All Things Pumpkin
As you start incorporating more pumpkin into your fall recipes and learning about their health benefits, don’t forget to learn more about pumpkins themselves.
You can even teach these facts to your kids to get them more interested in the healthy pumpkin meals you put together.
Pumpkins are a Type of Fruit
Definitely one of the more surprising facts about pumpkins is that they are fruit, not vegetables. Many people consider pumpkins to be a vegetable, along with squash and other gourds, but it is in fact a fruit. Fruits are typically defined by being planted with seeds, which pumpkins definitely have.
Therefore, while a part of the gourd family, they are a type of fruit. This is also a warm-weather crop, similar to other types of winter squash, which is why it is available to be harvested in the fall season. Continue reading
The term ‘superfood’ has been around for a few years as a way to describe a food that is high in nutrients. Superfoods tend to be higher in vitamins and minerals than other foods, making them ‘super’ nutrient-dense.
Pumpkin also happens to be a superfood, helping with things like weight loss, vision, and providing more fiber in your diet.
Here are some things to know about the health benefits of pumpkin and why it is a superfood.
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Superfoods are More Nutrient-Dense
The main reason pumpkin is considered a superfood is because of its high amount of nutrients. Many foods you eat will contain some types of vitamins and minerals, including processed snacks believe it or not, but the bad often outweigh the good. Continue reading
Pumpkin is not only an excellent food to have in the fall season when you want something festive, but also happens to be very good for you. It is low in fat, but high in taste, so it really does please everyone. Plus, you can also use it in a lot of your clean eating recipes. Here are a few ideas to start out with.
Pumpkin Ice Cream
One of the drawbacks to a clean eating diet is that you are very limited with the type of ice cream you can eat. While there are low-fat ice cream options and even dairy-free ones, they are still not considered clean in most cases. Your best option is to make your own ice cream at home. This includes making a delicious pumpkin ice cream in the fall.
You will start with bananas, which should be frozen, and are often used to make “nice cream”. You can then add in a little pumpkin puree, some pumpkin pie spice, and a little pure maple syrup. It is as simple as blending in a food processor and freezing overnight. Continue reading
If you are interested in using pumpkin for healthy recipes, don’t forget about the seeds!
Also called pepitas, pumpkin seeds contain a lot of vitamins and minerals, are low in fat, and are great for having as a snack or putting on salads.
Here are some things to know about pumpkin seeds:
Loaded with Health Benefits
Pumpkin seeds, like the flesh of a pumpkin, have a lot of vitamins and minerals. They are delicious and wonderful to have in the fall, but don’t forget they are also really good for you. Pumpkin seeds contain a lot of magnesium, which is a type of electrolyte that is good for overall health. Some other nutrients include:
- Zinc, which helps with your immune system and boosts male reproductive health
- Fiber to help with digestive health and weight loss
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Nutrients that help with your prostate and to sleep better
