Nutrient-Dense Pumpkin
8:00 AM
Whether or not you're on board with the pumpkin craze that sets in every fall, there's no denying the health benefits that come along with the real stuff (not the artificial flavoring in pumpkin Oreos - sorry!).
Pumpkin is a nutrient-dense vegetable, from the squash family, meaning it provides a generous amount of nutrients when compared to the number of calories per serving. For this reason, it is often recommended by dietitians in cholesterol or weight-controlling diets. Even if you don't fall into one of those two categories, the nutrients that pumpkins offer can benefit everyone:
- A single serving of pumpkin offers over 200% of your recommended daily Vitamin A, which plays an essential role in eyesight, and also serves to maintain the integrity of the skin.
- Pumpkin is rich in dietary fiber, which helps to keep you feeling fuller for longer, and also aids in healthy digestion.
- The orange pigment of pumpkin, like carrots, indicates beta-carotene, which is an anti-oxidant that can help prevent chronic diseases by fighting off free radicals introduced to the body.
Pumpkin may not currently be in your dietary rotation, outside of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, but there are some easy ways to cook with it. The easiest way to include pumpkin is through a canned puree. Just be sure to find a can that consists only of 100% pumpkin, and not a pie filling, which comes with sugar and other unwanted ingredients.
Or you can try my personal favorite:
However you choose to use it, enjoy!
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