Famous as the annual Jack-o-lantern and Thanksgiving pie tradition, pumpkin is a low fat, low calorie, high in fiber food that offers a variety of health benefits.
Pumpkin's Nutritional Benefits
Pumpkin provides an excellent source of flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants like leutin, xanthins and other nutrients such as potassium, pantothenic acid, magnesium and vitamins C and E. Pumpkin also has one of the richest sources of bioavailable carotenoids including alpha-carotene and beta-carotene.
From the genus Cucurbita of the family Cucurbitaceae (the gourds) which includes the pumpkins and squashes, pumpkins are native to Asia and were introduced to America in prehistoric times. An annual, herbaceous plant, pumpkin is harvested for its fruit, flowers and seeds.
A detailed list of the nutritional value of pumpkin is available through the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.
Pumpkin, Beta-carotene and Vitamin A
Beta-carotene is the substance responsible for giving pumpkin its distinctive orange color. Beta-carotene into vitamin A, a nutrient that has anti-aging properties and aids in regeneration. Vitamin A improves the “entry points” in the body such as the lining of the eyes, mucous membranes, urinary, respiratory and intestinal tracts and is critical for the lymphocytes – white blood cells that fight infection.
Vitamin A:
- Supports the immune system
- Maintains eye health, helps fight cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma and other age-related eye diseases.
- Benefits bones and teeth
- Helps prevent urinary stones
- Helps prevent cancer by fighting oxidative stress or “cellular” rust which occurs in diseases such as atherosclerosis and cancer.
- Fights free radicals that can damage skin
- Aids reproductive health in men and women
Medicinal Uses for Pumpkin
In a 2010 report on the biological and medicinal properties of pumpkin researchers Yadav et al wrote "that it has substantial medicinal properties due to the presence of unique natural edible substances… Various important medicinal properties including anti-diabetic, antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and others have been well documented.”
Webmd.com writes that there is some evidence that pumpkin may be useful for treating bladder irritation, kidney infections and intestinal worms. There is stronger evidence however, that pumpkin may help men with trouble urinating due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
The health benefits of pumpkin go beyond its fruit. Pumpkin extract, seeds and oil extracted from the seeds offer their own nutritional and medicinal value. Pumpkin extract, according to a study out of East China, helps regenerate damaged pancreatic cells which increases insulin levels in the blood. Extract, writes one of the researchers, may be "a very good product for pre-diabetic people, as well as those who already have diabetes."
Pumpkin oil may help reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol according to researchers involved in a July 2008 study published in Phytotherapy Research. The scientists found that rats fed pumpkin seed oil had lower LDL levels than rats fed corn oil. The oil may also lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures due to it's high concentration of a compound called phytoestrogens. (Gossell-Williams, 2008)
Pumpkin seeds also known as pepitas, contain a number of anti-oxidants and are an excellent source of protein, zinc, magnesium, manganese and phosphorus. They also contain a high amount of tryptophan, an essential amino acid involved in the synthesis of a key brain chemical called serotonin which is involved in mood, sleep and appetite regulation.
Pepitas also have a high concentration of a compound called phytosterols which according to the World's Healthiest Foods encyclopedia, are similar to the body's own cholesterol. As a result, when the phytosterols reach a certain level in the blood, this may lower cholesterol.
More than just a colorful gourd to carve at Halloween, "The Great Pumpkin" and all its parts offer a versatile and tasty super food that can pack a powerful nutrient punch 12 months a year.
Sources:
"Effect of Pumpkin Seed Oil." Pharmacological Research. 1995 Jan;31(1):73-9.
Gossell-Williams. Supplementation with Pumpkin Seed Oil Improves Plasma Lipid Profile and Cardiovascular Outcomes of Female Non-Ovariectomized and Ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley Rats." Phytotherapy Research. 2008.
“Properties of Pumpkins.” Botanical-online.com (Retrieved October 17th,2011).
“Pumpkin.” Webmd.com. September 2009 (Retrieved October 17,2011).
"Pumpkin May Cut Injections for Diabetes". Daily Telegraph (London, UK: Telegraph Group). 9 July 2007. Retrieved 2008-10-02.
"Pumpkin Seeds." World's Healthiest Foods, 2008. The George Mateljan Foundation. 11 Feb. 2008
"Supplementation with PSO." Phytotherapy Research. 2008 Jul;22(7):873-7.
"World's Healthiest Foods". Whfoods.com. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
Xia T, Wang Q. “Antihyperglycemic effect of Cucurbita ficifolia fruit extract in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.” Fitoterapia. 2006 Dec;77(7-8):530-3. Epub 2006 Jul 6.
Yadav M, Jain S, Tomar R, Prasad GB, Yadav H,"Medicinal and biological potential of pumpkin: an updated review." Nutr Res Rev. 2010 Dec;23(2):184-90.
Laura Owens - Laura Owens has a B.S. in Psychology from Rollins College & U of FL. She is a freelance writer with expertise in motivation & wellness.
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