Pumpkins are a super food!
Personally, I have little patience with the American obsession with Halloween. I have never celebrated it as such, I find trick or treating a glorified form of begging and the spiteful actions that unfurl from those giving a ‘trick’ are never justified and frighten the vulnerable. I have however, gone out to Halloween themed parties but I don’t really need an excuse to find a costume and have fun with friends.
For a predominantly Christian country like America that gets hysterical over Socialism and anything non-Christian, I cannot for the life of me understand why they embrace Halloween which is a pagan tradition. Maybe it’s just big business perpetuating it as a means to squeeze more money out of the consumer, maybe that’s me being cynical. Who knows? I have a deep-running disdain for many aspect of American ‘culture’ (such as giant meals at restaurants, deep-seated racism in the South, protectionism and refusing to get behind the Kyoto agreement) but unfortunately I can’t stop them so I co-exist with it. I do often hope people see the error of the young country’s ways and change, but greed is ugly and too strong amongst its politicians.
Anyway, back to my original point! Too often, pumpkins are only seen as something to carve into with a very big knife and put candles in. They are a seasonal fruit (pumpkins are a fruit not a vegetable because they have seeds) and are associated with Halloween and for Americans, Thanksgiving. I am often horrified that the flesh within pumpkins is not routinely celebrated and frankly, worshipped! Did you know that pumpkins contain beta carotene?
Pumpkins are no just for Halloween lanterns, their flesh is full of goodnes - and you should eat more pumpkin!
Beta carotene is your friend! It is not only a cancer fighting substance (particularly colon cancer it is thought), it is a dieter’s friend too. It is a type of vitamin A and sorry to debunk this common myth but it can’t help you see in the dark! What Vitamin A can do for you is it can help improve your skin, your vision and immune system function. So why is pumpkin so great for dieters?
Pumpkin is high in fibre and low in calories. Fibre aids digestion which means food doesn’t rot in your bowel and we all know what low in calories means! Pumpkins contain about 30 calories per 150g. Result!
The seeds in pumpkins are great for you as well. Seeds in general can help your mental well-being, nutritional experts claim that seeds and nuts can be extremely beneficial for those incorporating a dietary factor into beating depression. I know personally of one man who believes his diet was a large contributory factor to improving his moods and nuts and seeds were a feature in his particular diet. Pumpkin seeds contain a high level of zinc as well, which aids sleep, helps to improve your skin, hair and nail growth. Pumpkin seeds can be eaten alone as a snack, stirred into yoghurt as a dessert or even toasted or sprinkled on fresh whole wheat bread.
Pumpkins are not just for Halloween, they should be embraced for as long as they are in season. If you are making jack-o-lanterns this Halloween, make good use of the flesh! There are many great recipes online so get out to your local market and get creative.
