Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Huh!!! Pumpkin has all that...

Because I didn't have time to cook anything special today I decided to look up how nutritious the good'ol pumpkin is and... I was seriously surprised.  It's a powerhouse!  Here are the facts I found posted on "Power your diet" website. 

Health benefits of Pumpkin

  • It is one of the vegetables which is very low calories;  provides just 26 cal per 100 g and contains no saturated fats or cholesterol; but is rich a source of dietary fiber, anti-oxidants, minerals, vitamins. Recommended by dieticians in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs.
  • Pumpkin is a storehouse of many anti-oxidant vitamins such as vitamin-A, vitamin-C and vitamin-E.
  • With 7384 mg per 100 g, it is one of the vegetable in the cucurbitaceae family with highest levels of vitamin-A, providing about 246% of RDA. Vitamin A is a powerful natural anti-oxidant and is required by body for maintaining the integrity of skin and mucus membranes. It is also an essential vitamin for vision. Research studies suggest that natural foods rich in vitamin A helps body protect against lung and oral cavity cancers.
  • It is also an excellent source of many natural poly-phenolic flavonoid compoundes like alpha and beta carotenes, cryptoxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin. Carotenes convert into vitamin A inside the body.
  • Zea-xanthin is a natural anti-oxidant which has UV (ultra-violet) rays filtering actions in the macula lutea in reitina of the eyes. Thus, it helps protect from "age related macular disease" (ARMD) in the elderly.
  • Rich in B-complex group of vitamins like folates, niacin, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin and pantothenic acid.
  • It is also rich source of minerals like copper, calcium, potassium and phosphorus.

3 comments:

  1. Yup! Why I roast one per week and use it in my breakfast!

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  2. I'm so surprised you didn't know, especially with your pumpkin week! Food guide says eat at least one orange and green veg a day and pumpkin is a pretty easy one to work with.

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  3. It's funny isn't it, that I didn't actually know how much of a powerhouse veg it is. I love that it adds great moisture to baked goods as a replacement to oils! And it's sooo cheap too! Maxine I would love to see how you use it in your breakfast? Can you blog about it!

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