Pumpkin

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pumpkin

Overview:

For most Americans, the pumpkin has been associated with Halloween and fall desserts. Not only are pumpkins delicious, but they are also packed full with healthy vitamins and other beneficial nutrients. These nutrients and vitamins are found in the seeds as well as the pumpkin itself.

Benefits:

Pumpkins are plentiful in Vitamin A. This Vitamin is essential for vision, especially vision in dim light. They are also rich in carotenoids, which makes the pumpkin orange. This includes beta-carotene which converts into a form of Vitamin A. Pumpkins also contain a lot of Vitamin C. Vitamin C has been shown to boost your immune system.

Adding pumpkins into your diet will help you lose weight. It is a great source of fiber, with three grams per one-cup serving and only 49 calories. It will keep you feeling full for a longer time with less calories. Also, for those who exercise, it has been shown that after a workout, eating a cup of cooked pumpkin can refuel the potassium in your body. This will help restore the balance of electrolytes in the body after a heavy workout and keep the muscles functioning at their best.

The nuts and seeds of pumpkins are naturally rich in phytosterols which have been shown to reduce LDL (“bad cholesterol”). The seeds are also rich in the amino acid tryptophan. This amino acid is vital for the production of serotonin, which plays a role on mood. Eating a handful of pumpkin seeds will help boost your mood. For those who have benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), pumpkin see oil extract may help with the symptoms. Pumpkin seeds also have a large amount of omega fatty acids which can act as an anti-inflammatory.

Pumpkins are full of antioxidant beta-carotenes. This have been shown to play a role in cancer prevention. These same carotenoids have also been shown to prevent wrinkles.

The chemicals in pumpkins also act as a diuretic which will relieve bladder discomfort. They also contain a chemical that may kill intestinal worms.

Side Effects:

Pumpkins is safe when consumed in food amounts. It may cause ejaculation problems in some men.

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