It helps control blood sugar levels.
Because the fibre contained in pumpkin is digested much slower than other foods, it will affect the speed with which nutrients are adsorbed, helping to control glucose levels while maintaining your energy.
Improve sleep
Both pumpkin and its seeds contain an amino acid called tryptophan, which is already in the body and converted into serotonin, a neurotransmitter that improves sleep quality.
Helps prevent cancer
The beta-carotenes converted by the body into vitamin A provide a good injection of antioxidants, which can prevent cell damage, preventing cancer.
Various studies support this fact; among them, we can find a case study carried out in Hangzhou, in southeastern China, where one of the conclusions was that the dietary consumption of lycopene and other carotenoids (found in pumpkin) was shown to inhibit prostate cancer in 130 patients with the disease and 274 healthy inpatients.
Prevents heart disease
Several studies that focus on evaluating large groups of people suggest that those who eat four or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables rich in beta-carotene, such as pumpkin, significantly reduce their risk of developing heart disease.
Counteracts the retention of liquids
People who suffer from fluid retention or dropsy are very favoured with the consumption of pumpkin; this is because pumpkin is a natural diuretic, so eating it increases urine production and thus tends to decrease edema.
Pumpkin is loaded with fibre, vitamin A, potassium, vitamin C, riboflavin, copper, manganese, vitamin E, B vitamins, folate, iron, and phosphorous. Nutrients that work together to benefit the health of those who consume them.
That is why when I asked Mirian how long has she been a pumpkin lover, she replied that once she had many problems with constipation, but after making pumpkin consumption habitual, she was able to say goodbye to them, and for this reason, she is now the number one fan of this fruit.
What are the properties of pumpkin?
In addition to being delicious, this vegetable also has properties that are wonderful for the health of the body.
A pumpkin is a rich source of vitamins E and B. In addition, it also contains beta-chore, making it a powerful antioxidant capable of fighting free radicals that cause cell ageing.
It contains a significant amount of proteins, carbohydrates and minerals.
What are the benefits of pumpkin for the skin?
Due to its properties, pumpkin is an ideal natural ingredient to create skin masks. First of all, it fights and slows ageing. It contains vitamin C that protects cells from free radicals.
In addition, it strengthens the skin to keep it healthy. UV rays cannot weaken it because the pumpkin provides its beta carotenes. This prevents itching and irritation that sensitive skin can suffer. Of course, it also makes it look much better and smoother.
Pumpkin face masks are great for treating dry skin. This provides you with all the vitamins and natural oils you need for moisturizing.
In the same way, it is also beneficial for oily skin. It balances the skin, thus preventing dryness from weakening it or greasiness from producing comedones and blackheads.
People who suffer from acne can treat their skin based on the pumpkin. This skin condition is caused, in large part, by toxins. The vitamins contained in this vegetable fight these factors and benefit blood circulation.
Pumpkin is a vegetable that can be consumed in both savoury and sweet dishes and not only enhances the popular jargon that says: good, pretty and cheap, but it is also easy to grow.
It has a wide spectrum of utilities; in general, we can highlight that it serves as food, medicine, container, rattle, and make crafts, drinks, oils, flour and soap, among others.
In addition, it is low in calories; for every 100 g consumed, it provides 27.3 Kcal, which contributes to being an excellent diuretic.
The scientific name of the pumpkin is Cucurbita, and it belongs to the Cucurbitaceae and Bignoniaceae families.
Cucumber, watermelon, zucchini and melon also belong to the Cucurbitaceae family.
It has been defined in various ways, depending on its characteristics, form of consumption and the regions in which it is located.
Examples of the dissimilar ways of naming it are pipián, squash, Ohyama, Aoyama, za Pumpkin Plant
pumpkin plant
The pumpkin is located in the genus Cucurbita and four of the species are usable: moschata, pepo, mixed and maximum.
In general, we can say that it is a vegetable with a hard or soft shell and that all varieties are found in hot and humid regions.
It is a fleshy berry that contains seeds inside, and its pulp has a compact texture.
Its size ranges between 25 and 40 centimetres in diameter and does not have an exact weight, being able to fluctuate between 2 kg, 35 kg and 600 kg.
It has different colours, which can be green, yellow, orange, purple, red, white, black or a mixture of these colours.
Their flavour does not vary much between types of pumpkin, and they are generally tasteless or with a slight sweetness.
Some gourds are bottle-like in shape; others are oval, spherical, cylindrical, elongated, flattened, and curved.
They are creeping and are harvested throughout the year. Its stem reaches up to 10 m in length and is covered with hair or thorns. Its leaves are heart-shaped.
pumpkin flower
As its name implies, it is the flower of the pumpkin plant. Its colour is intermingled in orange and yellow.
Its appearance is dry and funnel-like, and it can be both male and female.
Male flowers differ from female ones, and the former is quickly perceived because they protrude from the foliage, as they are located at the end of the stem, which is long and without leaves.
The female flowers are located on a thick stem and are the ones that produce the fruit, which is located at the base as a bulge in its initial state.
In addition, the flower of the pumpkin opens at noon and needs moisture to produce the fruits.
