October is now well underway, you're probably busy planning a fancy dress outfit of some sort and the aisles in our local supermarkets are starting to be filled with multipacks of sweets and the first of the season's pumpkins, which can only mean one thing – Halloween is just around the corner.
The annual event is associated with trick or treating, parties and ghouls, but health may not be the first thing that springs to mind when you think of Halloween.
However, one of the most recognisable symbols of the holiday, the humble pumpkin, can have significant benefits for the health.
Here, we're going to take a look at the nutritional properties of the fruit – yes, that's right, it is in fact a type of berry, not a vegetable as many people think (!) – and its seeds and how best to consume them.
How to consume pumpkin
You may be wondering exactly how pumpkin should be consumed to allow you to benefit from its nutritional properties.
It can be eaten in many ways – for example, its seeds can be eaten as they are, as a snack, while the fruit itself can be included in soups, stews, cakes, bread, curries and there's even a recipe available online for a pumpkin lasagne, meaning it can be cooked to suit the taste buds of just about everyone.
Pumpkins are low in calories, making them an extremely healthy snack or ingredient even before their nutritional benefits are explored.
This particular vitamin helps to keep the skin in a good condition, while it also contributes to good eyesight and provides a boost to the immune system.
Beta-cryptoxanthin is again related to vitamin A and is also present in pumpkins. One of its main health benefits is helping to reduce the risk of a person developing inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Potassium is another mineral that is prevalent in pumpkins, with approximately 550mg being present in just one cup of the fruit. This is an essential nutrient to keep the heart and other muscles in the healthiest condition possible.
Although bananas may be well known as one of the most potassium-rich foods, in comparison, they contain just 420mg.
It is not just the fruit itself that can be beneficial for the health, but also its seeds.
Like all foods, pumpkin seeds do contain some fats, but these are of the unsaturated variety and feature alongside high amounts of fibre, omega-3 and antioxidants, meaning they can have benefits for vital organs, including the liver and the heart.
Many medical studies have been carried out to discover the health benefits of pumpkin seeds, resulting in various conclusions.
For example, a 2008 research paper found that oil made from these seeds could result in the body producing an increasing amount of good cholesterol, which could lead to high blood pressure, hot flushes, headaches and joint pain all being reduced in women going through the menopause.
Furthermore, tests carried out on animals have discovered that the fruit's seeds could help the body to regulate its insulin production in an improved manner, therefore potentially preventing problems relating to diabetes.
The high zinc content of pumpkin seeds can also have benefits for the prostate, indicating that consumption of them could significantly boost men's health.
Magnesium can be found in these seeds too, working in a similar way to the fruit's potassium content to keep the heart as healthy as possible.
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Last updated 12.10.2014