Like all orange-pigmented vegetables, pumpkins are rich in beta
carotene (the plant form of vitamin A). A half cup of canned or
baked pumpkin provides over 450 percent of the adult Recommended
Dietary Allowance (RDA) of Vitamin A. Studies have shown that this
antioxidant may help prevent some forms of cancer. Pumpkins are
also shown to help fight colds, immune diseases, and night blindness.
Pumpkins are high in vitamin C for all-around tissue building and
healing as well as 275mg of potassium for a healthy heart.. A half-cup
serving supplies over 15 percent of the RDA of Vitamin C. Both squash
and pumpkin contain a good amount of fiber that is a defense against
the development of tumors.
A half cup of pumpkin has only 40 calories. Pumpkins are very low
in fat and are high in fiber. When you boil pumpkins, they absorb
water and lose some nutrients. We suggest you bake pumpkins for
optimum retention of nutrients.
In a report published by Graham A. Colditz et al. in the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition (January 1985), numerous previous
studies were cited that "have shown that cancer risk is inversely
related to the consumption of green and yellow vegetables. "
Particularly mentioned were lung, gastrointestinal, bladder, and
colon cancers. The report was based on a study of more than 1,200
Massachusetts residents 66 years of age or older and demonstrated
that those with the highest intake of carotene-containing vegetables
had the lowest incidence of cancer.
The best part of pumpkin from nutritional point of view is the
part most of throw out when we carve pumpkins for the Jack O' Lantern
- viz., the seeds.
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