With October a bewitching time for favorite fall foods (pumpkin spice coffee, anyone?), you may wonder if pumpkin is a healthy food choice. It is! Of course, its health benefits are best enjoyed without adding a lot of extra sugar.
Here’s the scoop on pumpkin’s nutritional benefits and some ways to enjoy yummy pumpkin.
Pumpkin’s Nutritional Benefits
Here’s what you’ll get from consuming one cup of cooked, unsalted pumpkin:
- 49 calories
- Less than one gram of fat
- 2.7 grams of fiber
- 12 grams of carbohydrates. That number is offset by the fiber it contains, making pumpkin a healthy choice if you have diabetes.
A one-cup serving of pumpkin is also rich in several vitamins and minerals, including:
- Beta carotene (an antioxidant also found in carrots)
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Potassium
In fact, pumpkin is said to help reduce the risk for chronic diseases and may help with skin health because of its high vitamin C content.
Enjoying Pumpkin in Your Dishes
If you’re now sold on the health benefits of pumpkin, here are a few more ways you can add it to your everyday meals and snacks:
1. Make some cozy, comforting pumpkin soup.
2. Blend up a delicious pumpkin smoothie.
3. Whip up a batch of pumpkin muffins. Modify the sugar level as needed.
4. Add pumpkin to mac and cheese. What?!! Yes, that’s right. You’ll add a nutritional boost to one of your family’s favorite dishes.
5. Don’t throw out the pumpkin seeds. While many of the recipes featured here use pumpkin puree, you’re likely to have whole pumpkin around this time of year because of Halloween. Here’s a recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds.
6. Make some pumpkin hummus for your next dipping delight. Yum!
7. Use homemade pumpkin butter on bread or in oatmeal or yogurt.
Call Acupuncture and Herbal Solutions for Better Wellness in Bradenton and Ellenton
Dr. Vonador is ready to help you achieve better wellness. A visit to Dr. Vonador is about more than just acupuncture. Dr. Vonador will consider your overall health and give you guidance for better wellness and balance in your life. Dr. Vonador now has two offices to conveniently serve patients, in Bradenton and in Ellenton. From allergies to headaches to back pain to better sleep, you’re in good hands with Dr. Vonador. To set an appointment, call 941-479-2937 today. You can also find us on Facebook, at Acupuncture and Herbal Solutions. Find our website at www.DrVonador.com.
Heal the Body. Restore the Mind. 