Did you know pumpkin belongs to the squash family and is a rich source of beta-carotene? Beta carotene is an antioxidant that gives pumpkins their beautiful bright orange hue. When you consume pumpkins, the body converts the beta carotene into retinol or vitamin A, a crucial nutrient for a healthy functioning body.

Benefits of Beta Carotene

Here is a list of the top health benefits of beta carotene:

• Supports eye health: Diets rich in beta carotene not only support eye health but also prevent eye diseases.
• Better skin health: Beta carotene, like any other antioxidant, helps in maintaining skin health and appearance. It also protects the skin against the ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun.
• Improves memory and cognitive function: An antioxidant like beta carotene reduces the various signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related cognitive issues. Regular use of beta carotene supplements boosts cognitive function and memory.
• Prevents cancer: A diet high in beta carotene reduces the risk of cancers, including lung, breast, and pancreatic cancer.
• Fights age-related macular degeneration: Age-related macular degeneration, also known as AMD, is an eye disease. It gets worse with time and if ignored, can cause severe vision damage. Clinical trials have, however, proved that consuming a combination of beta-carotene, along with zinc, vitamin E, and vitamin C, fights against age-related macular degeneration and lowers their risk.
• Lowers the risk of inflammatory conditions: Beta-carotene helps in preventing exercise-induced asthma attacks and is effective in the treatment of an inflammatory condition of osteoarthritis progression. Furthermore, beta-carotene significantly reduces the severity of chronic plaque psoriasis. More research is still needed to determine the beta-carotene supplements dosages and their use for treating these conditions.

Apart from the above-mentioned benefits, Beta-carotene also aids in preventing and treating the following health conditions or problems:

• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Cataract
• Heartburn
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Parkinson's disease
• Psoriasis

Benefits of Pumpkins

Pumpkins have several benefits and an impressive nutrient profile. Let us look at the nutrition that a cup of cooked pumpkin (245 grams) packs:

• Fat: 0.2 grams
• Protein: 2 grams
• Calories: 49
• Fiber: 3 grams
• Carbs: 12 grams
• Vitamin C: 19% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
• Vitamin A: 245% of the RDI
• Manganese: 11% of the RDI
• Potassium: 16% of the RDI
• Vitamin B2: 11% of the RDI
• Copper: 11% of the RDI
• Iron: 8% of the RDI
• Vitamin E: 10% of the RDI
• Small amounts of zinc, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, and several B vitamins.

Along with loads of minerals and vitamins, pumpkin has fewer calories as it contains 94% water. Let us now glance through the numerous health benefits that pumpkins contain:

• High in potassium, pumpkins can help in lowering blood pressure.
• Just 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds (pepitas) boosts the magnesium level that assists in bone and tooth formation, relaxes the blood vessels, and aids heart health.
• Pumpkin contains several antioxidants like beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin among others. These antioxidants ensure that our cells stay safe and are not damaged by any free radicals.
• Pumpkins are rich in carotenoids, which help in lowering the risks of several cancers, like the throat, stomach, breast, pancreas, and cancers.
• Pumpkin has high levels of Vitamins A and C, which boosts the immune system.
• Vitamin E, folate, and iron present in pumpkins strengthen immunity.
• Pumpkins’ contents like lutein, Vitamin A, and zeaxanthin protects eyes and keeps vision loss at bay.
• The pumpkin seed oil is anti-inflammatory and helps in arthritis.

Pumpkin Recipes to try this Halloween

Now that you know several benefits of a pumpkin, ensure to check out these fun ways to eat it. Moreover, with Halloween coming up, now is the time to try these healthy and creative recipes.

Recipe 1: Pumpkin and Feta Muffins

• Recipe serves: 10
• Total cook time: 1 hour 10 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups cubed pumpkin
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper (as per taste)
• 1 handful chopped baby spinach
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan
• 100 gms cubed feta
• 2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
• 4 tablespoons condensed milk
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon white or red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 3 tablespoon sunflower seeds kernels

Steps

• Preheat your oven to 405 F or 200°C. Grease the muffin pan with butter and keep it aside.
• Pour olive oil and sprinkle some salt and pepper over the pumpkin. Toss it well and put it on a roasting pan or baking sheet.
• After arranging the pumpkin cubes in a single layer, bake them for 20 minutes or until cooked properly. Let them cool.
• Once the squash cools down, transfer about two-thirds of it in a mixing bowl and toss it with parmesan, spinach, two-thirds of the feta, parsley, sunflower seeds, mustard, and milk.
• Now, add flour, soda, and baking powder to the pumpkin mix, with salt and pepper to taste.
• Scoop the squash mixture into your prepared pan. Put three-fourth (3/4) of the squash mix in each muffin pan and top the remaining section with the leftover squash and feta.
• Sprinkle black sesame seeds on top.
• Bake for half an hour or until the muffin tops and sides turn golden.
• Let the muffins cool for some time before serving.

Recipe 2: Pumpkin halwa

• Recipe serves: 6
• Total cook time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 kg pumpkin (cut into 1" dices), peeled
• 2 tablespoon coconut (grated and roasted)
• 2 tablespoon almonds (flaked and roasted)
• 1 1/2 stick of cinnamon
• 50 gm raisins
• 150 gm sugar
• 4 tablespoon ghee/butter/oil
• 150 ml water

Steps

• Take a saucepan and put the pumpkin, cinnamon, and water in it. Cover it up and cook until it turns tender. Once done, drain out the water and mash the pumpkin.
• Pour oil into a pan and heat it until it turns hot.
• Now, pour the pumpkin into the pan and stir the puree continuously.
• Stir until the puree reduces and darkens. It should take 10 minutes.
• Add sugar as per your taste and let it cook until the halwa has a deep glossy color.
• Serve the hot halwa and garnish it with raisins, almonds, and coconut.

Chef’s Tips and Tricks to Cut a Pumpkin

• Follow the ridges on the pumpkin and cut it into wedges.
• Scoop out the seeds and the stringy fibers with a spoon.
• Keep the pumpkin flat and carefully peel the skin away from each wedge using a sharp knife.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Besides pumpkins, which other vegetables and fruits are rich in beta carotene?

You can reap the benefits of beta carotene from oranges, yellow, and green leafy vegetables and fruits such as carrots, tomatoes, spinach, lettuce, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, and broccoli.

2. Is pumpkin beneficial for heart patients?

Yes, pumpkins are extremely beneficial for heart patients as they contain a good amount of potassium. They help in lowering blood pressure, decrease the risk of cardiac disease, and decrease the chances of a stroke!

3. Who should avoid eating pumpkins?

As pumpkins are mildly diuretic, they can be harmful to patients who are on lithium medication. Apart from that, a few pumpkin-based junk foods such as pies and candies are loaded with sugar. Such foods must be consumed in strict moderation as they are not good for health.

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