It seems pumpkin is the go-to food during the fall season since it is hearty, and delicious, and wonderful when paired with fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
(like the DIY coffee mix at the bottom of this post)
It is also great to pair with other fall fruits and vegetables like butternut squash, apples, and cranberries.
While you may know all about how to use pumpkin in delicious recipes, you may not be aware of how healthy it is.
Pumpkin is actually considered a superfood because it contains a high amount of vitamins and minerals.
It is relatively low in fat and can replace a lot of fattening ingredients in traditional recipes.
You can even make healthy dog treats with pumpkin!
Check out all the health benefits of pumpkin and why you should never feel guilty if you eat more of it. Unless of course, all you eat is pumpkin bread. 🙂
1. Pumpkin Is Nutrient-Dense
Before going into the specific health benefits of pumpkin, you should know why it is good overall and what makes pumpkin a superfood.
In short – it is loaded with vitamins and minerals.
Pumpkin is nutrient-dense, including all parts of the pumpkin.
Pumpkin is nutrient-dense, including all parts of the pumpkin including the skin, flesh, and seeds.
You can take a pumpkin and roast the flesh of the pumpkin and the seeds, using each of them for different recipes.
Among the different nutrients included in pumpkin and vitamin C and vitamin E.
Pumpkin is also a wonderful source of fiber, which you need for your digestive health.
It can improve your digestion and even help you lose weight. Fiber is also great for keeping your cholesterol levels at a decent level. Additional nutrients in the pumpkin seeds include:
- Vitamin E
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Zinc
- Potassium
In addition to these nutrients, pumpkin also has vitamin B5, magnesium, and potassium.
As you can see, it is a very versatile food with a lot of exceptional and healthy options for the fall season.
2. Pumpkin Contains Lots of Fiber
One of the top health benefits of pumpkin and pumpkin seeds is that there is fiber.
You really need fiber no matter what your current health status is.
Whether you are trying to lose weight or simply want to improve your overall health, fiber is really at the top of the list of nutrients that are good for you.
The problem is that many people don’t get enough fiber in their diet, especially if they don’t follow a healthy diet in general.
The fiber content is a little different depending on if you make puree from fresh pumpkin, or if you use canned pumpkin.
With fresh pumpkin or pumpkin puree, you make at home, you get about 2.7 grams of fiber per pump of the pumpkin.
This is also only about 50 calories for a cup, so it is a great option when adding to various recipes.
If you prefer using pure canned pumpkin, then a cup has approximately 7 grams of fiber.
It is considerably more due to the added ingredients in canned pumpkin, but a little higher in calories at 80 calories per cup. As always, make sure you are using pure pumpkin, not the pumpkin pie filling.
Why You Need Fiber in Your Diet
Still not convinced about having more fiber in your diet? Consider these benefits of eating high-fiber foods like pumpkin:
- You have better bowel health
- It regulates your blood sugar levels
- Fiber helps to reduce your cholesterol levels
- You can improve your digestive health
- It is amazing for weight loss
If you don’t think you are not getting enough fiber in your diet, consider adding pumpkin to more of your meals and desserts.
3. Pumpkin May Help Reduce Your Blood Pressure
If you are someone that struggles with high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, you might be curious about ways you can change your diet that will
help out.
As you know, high blood pressure is known as a silent killer.
This is because it can sneak up on you and lead to heart disease, stroke, or even death without hardly any symptoms.
The best way to know if you have high blood pressure is to have it checked by your doctor.
As many people with high blood pressure know, the key to lowering it is not only through medications but with healthy lifestyle changes.
This often includes exercising more, making sure you get enough vitamins and minerals, and changing your diet.
This can seem like a lot, but with small changes, you can make a large impact on your health.
How Pumpkin Helps
Easy – it is full of phytoestrogens.
These are important nutrients for reducing and even preventing hypertension.
But that’s not the only reason it helps with blood pressure and heart health.
Many of the vitamins and minerals in pumpkin flesh and the seeds can help your overall health, which helps reduce your blood pressure.
If this sounds like something you would be interested in, the first thing you want to do is find healthy recipes that use pumpkin.
It is best that you start with foods you already enjoy, as it won’t feel as much like a ‘diet’, but more like you are just adding something to your current diet.
This can be anything from having your morning smoothie with some pureed pumpkin to adding a little pumpkin to your salads when you already have butternut squash in them.
If you want a sweet treat, make pumpkin muffins or cookies, as they are often more nutrient-rich than traditional baked goods.
Just be sure to use organic ingredients and eat them in moderation.
4. Pumpkin May Help Protect Your Vision
Everyone should be concerned about their vision, no matter what their age or health is at this moment.
From children to senior citizens, protecting your vision really needs to be a top priority.
Another way you can protect your eyes is through a healthy diet, especially one rich in vitamin A.
Also known as beta-carotene, vitamin A can help reduce your risk of eye conditions, protect your vision, and even improve how well you see in dimly-lit rooms.
A variety of fruits and vegetables will give you enough of this vitamin, including pumpkins.
One thing you will notice is that most foods with beta-carotene are orange in color due to the carotenoids in them.
5. Pumpkin May Reduce Your Cancer Risk
By now, you can tell that pumpkin has a lot of amazing health benefits for you.
It is loaded with vitamins and minerals, helps your vision, and can even aid in lowering your blood pressure.
Another important health benefit is that it may be able to reduce your risk of cancer.
This is also due to the beta-carotene or vitamin A in pumpkin.
There have been studies performed that look at the connection between a beta-carotene deficiency and link to cancer.
They noticed there was a reduced risk, particularly of prostate cancer when men were getting enough of this nutrient in their regular diet.
To get the vitamin, you can take a vitamin or multivitamin each day, and try to get more through your diet.
You already know pumpkin is a good source of beta-carotene, but here are some other foods that do too:
- Spinach
- Kale
- Carrots
- Butternut squash
- Sweet potatoes
- Turnip Greens
As you can see, all of these superfood vegetables are available in the fall, so you can make salads and soups with any combination of fall veggies and you will increase Vitamin A to reduce your risk for cancer.
Other nutrients in pumpkin that help with cancer prevention are vitamin E, vitamin C, and of course antioxidants.
6. Pumpkin Helps You Have Glowing Skin
One of the health benefits that tends to surprise a lot of people is that pumpkin can actually help with the protection and health of your skin.
Just about everyone wants better skin, from reducing acne to having a glowing complexion, but it’s not all about the expensive products you use.
Sometimes, it has more to do with your lifestyle, including eating a healthy diet and drinking a lot of water.
Pumpkin contains important nutrients your skin needs, including carotenoids.
By eating more pumpkin, you are getting additional nutrients your skin needs to be healthy and well protected, not to mention all the benefits of those added antioxidants and other vitamins in pumpkin.
7. Pumpkins Boost Your Immune System
Pumpkin is typically in season during late summer and through the fall, which is great because this is when people often want pumpkin-spiced treats and foods.
It is also good because this is when many people are prone to colds and allergy attacks.
One of the top health benefits of pumpkin is the fact that it can help boost your immunity.
Beta carotene and vitamin C give you a natural boost to your immune system and help you fight off the common cold, infections, and allergies.
8. Pumpkin Is Good For Heart Health
Lastly, you should know that pumpkin is great for heart health.
You already know that the nutrients in pumpkin are good for your blood pressure, but they also help your heart in other ways.
It is important for everyone to pay attention to their cardiovascular health in order to be healthy overall, but also to reduce complications like heart disease, stroke, and heart attack.
In addition to the other nutrients in pumpkin, it is the fiber that is going to help with your heart health the most.
Having a diet higher in fiber can reduce your risk for coronary heart disease, according to a study done at Harvard University.
More fiber can also help you to lose weight, which as you know is also good for your heart health.
What’s Not To Love About Pumpkin?
I admit I don’t really like pumpkin pie but the thought of fresh pumpkin bread makes my mouth water!
Pumpkin is my favorite protein shake flavor and I love adding my DIY pumpkin spice to coffee.
Just whatever you do.
Don’t drink pumpkin spice coffee at Starbucks except on rare occasions since it is full of toxins.
You can easily make your own “pumpkin coffee” at home.
Try combining the following organic spices in a glass jar then sprinkle half of it over your coffee before it brews.
When your coffee is ready add a little stevia and cream to taste.
- 1 tsp freshly ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp freshly ground cloves
- ½ tsp freshly ground dried ginger
Pumpkin has some amazing health benefits because of its vitamin and fiber content.
