Health Benefits of Winter fruit Pumpkin
For cooking, you may want a pumpkin that is heavy for its size. The lighter ones are drier, with a bigger open space in the middle. For the most part, stay away from the large pumpkins when selecting a pumpkin for eating. Pumpkins can keep for a long time in a cool dry place. Put newspapers underneath them for proper storage. Once the pumpkin is cut open, you need to use it within a couple of days (or freeze it) as it can mold quickly. Cooked pumpkin is fine in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. Pop below to know why pumpkin is healthy for body
Rich in High Fibre
Pumpkin is fairly high in fibre. One cup of cooked, mashed pumpkin contains 3 grams of fibre, or roughly 11 per cent of your recommended daily intake of fibre. Pumpkin seeds also contain some fibre, about 1.1 g in 28 gm of seeds. You can consume boiled, roasted or baked pumpkin. You can also use pumpkin as a major ingredient in soup, breads and pies. Pumpkin is a great home remedy for a constipated pet because of pumpkin’s fiber content and great taste.
Rich in vitamins A, K and C
Vitamin A is a key nutrient for keeping our eyes healthy and our vision good. Moreover, it also helps promote bone growth, keeps the immune system strong and maintains a vigorous reproductive system. Half a cup of canned pumpkin has 953 mg of vitamin A and only 42 calories and that vitamin A comes in the form of beta carotene. Now you know why you can eat more of pumpkin pie! Yet another reason why pumpkin is good for you is because it contains a lot of Vitamin K, about 40 per cent of the recommended daily dose of it! Vitamin K is the overlooked bone builder and heart protector. In fact, one serving of pumpkin contains almost 20 per cent of your recommended daily dose of Vitamin C which is needed for the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of your body.
Rich source of iron, potassium and magnesium
One small serving of pumpkin contains 250 milligrams of potassium and the same small serving of pumpkin also contains a good amount of iron. One cup has a little less than 10 per cent of your recommended daily allowance of iron. Moreover, unlike other sources of iron, pumpkin is fat-free. Our body needs magnesium for maintaining normal muscle function and for boosting our immune systems, among other things. Pumpkin seeds provide us with enough magnesium to perform these functions well.
Source : The Times Of India