Author: Maryam Ayres
Time for reading: ~2
minutes
Last Updated:
August 08, 2022
In this article, learn more about Pumpkin - A Lot Of Useful Substances, No Cholesterol. And fruit and vegetables - why not every day a culinary feast of pumpkin?.
Pumpkin has complex health benefits, the deprivation of which we can safely define as criminal negligence. In the season of pumpkins and along with today's seemingly forcibly imposed and distorted celebration of the pumpkin , let's recall the great importance of this otherwise traditional for the home table fruit vegetable.
Pumpkin is rich in a number of nutrients and bioactive substances - carbohydrates (most of which are in the form of useful fiber ), protein, vitamins and trace elements. An exceptional advantage of the pumpkin is that it is very low in simple sugars and therefore in calories. As a bonus, even overdoing it with pumpkin will not negatively affect our lipid profile because it does not contain cholesterol.
The vitamins with the highest content in pumpkin are vitamin C, vitamin E and several representatives of the group of vitamin B-complex - riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6) and folic acid (B9). Of great importance is the high content of beta carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A.
The trace elements that are contained in the highest doses in pumpkin are potassium, copper, manganese, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. Among other roles, some of these elements are co-factors in enzyme complexes with potent antioxidant activity.
As mentioned, pumpkin is not a source of cholesterol. However, this is not its only positive feature in terms of the benefits for the blood lipid profile. Pumpkin has a high content of niacin , which is among the natural products with proven action to lower cholesterol .
Studies on pumpkin and its benefits to the body show that it can also help control diabetes . The complex action of the bioactive substances in its composition supports the absorption of glucose by the cells and regulates its deposition in the liver in the form of reserve glycogen.
The combination of key vitamins and minerals for our immune system makes pumpkin a powerful regulator of immunity. In the season of flu and colds, regular consumption of pumpkin can help the body fight pathogens.
Pumpkin is one of the very few food products that is used equally successfully to make cakes and savory dishes. Boiled, roasted, stewed, even raw - pumpkin is equally tasty and useful. The same goes for pumpkin seeds. In the pumpkin season we can take advantage of the benefits of eating them every day. Obviously, even an overdose can't hurt.