Pumpkin - A Source Of Fiber And Antioxidants

Author: Maryam Ayres Time for reading: ~1 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

Pumpkin - A Source Of Fiber And Antioxidants

Its antioxidant abilities come not only from vitamins, but also from pectin proteins.

In the western world, pumpkins are used mainly for pies, muffins, some types of bread and are most popular as carved lanterns for All Saints' Day. In our country, fortunately, pumpkin has remained one of the healthiest and most revered autumn foods and is as popular as watermelon in summer.

Minimal amounts of fat , lack of cholesterol and an abundance of vitamins , minerals and fiber bring pumpkin special respect in the season and - roasted pumpkin, pumpkin pie, pumpkin pie, pumpkin wedge and pumpkin soup - all are especially popular even in winter and there is a reason.

200 g of roasted pumpkin contain about 20% of the Indicative Daily Intake (RDA) for fiber . About 60% of pumpkin fiber is soluble . Nutritionist Dr. Nancy Berkoff says that soluble fiber is made up of pectin and plant resins . They absorb water when they are in the digestive system and swell to form a bulky obstruction that slows the passage of simple sugars such as glucose into the bloodstream. This effect reduces both the risk of developing diabetes and a feeling of satiety , even with less food. Soluble fiber can also bind to cholesterol, eventually taking it out of the body.

The remaining 40% of the fibers - insoluble fibers , are concentrated mainly in the fibrous fibers and veins of the pumpkin tissue. They promote healthy peristalsis by stimulating contractions in the colon and small intestine. Stable intake of insoluble fiber is associated with the prevention of digestive problems, colon cancer, ulcers and hemorrhoids .

According to the Approximate daily intake, 200 g of pumpkin also contains: vitamin A - 214% of ODP; vitamin C - 32.8% of ODP; manganese - 19% of ODP; vitamin B 6 - 16.5% of ODP; potassium - 14.1% of the ODP; tryptophan - 9.3% of ODP; omega-3 acids - 7.9% of ODP; magnesium - 6.6% of ODP and only 75 calories or less than 4% of ODP.

The powerful antioxidant properties of pumpkin as a food are not only due to the abundance of vitamins. About 90% of the calories in vegetables come from carbohydrates, half of which are in the form of polysaccharides such as pectin - homogalactorunans found in cell walls. In addition to antioxidant help for the body, they also have anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and insulin-regulating properties.

Pumpkin - A Source Of Fiber And Antioxidants

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