Pumpkin energy value. The nutritional value
Pumpkin is a very healthy food product that can rightfully be called a natural multivitamin. All the substances that make up the bright pulp do not lose their benefits even during heat treatment. In addition, pumpkin contains seeds - another pantry of health. After cleaning the pumpkin, do not throw it away, but dry it and save it. In the spring, they will help prevent vitamin deficiency and other problems. The rind is very coarse, so it is trimmed before cooking.
Ornamental varieties of this plant can decorate the interior and delight the eye with bright colors and flawless shapes. Back in the old days, when sweets such as ice cream and chocolates were rare, a slice of baked sweet pumpkin was considered a real treat. The secret of the longevity of our ancestors can be explained by the fact that their daily diet was rich in healthy foods. Without special knowledge, they rely on personal experience, convinced of the beneficial effects of pumpkin on the body.
A bit of history
The pumpkin is an ancient culture. It came to Europe in the 19th century from the states of Central America after potatoes and tobacco. To date, more than 20 varieties of this vegetable are known, differing in taste, color and size.
In many countries, pumpkin is rightfully considered the queen of vegetables. American Indians were of the opinion that it is a cosmic eye that connects a person with the Universe. The British believed that when a pumpkin was sown on Holy Friday, an oak tree would grow. Nowadays, pumpkin is common in almost all regions of the country.
How does it grow?
Pumpkin - dioecious, monoecious, annual herbaceous plant... It has a very powerful root system, which consists of the main stem root, the penetration depth of which is 1–1.7 meters, and small, lateral, adventitious suction roots. Most of them are located at a depth of 40-50 cm, other roots can penetrate 4-5 meters deep. Lateral horizontal branches of the roots from the stem can spread over a radius of 4–5 m and more. The roots of one plant can have a total length of up to 25 km.
The long creeping stem has medium length 4–5 m. From the main stem there are shoots of the first order, and from them of the second order, etc.
The leaves of the plant are large, they have long cuttings, in diameter they can reach up to 25 centimeters. In the axils of the leaves there are flowers and antennae. The varieties that are more resistant to drought and heat are characterized by the presence of a strongly lined leaf blade. In some of them, aerenchyma, an airborne tissue under the epidermis, can form, the purpose of which is to protect the leaf from overheating. Some gardeners may mistake areas of aerenchyma on a leaf surface for traces of diseases.
The plant has single, large flowers of orange or yellow color... Female flowers can have different sizes, colors and shapes, depending on the variety and type of plant. Flowers are predominantly solitary, unisexual, but hermaphrodite flowers can also be found. The number of male flowers is 20–25 times greater than that of female flowers. Females are more often located on lateral braids of the first order, and males - on the main stem.
The fruit of the plant is a false polyspermous berry (pumpkin), capable of reaching very large sizes. It can be of different colors and shapes (from serpentine to round). In the seed cavity of the pumpkin there are placentas with seeds. The flesh of the plant is very different in color - from reddish yellow and orange to cream and white. In most varieties, fruits can reach 4-10 kilograms, in large-fruited - about 100 or even 200 kg. The diameter of the fruit can reach up to 1 meter.
The seeds are covered with a peel or they are bare, elliptical, of different colors and sizes (depending on the variety). They can remain viable for 4–5 years. The pumpkin is hygrophilous and thermophilic: germination of its seeds begins at + 13 ... 14 ° C, but the most favorable temperature for this can be considered + 20 ... 25 ° C. The plant is extremely sensitive to temperature changes at an early age: it dies at –1 ° C. Growth of lashes and stems occurs at a temperature not less than + 12 ... 15 ° C, and the optimal temperature for fruit development is considered to be + 25 ... 27 ° C.
Composition
The pumpkin fruit consists of a peel (top shell) - about 17% of the total mass, pulp - up to 75% and seeds - about 11%. Pumpkin is a natural source of many important minerals and vitamins that have a beneficial effect on the body.
| Composition | Content in 100 grams |
|---|---|
| 1 g | |
| 4.4 g | |
| 0.1 g | |
| 2 g | |
| 91.8 g | |
| 0.1 g | |
| Ash | 0.6 g |
| 0.2 g | |
| 4.2 g | |
| Vitamins | |
| 250 mcg | |
| 0.05 mg | |
| 0.06 mg | |
| 0,4 mg | |
| 0.1 mg | |
| 14 mcg | |
| 0.7 mg | |
| 8 mg | |
| 0,4 mg | |
| Minerals | |
| 204 mg | |
| 25 mg | |
| 4 mg | |
| 14 mg | |
| 18 mg | |
| 25 mg | |
| 19 mg | |
| 0.24 mg | |
| 0,4 mg | |
| 1 μg | |
| 0.04 mg | |
| 180 mcg | |
| 86 μg | |
| 1 μg | |
The energy value of pumpkin is 22 kcal.
Beneficial features
Pumpkin is a very healthy product. This is an almost waste-free vegetable, because both pulp and seeds can be used for food.
The successful combination of potassium with magnesium is an excellent solution for women who care about their figure. This combination will help the body get rid of excess water and, as a result, cellulite. For the same reason, pumpkin puree is recommended for those people who suffer from edema and renal pathology.
Pumpkin contains a high amount of iron, so it should be in the diet of people who have anemia. This element plays an important role in the activity of the immune system, the formation of interferon and phagocytes. Therefore, dishes made from this vegetable are very relevant during the SARS and flu epidemic.
Zinc present in pumpkin is involved in building the skeletal system. It is not for nothing that rural women are less likely to encounter cases of age-related osteoporosis than urban women of the same age. Maybe it is the pumpkin, which can be found more often on the rustic table, that helps to strengthen the bones of provincial women?
The content of zinc in the body of men is directly related to potency. With its deficiency, sexual weakness occurs. Therefore, women who expect feats from their men in bed need to feed them dishes with the addition of pumpkin.
Pumpkin is a dietary vegetable. Due to the low content of organic acids and coarse fiber in the pulp, it can be used in the presence of inflammatory bowel and stomach diseases.
Any ophthalmologist will confirm that vitamin A, which is high in pumpkin, will prevent vision loss. Pumpkin dishes are shown to people who spend a long time at the computer - they allow you to compensate for high visual loads. Vitamin A has another useful function - the prevention of oncological pathology. Since pumpkin is also a source of natural beta-carotene, these substances in the complex will help to resist the emergence of any neoplasms. For people with poor heredity in oncology, doctors advise to use multivitamin courses, which contain beta-carotene and vitamin A. Do not forget that the absorption of this vitamin is best done with fats, therefore, when preparing porridge, it is advisable to boil it in milk or add vegetable or butter.
This vegetable is enriched with rare vitamin T, which is very important for the body. It helps the digestive organs cope with the digestion of fatty foods and prevents obesity. That is why pumpkin puree is recommended as a side dish for beef and pork dishes. This is especially true for persons with impaired metabolism, who easily gain extra pounds.
Pumpkin is very rich in fiber - a real "broom" for the intestines, removing all unnecessary. There is a direct link between the strength of the immune system and healthy intestinal activity. Therefore, by keeping the intestines working without constipation and other problems with the help of pumpkin, you can avoid many diseases resulting from a weakened immune system.
A person needs to consume about 1 mg of fluoride per day. This amount can be obtained by preparing juice from 0.5 kg of freshly squeezed pumpkin juice, thereby saving yourself from the possible occurrence of caries.
Healing recipes with pumpkin
- With hepatitis and other liver diseases, you need to dry a glass of pumpkin seeds, grind in a blender, pour 1 glass of olive oil. Then boil everything in a water bath, cool and leave for 7 days in a dark place. Strain everything and drink three times a day before meals.
- Prostatitis. Grind 2 cups of unpeeled fresh seeds in a blender, add a glass of honey and mix everything. Make small balls from the mixture (with quail egg). Send them to the freezer, freeze and dissolve before meals, 1 ball at a time.
- For insomnia. Dice 100 grams of pumpkin pulp, sprinkle with sugar and eat 1 hour before bed. Sugar can be replaced with honey.
- In case of violation of urination. Eat pumpkin porridge three times a day.
- Anemia. Cut the pumpkin into cubes, add 1 glass of water, add herbs and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Put out everything, and eat 3 times a day.
Can beneficial properties be preserved after processing?
Pumpkin can be used in any form - raw, baked, boiled, frozen. The most effective use of fresh pulp, but frozen is also able to retain almost all the beneficial properties, while it can be used at any time of the year due to the possibility of long-term storage.
The beneficial substances of the vegetable are also preserved when it is baked. Baked pumpkin has pronounced diuretic, laxative and choleretic effects. It is primarily useful for people who have cardiovascular diseases and excess weight- can significantly reduce the burden on the heart. The vegetable can be baked in small pieces or whole, in a peel.
O medicinal properties boiled pumpkins were written by Avicenna. He considered it an excellent remedy for the treatment of lung diseases and chronic coughs. The pumpkin is boiled very simply - the fruit is cut into two parts, peeled from seeds, cut into medium-sized pieces. Then everything is sent to boiling water, salted and cooked for half an hour.
There is another possibility of saving useful qualities vegetable - you can dry it. In dried form, pumpkin gives strength during physical exertion, has a beneficial effect on the digestive organs, and strengthens memory. And most importantly, this is a semi-finished product that practically does not need additional processing.
From pumpkin you can get healthy juice with a thick consistency, with a pleasant honey taste, in which almost all useful substances are preserved. Besides a rich set of minerals and vitamins, it has good antioxidant properties. In case of a flu epidemic or the threat of a cold, you need to drink 200 ml of pumpkin juice every morning to boost immunity. Due to its concentration, it will help well with increased nervous excitement, hemorrhoids, constipation, vomiting. You can also use it to remove kidney stones.
The benefit of the drink also lies in its high pectin content, due to which it has a regenerating and rejuvenating effect. These abilities have found application in cosmetology. Pumpkin juice lotion helps to eliminate skin redness, copes well with acne, and provides skin regeneration at the cellular level. But people who have increased gastric acidity should not abuse pumpkin juice, since it is the pectin in its composition that contributes to the occurrence of heartburn and nausea.
Freshly squeezed juice is indicated for people suffering from seasonal depression. It's all about the successful combination of vitamin C with almost everyone. This combination allows, on the one hand, to relieve fatigue, increase tone, give strength, and on the other hand, to calm down the nervous system.
This drink is also indicated for persons who have impaired blood clotting. This problem will help to eliminate, present in the composition of pumpkin juice. Its deficiency is felt very sharply in old age. The last Scientific research confirmed that it is this vitamin that helps the body in assimilating calcium from food. Therefore, with regular use of pumpkin juice, you can prevent the occurrence of osteoporosis.
Pumpkin seeds contain a lot vegetable oils(more than 50%) and proteins.
Despite the high calorie content, they are very useful for the body due to the high content of vitamin E, zinc, salicylic acid and other elements.
Due to their high zinc content, pumpkin seeds are widely used in cosmetology (both externally and internally) for problems such as seborrhea, dandruff, acne and others. They are also recommended to be used by the stronger sex, since their benefit lies in enhancing potency, as well as preventing strokes and heart attacks.
It is imperative to take into account the fact that pumpkin seeds can sometimes harm the body. Because of high calorie content they are not advisable for people inclined to be overweight. Small amounts of salicylic acid contained in seeds can cause body poisoning. When eating pumpkin seeds in large quantities, the human digestive system, in particular the gastric mucosa, will feel harm.
Pumpkin seeds are cold pressed to produce oil with unique healing properties. It contains vitamins and trace elements, but the greatest benefit is in the content of essential phospholipids and plant origin.
The introduction of such oil into the diet prevents atherosclerosis, neurosis, normalizes hormonal levels in women and men, and removes cholesterol. It is also used in cosmetology.
Before using pumpkin oil, you need to consult a doctor, because it has a choleretic effect, and if used improperly (especially in large quantities), it can harm health.
Pumpkin dishes are the key to good health and well-being. They are perfectly absorbed by the human body. Most pumpkin dishes cook very quickly.
Pumpkin is used in many countries around the world. In America, a traditional pumpkin pie is being prepared for Thanksgiving. In India, when cooking pumpkin dishes, they use hot spices - pepper and others. In South Asia, desserts are predominantly made from this vegetable. In Japan, small pumpkins are chosen for tempura. In Thailand, small pumpkins are steamed and stuffed with mustard. Italians often use pumpkin with cheese for ravioli.
The simplest recipe is pumpkin pulp puree. To do this, it is cut into cubes or grated, extinguished until soft under a lid. Then knead with a potato crusher or spoon. Puree, depending on the taste, can be spicy, salted or sweet. You can add spices, herbs and herbs to it, which will help diversify the taste of the dish.
The pumpkin mass can be harvested for future use and stored in the refrigerator for some time. It goes well with potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, zucchini and other vegetables, meat or minced meat from it. Pumpkin can be used to make pies, pancakes, or stuff pies with a lot of it.
In cosmetology
Pumpkin is widely used in cosmetology. For example, rubbing a piece of pulp on your skin every morning can help get rid of acne. It is included in various face masks. Some of them you can cook yourself.
For dry skin
Boil the pulp, take 3 tablespoons of it, add 1 tablespoon of olive or peach oil, mix everything thoroughly. Apply to skin for 20 minutes and rinse with cool water.
For oily skin
Take 3 tablespoons of raw pumpkin gruel, add 1 teaspoon of honey and 1 yolk. Mix everything well, heat in a water bath to a temperature of 40 ° C, stirring continuously. Apply to the face, except for the triangle of the mouth and the area around the eyes, for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water. This mask is also effective for acne.
Toning mask
Grate the pulp, squeeze out the juice, moisten a cotton pad and wipe your face with it. After 10 minutes, wash with warm water. Alternatively, you can apply grated pulp for 15 minutes.
Slimming
Pumpkin is a low-calorie vegetable, which is why it is used in different diets. When consumed, metabolism is accelerated, so the body absorbs food more easily and digests it. This prevents possible problems with metabolism and the accumulation of fats and harmful substances in the body.
Thanks to the low calorie content, pumpkin dishes can be consumed every day without worrying about gaining extra weight. Due to the high fiber content in this vegetable, it is widely used to cleanse the body.
There is a special pumpkin diet. Its basic principles are as follows:
- Remove salt and sugar from the diet.
- Eliminate alcohol and sweets.
- The daily calorie content should be no more than 1200 kcal.
- Food can be taken until 18.00, excluding snacks.
- Drink only coffee without added milk, tea or still mineral water.
The diet menu can be varied; you can compose it yourself, observing the above rules. Pumpkin can be used to make soups, cereals, salads, and can be eaten frozen, dried, baked or boiled.
Cut a small pumpkin in half, remove the seeds, trim the peel so that only the pulp remains. Then it needs to be washed and cut into cubes, 300 grams of which are then poured with 1 glass of water and simmer for 15 minutes over low heat. Next add cereals- 200 grams. Cook for 30 minutes without adding salt and sugar.
Pumpkin soup
Take 200 grams of pumpkin, potatoes, red bell pepper and cut into cubes. Chop greens, grate carrots and add to previously cooked vegetables. Add water and cook until tender.
Pumpkin salad
On a coarse grater, grate the pulp of the pumpkin, 1 green apple and carrots in equal parts. Mix everything, season with natural yogurt.
Vegetable stew
Dice the pumpkin, tomatoes, potatoes, etc. in equal parts. Pour everything onto the missed olive oil frying pan, add 0.5 cups of water and simmer until tender. Add parsley, rosemary, dill.
At the end of the diet, you need to switch to a normal diet, but be sure to limit sweets. In no case should the pumpkin be removed from the diet.
Contraindications and harm
Together with the positive effects, pumpkin can also harm the body. It is not recommended to use pumpkin in the presence of the following pathologies:
- diabetes;
- violation of the alkaline-acid balance;
- low acid gastritis;
- a stomach or duodenal ulcer;
- any diseases of the digestive system during an exacerbation.
Some people who try pumpkin for the first time may experience bloating. It is better for such people to avoid eating this vegetable.
Pumpkin is a wonderful gift from nature and a record holder for useful properties. It can be used not only in cooking, but also in cosmetology, for the treatment of many diseases, weight loss. Therefore, in the absence of contraindications, you can safely use this vegetable and get the maximum benefit from it.
USEFUL PROPERTIES OF PUMPKIN
The pumpkin color, the shape of the fruit and the palatability of the pulp always attract our attention. But its closest relatives - watermelon and melon - are more popular. Perhaps, having learned how pumpkin is useful, many will reconsider their attitude towards the vegetable and will more often include it in their diet.
Pumpkin
The pumpkin belongs to the pumpkin family of the same name, which is interesting for its large species diversity and the absence of poisonous plants... In the pumpkin, its fruits are valued, which are called pumpkin. They are often mistakenly referred to as berries. In the temperate zone as cultivated plant mainly one species is grown, Cucurbita pepo (common pumpkin), which is also associated in all European countries with the concept of "pumpkin".
Why pumpkin is useful. How pumpkin ingredients affect its beneficial properties
Let's take a closer look at the pumpkin and analyze its composition. Pumpkin pulp is a fibrous structure composed of polysaccharides, pectin and lignin. Vegetable dietary fiber
pumpkins are very useful for humans, although they are not digested by the digestive tract. They are sometimes called fiber, meaning only cellulose polysaccharides (carbohydrates). These fibers feed on symbiont bacteria (anaerobic bacteria), which help where human enzymes are powerless. They enhance the enzymatic digestion of food, and in addition suppress the development of pathogenic microorganisms in the intestine (including putrefactive bacteria, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, enterococci), and also activate the immune system. In addition to stimulating the growth of intestinal microflora, pumpkin pulp plays the role of a natural enterosorbent that absorbs toxic substances, and then transforms them into neutral ones, or accumulates harmful substances and removes them through the excretory system. Thanks to symbiotic bacteria, pumpkin helps to detoxify formaldehydes, plant poisons, heavy metals and other harmful substances; absorption of vitamins and amino acids (groups B, C); the formation and absorption of vitamin K - a blood coagulation factor; regulation of the metabolism of salts, cholesterol, bile acids.
We advise you to read: How to grow a pumpkin>
Organic acids
, which are part of the pumpkin (about 0.1 g per 100 g of pumpkin pulp), affect metabolic processes and take part in oxidative processes. They play the role of antioxidants, which is why pumpkin is so good for everyone.
Besides, simple carbohydrates
included in chemical composition pumpkins, provide energy nourishment for cells and tissues. Thus, a simple carbohydrate, glucose, is indispensable for the nutrition of all nerve cells in the body, including brain cells. There are three times more total simple carbohydrates, mono- and disaccharides in pumpkin than high-molecular ones. This is why pumpkin juice is so invigorating, mood-enhancing and brain-boosting. Since simple carbohydrates provide fast food for cells, pumpkin is useful for athletes and anyone who leads an active lifestyle.
These qualities do not reflect all that pumpkin is useful for. Benefits are not limited to the effects of fiber and carbohydrates. Are of great importance vitamins and carotenoids
contained in pumpkin pulp. Pumpkin contains about a dozen water- and fat-soluble vitamins and vitamin-like substances that determine its usefulness.
Pumpkin contains vitamin C
, which is often called the vitamin of immunity. But besides the immune system, ascorbic acid takes part in hundreds chemical reactions occurring in the body, including promotes the metabolism and the preservation of other vitamins. 100 g of pumpkin pulp contains 14 mg of ascorbic acid. For comparison: in the "standard" citrus - 4 times more. This seemingly negative fact is a huge advantage of pumpkin, because in excessive quantities, ascorbic acid causes allergies or even poisoning. In pumpkin, vitamin C is in balance. It is enough, but not enough to cause allergic reactions with a large amount of vegetable consumption.
Four vitamins of the water-soluble B group complement the beneficial properties of pumpkin. Thanks to thiamine, or vitamin B1
, pumpkin helps to normalize the work of the heart and has a positive effect on the nervous system, regulates energy, carbohydrate and fat metabolism.
Riboflavin (B2
), present in pumpkin, is good for eyesight. It improves light and color perception, and also affects the functioning of the liver and the formation of blood cells.
Contained in the vegetable vitamin B3
(niacin, or vitamin PP) makes pumpkin a "cure" for various infections. Thanks to its content, pumpkin is useful for high cholesterol, nervous disorders and depression. Unlike vitamin C, B3 is not destroyed during heat treatment, so even boiled or baked pumpkin is as healthy as fresh one.
Folic acid
awarded pumpkin with the beneficial property of stimulating the formation of erythrocytes - red, non-nuclear blood cells that carry oxygen, and leukocytes - cells that protect the body.
A rare vitamin T
, or B17, (some scientists attribute it to vitamin-like substances) endowed pumpkin with the ability to normalize blood clotting and stimulate the formation of platelets.
With its bright orange pumpkin owes to what it contains carotenoid compounds
... Its pulp contains 1.4 - 1.9 mg of carotene, depending on the variety and color intensity. Like all orange fruits, pumpkin is useful in that it protects tissues and cells from under-oxidized destructive radicals. Although there is no vitamin A (retinol) in pumpkin (as in any plant cells and tissues), it contains one of the types of carotenes, the precursor of vitamin A - beta-carotene (or provitamin A). In the human body, one molecule of beta-carotene breaks down into two molecules of vitamin A at once, which in turn is responsible for the growth, condition of the skin, mucous membranes and twilight vision.
The beneficial properties of pumpkin are formed thanks to macronutrients - a variety of chemical components necessary for the normal functioning of the body:
Contained in large quantities in pumpkin potassium
(200 mg / 100 g) helps maintain the sodium-potassium pump (ion balance in the cells of the body), normal heart function, reduce edema, remove excess tissue fluid and improve urination. Calcium
contained in the pulp is essential for bone tissue. Phosphorus
contributes to the normal development of bone tissue, maintains bones in good condition, is a constituent of amino acids. Thanks to the contained magnesium
pumpkin is useful for the nervous system and normalization of metabolic processes.
Are rich in pumpkin and microelements , which in turn provide its other useful properties:
Pumpkin promotes the formation of red blood cells - erythrocytes (properties gland
), affects metabolic processes and the work of the thyroid gland (properties iodine
). Thanks to zinc
this vegetable activates immune responses, supports the brain and nervous system, improves memory and smell, stimulates metabolic processes associated with lipids and carbohydrates. Manganese
contributes to the normal functioning of muscle tissue, prevents fatty liver, helps the growth and development of bone tissue, blocks free radicals. Copper
in pumpkin strengthens the walls of our vessels, promotes the formation of erythrocytes (together with ascorbic acid and iron). Rare element cobalt
accelerates the growth of bone tissue, participates in the synthesis of enzymes and the metabolism of sugars.
Interesting about the benefits of pumpkin and contraindications
Pumpkin not only useful product nutrition, but also a good remedy. Thanks to the components it contains, pumpkin has anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties, helps with inflammation and some skin diseases, but not in the case of bleeding wounds. But pumpkin flowers are used in folk medicine in the countries of Central Asia for the healing of open infected wounds. Pumpkin is useful for diseases of the cardiovascular, nervous, digestive, and excretory systems. It is often prescribed to patients as a component of the diet.
Another valuable quality of pumpkin is that its pulp has practically no contraindications. It does not cause allergic reactions, even in children or the elderly, unlike tomatoes and carrots. In addition, pumpkin can be consumed by patients with high acidity stomach, which are contraindicated such vegetables and fruits as radish, tomato, orange, apples, plums, cabbage, tangerines, carrots.
What are pumpkin seeds good for?
Separately, it should be said about pumpkin seeds. How are they useful for our body?
Pumpkin seeds contain a large number of nutrients, including vegetable fats, carbohydrates. They contain vitamins E, B3 (PP), F, B2, carotenoids, flavonoids, tocopherols, a lot of magnesium, zinc, iodine, potassium and iron. It was found that pumpkin seeds have regulatory functions that affect metabolism; perform anti-inflammatory and antioxidant functions; accelerate the processes of tissue regeneration and relieve swelling; normalize the work of the gallbladder and liver, have choleretic properties, improve the functioning of the bladder. In addition, this natural anthelmintic agent is superior to synthetic counterparts and does not give side effects... For more information on the properties of pumpkin seeds, see
The traces of the spread of the pumpkin lead us three thousand years ago. According to scientists, America is the homeland of the plant. In Asia and Europe, the fruit became known before our era. Man originally used pumpkin for cattle feed, making drinkers, dishes, ornaments. Later - musical instruments, medicines. On the territory of Russia, the pumpkin appeared in the sixteenth century. Suitable climatic conditions, its useful properties, good preservation contributed to the spread of culture.
Composition and properties
Pumpkin is a plant with large hairy leaves, creeping branches, in which mature fruits reach ten kilograms, and often much larger ones can be seen. In the yellow vegetable of the pumpkin family, there is an abundance of healthy, juicy pulp. It contains in large quantities vitamins A, E, K, T, beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, water-soluble vitamins C, B2, B5, B6, B9, minerals such as iron, zinc, potassium, calcium, magnesium. The low calorie content allows pumpkin to be classified as a dietary product, 100 grams of it contain BJU (in grams): proteins - 1.3, fats - 0.2, carbohydrates - 7.7.
Pumpkin is rich in the following vitamins and minerals.
- Possesses antioxidant qualities vitamin A, ensuring the normal functioning of the body, supporting reproductive system, eye health, skin purity. Beta-carotene has similar qualities, the content of which in the product reaches thirty percent.
- Available in pumpkin vitamin E protects the body from early aging, improves biochemical processes, positively affects the functioning of the male body, the endocrine system, and prevents thrombus formation. As an antioxidant, it works to reduce cholesterol levels, improves the quality of the skin, and enhances the ability to regenerate cells.
- It actively participates in the work of the gallbladder, liver and kidneys vitamin K... It normalizes recovery processes in the synthesis of proteins in the lung and heart tissues, improves blood clotting.
- Vitamin B2 is able to keep the skin, hair, nails healthy, stimulate the thyroid gland, improve the quality of vision, strengthen the nervous system, and reduce the level of anxiety.
- Benefit vitamin B5 consists in helping the assimilation of other substances by the organs of vital activity, including the work of the adrenal glands, in the fight against inflammatory foci, with irritations.
- Vitamin B6 warns against skin diseases, helps the body cope with stressful moments. With toxicosis, during pregnancy, with air sickness, it reduces nausea.
- It has a beneficial effect on the digestive system contained in the plant vitamin B9, supports the development of tissues, takes part in hematopoiesis.
- Magnesium obtained from the use of pumpkin pulp, regulates blood pressure, improves the quality of blood vessels, promotes cell growth and regeneration, helps to cope with fatigue and irritability. The macronutrient has a positive effect on lung function in asthma and bronchitis.
- Iron is present in the blood. The tissues are enriched with oxygen due to its function of transporting the element to the cells of the body. Iron plays an important role in the functioning of the thyroid gland, increasing the body's resistance various diseases, supports the immune system, provides positive impact on the skin.
- When eating the fruit, we get potassium, activating the activity of the intestines. It is necessary for excretory renal function, takes an active part in the regulation of cardiac muscle contractions. With a lack of potassium, dry skin and brittle hair can appear. The recommended daily intake for humans is two grams. Potassium normalizes protein metabolism, water balance in cells and acid-base balance of blood.
- Improves the quality of metabolism, stimulates the absorption of nutrients, enhances the process of saturating the body with oxygen, which is part of the pumpkin copper.
- The main function of calcium- construction and maintenance of bone tissue, its formation and good nutrition... Thanks to the element, muscle tissue is correctly reduced, work is normalized of cardio-vascular system, which normalizes blood pressure.
With all the obvious benefits, the presence of fiber in pumpkin slightly reduces the percentage of absorption of substances, since it transmits food into the intestines in transit.
Pumpkin in use has its own contraindications. It can be harmful to those who have impaired acid-base values. With exacerbation of gastritis, peptic ulcer stomach it is better to refrain from eating the product.
The value of the pumpkin is described in many books and treatises. Thanks to dietary properties popular plant in demand in cooking. It can be consumed fresh, boiled, baked stew. The product, containing a rich composition of vitamins and minerals, has an energy value of 28 kcal per 100 grams. The edible fruit contains about ninety-two percent of water and a lot of dietary fiber, which has a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract, normalizing metabolic processes.
Several methods of processing pumpkin (steamed, grilled or in the oven, boiled, fried) make it possible to use it in dietary dishes, in baby food, since the vegetable is easily absorbed by the body and has a low calorie content.
- Raw pumpkin used with cottage cheese, in various salads, with honey. The pulp or juice is used as a laxative, for inflammation of the kidneys, hypertension. The calorie content of the raw fruit is 28 kcal per 100 grams.
- Boiled pumpkin- a dietary and healthy dish, including for people adhering to diets, in one hundred grams has 24 kilocalories, belongs to healthy eating... The dish is prepared very quickly and easily.
- Baked pumpkin has a slightly higher calorie content than raw and boiled. The energy value of the pumpkin cooked in the oven is 27 kcal. With this processing, the vegetable acquires a bright taste, becomes denser. Any side dishes and ingredients added to the recipe will increase its calorie content.
- The fruit is very easy for the body to assimilate when stewing. With this method of preparation, nutrients and taste are preserved as much as possible. The calorie content of such a pumpkin will be 30 kilocalories.
The indicators of the energy value of pumpkin are easy to calculate, since in any type of processing these indicators are not very different. They also depend on the type of pumpkin: sweeter ones contain more calories.
Glycemic index
Glycemic index- the rate of assimilation of carbohydrates from the products, which increase the sugar level in the blood, it has nothing to do with the caloric value, the maximum can be within a hundred units. Foods high in fiber are processed more slowly by the body, while foods with a high GI are processed quickly. Fast-digesting foods worsen blood sugar levels and promote the accumulation of fat in certain areas of the body. Currently, there are tables with glycemic index numbers in the foods used.
Pumpkin belongs to the "correct carbohydrates", has a GI value of 75 units. The indicator changes depending on the cooking method. Short-term blood sugar saturation can lead to a glycemic jump, which is undesirable for people suffering from diabetes mellitus, ulcer of the gastrointestinal tract, diseases of the pancreas.
Use for weight loss
Orange nutritious, fleshy and healthy vegetable contributes to the fight against obesity. The percentage of fat in pumpkin is minimal, low in protein and high in carbohydrates, low in calories. When losing weight, a dietary product is allowed to be eaten, since at the same time it provides nutrition to the body and ensures its recovery.
The glycemic index is high and equal to 75 units, respectively better pumpkin eat in the morning. Vitamin T is present in the composition of nutrients, which helps the absorption of heavy foods, the breakdown of fats, respectively, the fight against excess weight. The contained fiber contributes to the normalization of digestion processes, bowel function. Pumpkin pulp has diuretic properties, which removes puffiness and excess fluid from the body.
Pumpkin (Cucurbita) is the generic name for annuals and perennials in the pumpkin family. Pumpkin varieties differ in the shape, size and color of the fruit. Some pumpkin varieties are bred for the sake of tasty and healthy edible fruits, others - as ornamental plants, and from the third make dishes and musical instruments.
Pumpkin refers to melons and gourds. The closest relatives of pumpkin are squash, squash, watermelon, melon, cucumber. There are 10 types of pumpkins: 3 types of annuals and 7 perennials. The pumpkin, which we are used to seeing in vegetable gardens, markets, pleases the eye with its pleasant warm orange color. There are also pumpkins of other colors: green, yellow, white, red and gray.
The most common is common or as it is also called kitchen or sweet pumpkin.
Pumpkin is not just a tasty and healthy vegetable for the body, it contains a lot of vitamins and minerals, fiber, which has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract. Also, the beneficial properties of pumpkin make it possible to include it in dietary systems. The presence of salts of magnesium, potassium, copper, iron, calcium, phosphorus has a beneficial effect on the process of hematopoiesis. Let's take a closer look at the properties of pumpkin later, but for now let's look at the table below.
The chemical composition of pumpkin
The table shows the values (nutrients, vitamins, trace elements) per 100 grams of product.
| The nutritional value | ||
| Pumpkin calorie content | 21.4 | kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 4.4 | gr |
| Fats | 0.1 | gr |
| Squirrels | 1.0 | gr |
| Water | 91.8 | gr |
| Mono- and disaccharides | 4.2 | gr |
| Starch | 0.2 | gr |
| Alimentary fiber | 2.0 | gr |
| Organic acids | 0.1 | gr |
| Ash | 0.6 | gr |
| Vitamins | ||
| 1.5 | mg | |
| 0.05 | mg | |
| 0.06 | mg | |
| 0.4 | mg | |
| 0.1 | mg | |
| 14.0 | mcg | |
| 8.0 | mg | |
| 0.5 | mg | |
| Macronutrients / Microelements | ||
| 0.4 | mg | |
| 204.0 | mg | |
| 25.0 | mg | |
| 14.0 | mg | |
| 4.0 | mg | |
| 18.0 | mg | |
| 25.0 | mg | |
| 19.0 | mg | |
| 1.0 | mcg | |
| 1.0 | mcg | |
| 40.0 | mcg | |
| 180.0 | mcg | |
| 86.0 | mcg | |
| 240.0 | mcg | |
Pumpkin NS useful properties for the human body
To the question "what is the use of pumpkin?" can be listed whole line its positive properties, namely:
Pumpkin is one of the best diuretic plants. It contains salts of potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, sugar, vitamins C, B, B2, PP, carotene, protein, fiber. A substance has been isolated from the pumpkin that inhibits the growth of tubercle bacilli. Pumpkin seeds have antihelminthic properties, pumpkin is useful for heart disease, kidney disease, obesity, hypertension, constipation, cholecystitis.
Vitamin E in pumpkin slows down the aging process. It has properties to prevent the appearance of wrinkles and aging spots. In addition, vitamin E has been shown to alleviate menopausal symptoms such as pain in the shoulders and lower back, as well as feeling cold due to insufficient blood flow.
Carotene, together with vitamin E, prevents cell aging and cancer. It also supports the functioning of the retinal mucosa, prevents colds, strengthens the immune system, protecting the body from bacteria and viruses, which explains the strengthening properties of pumpkin.
The benefits of pumpkin are invaluable for dietary nutrition. Pumpkin dishes are recommended to be included in the diet for the prevention of acute and chronic nephritis and pyelonephritis. Thanks to potassium salts, pumpkin has a diuretic effect. Fresh pumpkin juice is good to drink for chronic constipation, inflammation of the urinary system, kidney failure, hemorrhoids and nervous disorders. Pumpkin perfectly removes salt and water from the body without irritating the kidney tissue.
Due to its high content, pumpkin can rightfully be called the best side dish for beef, pork and other fatty foods, since vitamin T promotes the absorption of heavy foods and prevents obesity.
In addition, pumpkin is the champion among vegetables in terms of iron content, which means that pumpkin lovers can be recognized by their good complexion and cheerful mood.
Pumpkin juice helps men maintain their sexual tone.
Pumpkin has cosmetic properties, which is why it is often added to a variety of maxi, creams, tonics and lotions.