Scientists reveal why you should never throw away your Halloween pumpkin

Pumpkins have become such a universal symbol of Halloween that it’s easy to forget that they’re more than just a decoration. The USDA estimates that of the nearly 2 billion pounds of pumpkins produced in the United States each year, more than 1.3 billion pounds end up in the trash.

But before you ditch your jack-o’-lantern, think about the weight-loss, skin-health, and immune-boosting benefits this seasonal squash has to offer.

Josh Gibbs, a plant-based nutrition researcher at the University of Warwick in the UK, said: “The main benefit of including pumpkin in the diet is to increase vitamin A levels. Newsweek. It helps protect vision, boost immune and reproductive functions, and promote healthy skin and organ linings.

This vitamin A is in the form of beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in our bodies and gives pumpkins their distinctive orange color. Be sure to combine pumpkin with a healthy source of fat, such as olive oil, because vitamin A is fat-soluble, so it’s better absorbed in the presence of fat, Gibbs said.

Beta-carotene is also an antioxidant and may help protect our cells from reactive molecules that can damage our DNA.

Pumpkin is very high in nutrients and packs a high concentration of them into a small number of calories. “Because pumpkin is about 90 percent water, it’s relatively low in calories compared to other vegetables,” Gibbs said. The calorie content per 100 grams of pumpkin meat ranges from 15 kcal to 46 kcal. This makes it a great option for bulking up meals while keeping calories low – keeping you full and promoting weight loss.

And let’s not forget the pumpkin seeds, which are arguably the most nutritious part of all. Pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of fiber, protein, unsaturated fatty acids, minerals such as zinc and vitamin E, Gibbs said. Regular consumption of pumpkin seeds reduces bad cholesterol and reduces the risk of breast cancer.

As for the rest of the pumpkin, Gibbs recommends the following: “The skin can be baked or air-fried to make crisp, delicious chips. The flesh can be roasted or slowly cooked in a curry or stew. . Try adding pumpkin to a morning smoothie, or roast it in the oven for a sweet-tasting side dish.”

Eating pumpkin is also good for the environment, minimizing food waste and making the most of local produce. “We have to aim to minimize waste,” Richard Napier, a professor at the University of Warwick’s School of Life Sciences, told Newsweek. Pumpkins are bulky, and local production and short supply chains make sense to minimize heavy food miles. This vegetable is healthy, affordable and a seasonal celebration. [home]- Freshly grown products.