One of my favorite things about fall is that it's pumpkin season! Pumpkins are fun and their bright orange color, although often a very underappreciated color, symbolizes balance as well as youthfulness, optimism, warmth, creativity and enthusiasm. Pumkin is a type of winter squash native to North America and are considered a fruit because of the seeds, which are also edible, nutritious, and very tasty! Pumpkin is also high in fiber, a huge plus in my book!
Fun Fact: the worlds heaviest pumpkin weight in at 2,600 pounds!
Pumpkin has impressive health benefits. It is nutrient-dense, meaning that it is incredibly low in calories (about 49/cup) and packed with nutrients such as vitamin C, E, iron and folate which makes it a great immunity booster, perfect for the season. Pumpkin is very high in beta-carotene, a carotenoid that your body turns into vitamin A. Other antioxidants include alpha-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin and many others, which may protect your cells against damage by free radicals. Pumpkin is also one of the best sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, two compounds linked to lower risks of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.
It's super easy to add pumpkin to the diet because of its versatility in both categories of sweet and savory. The more popular is, of course, the sweet category where it is a favorite in pies and dishes such as custard. On the savory side, it's great roasted or in soups and pastas. One of my favorite ways to enjoy pumpkin is my Pumpkin Spice Pancakes recipe. Instead of regular maple syrup, I use Thrive Market Organic Infused Maple Syrup in Warm Pumpkin Spice. So delicious!
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