There’s much more to the portly pumpkin than just Halloween specials

When you think of a pumpkin do you think of it as Cinderella’s magical carriage or as the emblematic symbol of Halloween’s Jack-o-lantern? A Pumpkin rage was seen last Saturday when the quintessential element of Halloween’s lanterns were carved out by many and Halloween was celebrated in the company of witches and vampires. Pumpkin originates from the word pepon, which is Greek for ‘large melon’. French called it pompon and the British changed it to pumpio. Americans coined its name as pumpkin. Onion Squash, Sweet Pie, Baby Bear and Crown Prince are the different varieties. Pumpkins are eaten as a vegetable but they are like any other melons and therefore, fruit. Pumpkins usually are orange or yellow but we see them more in dark and pale green in our country. The thick skin on its outside is said to have antimicrobial properties. It is best to cook it with the skin. Pumpkin is rich in Alpha and Beta carotene, fibre, Vitamins C and D, Potassium and Magnesium. Pumpkin is one of the most inexpensive vegetables of all in the market. We, the dieticians never fail to obediently recommend it to all in liberal quantities because of the fewer calories it contains in addition to the bountiful health benefits it offers.

Even the seeds of the pumpkin are abundant in vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids and phytosterols. They are also high in L-tryptophan, an anti-depresssant. A quarter of a cup of Pumpkin seeds known as ‘pepitas’, are small, flat, green, edible seeds which include a good source of protein, zinc, and other vitamins. A quarter cup of pumpkin seeds furnishes 46 percent of the daily recommended amount of magnesium, 40 percent of phosphoros, 28 percent iron and 16 percent protein. You can roast the seeds and add little salt to make a healthy bed-side snack.

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