This week I have been using a lot of pumpkin in recipes. Below are some health benefits of pumpkin. If your diet is like the average Americans, you dont get enough fiber. You should consume between 20 and 35 grams of fiber each day, according to the Harvard School of Public Health, but many people dont get more than 15 grams. Fiber helps you digest your food efficiently, which helps your body absorb the nutrients from your food. Getting enough fiber can keep you from getting constipated as well. One cup of pumpkin puree provides you with 7.1 grams of dietary fiber. Pumpkin puree contains about 10 percent of your daily requirement for potassium as well. You need adequate amounts of potassium to support healthy digestion. Immunity A 1-cup serving of pumpkin puree supplies 3.4 grams of iron, a mineral that helps keep you from getting sick by supporting a strong immune system. This is about 43 percent of the 8 milligrams men need each day, and about 20 percent of the 18 milligrams women need. The same serving of pumpkin puree contains 1,906 micrograms of vitamin A, which boosts your immune system, as well as keeps your eyes, bones and teeth healthy. You need between 700 and 900 micrograms of vitamin A each day, and pumpkin is an excellent source. You also get about 15 percent of your daily vitamin E needs from a serving of pumpkin puree. Vitamin E keeps your immune system working properly and also protects your cells from damage that can lead to certain types of disease, such as cancer. Disease Prevention The compounds that give pumpkins their bright orange color can protect you from developing lung cancer, according to Michael T. Murray, author of The Condensed Encyclopedia of Healing Foods. The same compounds help prevent heart disease. A 2010 article published in Nutrition Research Reviews notes that pumpkin reduces inflammation. Inflammation can lead to many chronic health conditions, including cancer and heart disease, as well as Type 2 diabetes and arthritis. Eating Pumpkin Puree Stir pumpkin puree into soup, stew or chili. The flavor wont change significantly, but your meal will have more nutrients. Use pumpkin puree in place of a portion of the oil in your favorite bread and muffin recipes. Add the puree to a bowl of oatmeal, or stir it into a carton of yogurt. Include pumpkin puree in pasta sauce or add it to a hummus recipe.
Posted on: Fri, 29 Nov 2013 14:00:01 +0000
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