It’s pumpkin season! If you travel along country roads you will see pumpkin stands on every corner. As fall progresses many flock to pumpkin patches to fun and to purchase pie pumpkins and pumpkins for carving.
I took my family to the apple orchard just the other day to purchase apples and pumpkins. As I took pictures of my kids by large pumpkins and enjoyed the beautiful orange colors of fall, I wondered “What is the point of a pumpkin?” I could not see any reason beyond pie and decoration for a pumpkin to exist. While pumpkin pie is a good enough reason to purchase a pumpkin, I wondered if this fall beauty had health benefits I was missing. So, I immediately did what I tell my children to do when they have questions and looked it up! Silly me, I had so much to learn. I took pumpkins for granted as a fall treat never giving credit to the goodness they provide.
Health benefits of pumpkins:
Source of Vitamin C
Source of Vitamin E
Source of Vitamin A
Beta-carotene which acts as a natural anti-inflammatory and can help skin damage.
Source of Fiber
Potassium
Magnesium
Before you carve that pumpkin and discard the seeds you may want to consider the health benefits these seeds contain. Pumpkin seeds also contain vitamin E, magnesium and potassium. In addition, the seeds are a source of iron and omega 3 fatty acids and zinc.
I will never take a pumpkin for granted again! This is such a yummy fall treat so take advantage of all the wonderful things you can do with a pumpkin from soup to pie! Explore your options and come up with a family favorite. It would be a nice tradition to roast the seeds while you carve up that pumpkin.
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