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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – With Thanksgiving just behind us, I would bet that most of you enjoyed a piece of pumpkin pie. It might be your first and last encounter with pumpkin all year except for the ever-popular, pumpkin-flavored coffees featured during the holidays. Pumpkin is more versatile than you realize and it is something to consider on the menu year round.
Contrary to popular belief pumpkin pies were not served at the first Thanksgiving. Instead, earlier settlers used pumpkin as a healthy, filling meal addition all winter because the thick shell and solid flesh gave pumpkin a long storage life. Early Native Americans preserved pumpkin by slicing and drying it.
Why should you consider eating more pumpkin, more often? It is a versatile ingredient and gives you a lot of health benefits per serving. Dietitians would classify pumpkin as a nutrient-dense food – high in nutrition, low in calories.
- ½ cup of pumpkin puree has less than 50 calories
- ½ cup of pumpkin puree has 4 grams of fiber, more than most whole grain breads
- Pumpkin puree is almost 90% water so it helps with hydration and the fiber keeps you feeling fuller longer, a good choice if you are watching your weight.
- The brilliant pumpkin orange contains nutrients needed for healthy eyes – beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin – all thought to help prevent cataracts and slow macular degeneration.
- Beta-carotene rich pumpkin helps to prevent wrinkles by protecting your skin from the sun’s UV-rays (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23053552). Pumpkin puree is used as part of natural face masks which exfoliate and soothe.
- ½ cup of pumpkin puree provides over 350% of your daily need for vitamin A which helps to boost your immune system (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2906676/) and protects you against viruses and other infectious diseases.
- Pumpkin has a low glycemic index which will reduce blood sugar levels in diabetes management.
Okay, you are convinced – pumpkin is good for you. Now how do you eat it other than as pumpkin pie?
First, don’t ditch the pie. Use your favorite pumpkin pie recipe but bake it in a pie dish without the crust. Simple spray the pie dish with nonstick cooking spray and bake the mixture as you would a traditional pie. You’ll save 175 calories, lower the fat and still have a great tasting dessert.
You can roast the pumpkin flesh in the oven with a sprinkle of olive oil, cinnamon, nutmeg and a little brown sugar. It makes a great side to accompany pork or poultry. These baked pumpkin cubes can also be used cold to top a salad and combine nicely with baby spinach, nuts and goat or feta cheese crumbles.
Stir ¼ cup of canned pumpkin into your container of plain or vanilla yogurt for a nutrient and flavor boost. You can top with a little cinnamon, if you wish.How about pumpkin hummus? Mix pumpkin puree and hummus in equal amounts for a slightly sweeter dip for veggies or whole grain crackers or pita chips.
Make pumpkin soup by combining 1 can of pumpkin puree, 1 can of low sodium chicken or vegetable broth, and ½ cup of milk. Use ½ to 1 teaspoon of curry if you like that flavor, or stir fry some onions and mushrooms and add them to the soup.
Add a ½ cup of pumpkin puree to your next smoothie. It makes an excellent combination with yogurt, kefir, honey and bananas.
You can even add some pumpkin puree to your favorite mac & cheese recipe or make a mashed pumpkin/ sweet potato combo.
Pumpkin puree can be mixed with a little brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, a tab of butter and a drop or two of vanilla to be served for dessert or even as a hot breakfast.
Only your imagination and tastes will limit the options you can try.
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of the nutrition counter series for Pocket Books with sales of more than 8.5 million books.
Look for:
The Diabetes Counter, 5th Ed., 2014
The Fat and Cholesterol Counter, 2014
The Most Complete Food Counter, 3rd ed., 2013
The Calorie Counter, 6th Ed., 2013
The Complete Food Counter, 4th ed., 2012
The Protein Counter, 3rd Ed., 2011
The Ultimate Carbohydrate Counter, 3rd Ed., 2010
The Healthy Wholefoods Counter, 2008
Your Complete Food Counter App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/your-complete-food-counter/id444558777?mt=8
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to: www.TheNutritionExperts.com.
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