The secret to controlling your appetite and having better skin might be sitting on your front porch right now! From the outside layer to the seeds inside, we’re carving into pumpkins -- so-to-speak -- revealing the health benefits you don’t want to miss out on.
Pumpkins should be more than decoration this time of year. They are a superfood: low fat, low calorie and packed with nutrients that can help you look and feel better in more ways than one.
“It’s gonna have more fiber, it’s gonna slow down that rate of digestion, so it’s gonna keep you fuller longer. It’s also going to stabilize the blood sugars because when we have fluctuations in our blood sugars that’s what causes those hunger cues to occur,” said Registered Dietitian Beth Czerwony with Cleveland Clinic.
Czerwony said pumpkin is loaded with many other health benefits too.
- Pumpkin is rich in potassium, which research suggests may help decrease blood pressure.
- It also has antioxidants, like vitamin C, which help promote healthy skin.
And whatever you do, don’t forget to use the seeds! Czerwony said pumpkin seeds are high in zinc and vitamin E. Both nutrients have been shown to be beneficial for people with diabetes.
“Using the whole pumpkin, don’t just focus on the flesh itself but really, looking at the seeds as well,” said Czerwony. “They’re gonna have extra protein in them. They’re gonna have potassium. They’re gonna have those extra vitamins just like the actual flesh itself. And what a great way to get extra fiber. And how fun, put it in hot cereals, just have it as a snack itself.”
To add more pumpkin to your diet, she recommends using canned pumpkin in bread, pancakes or your favorite sauce. You can even puree pumpkin into hummus or grill it up as a side dish.
Share your pumpkin recipes!
We want to see how you are “carving” out ways to get more pumpkin into your meals. Take a photo of your favorite recipe and upload it to SnapJAX. Click here and look for the “Holidays” channel. Then select the category “Halloween.”