By: Ivana Dragica |
Pumpkin – a winter dose of immunity and slenderness |
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A long time ago, pumpkin was an important source of nutrition for American Indians.
It helped them sustain long and cold winters.
They presented it to pilgrims who also made pumpkin important food in their diet and irreplaceable part of the Thanksgiving dinner table.
It is believed that Columbus brought a pumpkin to Europe, where it was firstly used as cattle food.
Today we can find a pumpkin in many exquisite meals due to its delicious taste, digestibility and nutritive richness.
Pumpkin’s content and healing properties
Pumpkin’s color indicates that it is a rich source of beta-carotene.
Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant that protects our organism from the effects of free radicals, strenghten our immunity and prevents malign tumor development.
It also contains vitamins C, E, K, B1, B2, B3, B6, folic acid and minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, calcium and iron.
Pumpkin's healing properties have been known in folk medicine for a long time.
It is an ideal food item for people suffering from stomach and intestinal diseases. It helps with constipation and large intestine inflammations.
Pumpkin is a diuretic, which is why it is recommended to people suffering from arthritis and gout.
Pumpkin protects the health of our eyes because it is rich in carotenoids. It makes us feel full and it does not contain many calories which makes it an ideal food item for weight loss.
This food item also helps reduce blood cholesterol levels. Wrappings made with grated fresh pumpkin are used for alleviating pains associated with varicose veins.
One spoon of pumpkin juice a day protects us from urinary bladder, kidney and prostate diseases.
As facial mask, pumpkin is appropriate for skin problem treatment. Not only does it nurture and feeds our skin, pumpkin also protects it from cancer, according to the newest researches.
You can eat it raw, cooked or baked. You can use pumpkin to make risotto, puree, soups, cakes and juice.
Spices such as parsley, thyme, sage, laurel, muscat nuts, ginger and cinnamon go well with pumpkin.
Pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin is not cultivated only because of its edible fruit, but because of the seeds also.
Pumpkin seeds are rich in quality proteins and fats. They are also filled with amino acids, tryptophan, glutamate, vitamins E and B, copper, manganese, potassium, iron, zinc and selenium.
They are calorie-packed – as much as 559 calories per 100 grams.
That is why it is recommended to buy them in shells, that way you can have fun with cleaning them and at the same you will not eat too much of them.
Pumpkin contains fibers so it is recommended to all people, no matter the age or gender, for maintaining and securing regular bowel peristalsis and for regular body detoxification.
Pumpkin has calming, anti-stress and antioxidant effects and lowers cholesterol level and enhances our memory.
You can eat it raw, use it for making spreads or add it into bread, stews, cookies and casseroles.
Pumpkin seeds are proven to be helpful against increased prostate and for easier urination.
In Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine rates of prostate illnesses are very low because pumpkin seeds are a part of the daily diet in those parts of the world.
Pumpkin seed oil
Pumpkin seeds are used for making pumpkin seed oil – one of the most nutritive oils. It is a great source of essential fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins and sterols.
Pumpkin seed oil has diuretic effects, enhances sperm quality and skin health, strengthens our immunity, prevents diabetic nephropathy and balances our hormones.
Beneficial effects on the prostate are also known.
Pumpkin seed oil is usually used for making salads but it can also be added to soups and shakes.
Both seeds and seed oil are well known items in folk medicine and are used for treating worms and other intestinal parasites.
Pumpkin recipes
Mexican pumpkin sauce
Ingredients:
- one whole, dried hot pepper
- 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
- 1 cup of raw pumpkin seeds
- 2 big tomatoes
- ½ green onion
- 3 garlic heads
- 2 green onions
- 2 chili peppers
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- a handful of coriander
- salt and black pepper
Fry hot pepper in the pan, turn of the fire, pour one glass of boiling water into the pan and leave it for 15 minutes.
Fry cumin seeds two to three minutes and place them aside. Then fry the pumpkin seeds for around five minutes and leave them to cool.
Fry chilly, green onion, garlic and tomatoes separately. They are done when they become softened and turn brownish. Mix all the aforementioned ingredients with a cup of water in which pepper was cooked.
Add more water if needed, add salt and black pepper according to your preferences. Serve this sauce with rice and vegetable dishes.
Apple and pumpkin puree
Ingredients
- one spoon of dried cranberries (for decoration)
- ½ sweet pumpkin (remove seeds)
- 1 pound of apples
- 2 teaspoons of grated lemon peel
- ¼ cup of butter
- one teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper
Soak dried cranberries in hot water. Place apples and pumpkin on a baking paper and put them into the oven on 200 degrees Celsius. Bake for approximately 40 minutes until they become soft.
Leave them to cool. Mix with other ingredients and sprinkle with decorative cranberries.
Spicy pumpkin soup
Ingredients
- ½ cup of cooked pumpkin
- 3 cup of vegetable stock
- 1 medium-size sliced carrot
- 1 onion, chopped
- hot pepper, ginger powder, salt, black pepper
- 2 garlic heads
- pumpkin seeds and oil
Stew onion and garlic for three to four minutes, add carrot and stew for another five minutes. Add pumpkin, spices and stock.
Cover the pan and cook for 20 to 30 minutes over a mild fire, until carrot is cooked. At the same time, bake pumpkin seeds in the oven.
Sprinkle the mixture with baked seeds and with a couple of drops of pumpkin oil before serving.
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