Are Pumpkins Healthy?

If I were to keep a food journal of everything I eat in the month of October, reading it would be like the scene in that movie, The Shining, where Wendy Torrance finally discovers her husband's manuscript and realizes just how far gone he is. I make some pretty terrible food choices this time of year. Candy corn and candy corn variants (harvest corn, mellowcreme pumpkins and those Brach's caramel apples) are part of my daily diet. I eat other candy too, long before the trick or treating begins. I love pumpkin spice EVERYTHING. Anything sweet you can make with pumpkin spice or any fall flavoring, I will eat or drink. Even a plain old cookie in the shape of a pumpkin or skull or anything seasonal usually will get consumed too. Of course there are also donuts, pie, cider and I could just keep on going but you probably get the point. And you also probably know that none of this stuff is healthy. 

But did you know that pumpkins themselves ARE actually quite healthy? It's true - they are low in calories but high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other good stuff including:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Riboflavin
• Potassium
• Copper
• Manganese
• Thiamin
• Vitamin B-6
• Folate
• Pantothenic Acid
• Niacin
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Phosphorus
• Beta Carotene
• Fiber

These promote eye, skin, heart and metabolic health. Eating pumpkin can also help reduce blood pressure, control diabetes. There are studies that even show how Beta Carotene, something pumpkins are rich in, can reduce your risk of cancer!

So does this mean that some part of my usual October diet actually has some nutritional value? Unfortunately no. Most things that are pumpkin spice-flavored contain little to no pumpkin. And even some things that do contain pumpkin more than cancel themselves out with sugar and other empty calories. Unless you are a big squash fan, eating pumpkin on its own is not particularly exciting. But there are plenty of recipes out there nowadays that are tasty and nutritious.

Then there are also pumpkin seeds, which are pretty rich in iron, zinc, magnesium, antioxidants and even some protein. Toasted and salted pumpkin seeds make for a pretty decent snack and since they do not exactly chew easily, they can be good option if you find yourself hungry but don't plan on eating your next meal for a while and don't want to snack on something unhealthy that you would consume quickly.

Thus, if you are looking to make some healthier food choices and wondering what you should do, give pumpkins a real shot this season. Or at least don't feel quite as bad about having a slice of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. And if you're like me and want to get generally back on track with your diet this month yet still keep the fall flavors going, pumpkin may be part of the solution!