low in calories; just 27 calories for 100 g of fruit. The fruit has no cholesterol and lots of  fiber. It contains vitamins A, C, and E as well as the B vitamins. Pumpkin is rich in minerals such as calcium, copper, potassium, magnesium, manganese and phosphorus. Pumpkin has flavonoids such as lutein, zeaxanthin, and carotenes. The nutrients in pumpkin may reduce the risk of certain kinds of cancer, protect against asthma, heart disease, high blood pressure, and support eye health and immunity. .

Pumpkin seeds are a great source of fiber and contain mono-unsaturated acids. They also contain protein and minerals like iron, selenium, zinc and tryptophan. They are recommended for men with prostate problems. You can buy the seeds already hulled and salted at the farmers market. They  make a great snack.

There are very few side effects with pumpkin, but it does interact with Lithium. If you are taking lithium, consult with your doctor about using pumpkin.

Pumpkin is very versatile for cooking. One can make bread, cookies, pies, cakes, and soups with them. At this time of year pumpkin recipes abound. Just check the internet for pumpkin recipes and you will find hundreds of ways to fix pumpkin. Below is one of my favorites for pumpkin bread.

Pumpkin Bread

1 cup canned pumpkin (You can cook your own, but I find organic canned easier and quicker.)
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup olive oil
2 eggs beaten
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1$ teaspoon cinnamon
1//4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, salt, sugar and baking soda together. Mix the pumpkin, oil, eggs 1/4 cup of water and spices together, then combine with the dry ingredients, but do not mix too thoroughly. Stir in the nuts and cranberries. Pour into mini-loaf pans that have been greased.I spray them with cooking spray.  Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick poked in center of loaf comes out clean. Turn out of pans and cool on cooling rack.

Have a great time this fall and be sure to check out my web page at www.valerielull.com

Valerie Lull, Author
Ten Healthy Teas
Lullval@clearwire.net