What Is Pumpkin?
Pumpkin is a member of the cucurbitaceae family and is one of hundreds of species of plants more commonly called gourds. Its relatives include watermelon, cucumber, and squash.
Pumpkins are highly nutritious, containing proteins, carbohydrates, carotenoids, vitamins, and minerals. As a healthy and versatile food ingredient, pumpkin improves many recipes with its taste and is a pop of color on your plate.
Is pumpkin a fruit or a vegetable?
Technically, a pumpkin is a fruit because it comes from the seed-bearing part (ovary) of a flowering plant, but many people treat it as a vegetable because of its more savory taste.
You can eat both the hearty flesh and delicious seeds of this large fruit. Pumpkins are often combined with spices, such as nutmeg and cinnamon, to flavor desserts and seasonal beverages.
In the autumn months, pumpkins are readily available in stores and at farms. They’re also available year-round as a canned puree. Canned pumpkin offers the same health benefits as fresh pumpkin, making it quick and easy to add pumpkin to recipes year-round. Pumpkin seeds are typically roasted and sold separately as a snack or topping.
Pumpkin types
Pumpkin comes in many shapes, sizes, colors, and weights. Some pumpkins weigh less than a pound and are more ornamental than edible, while others grow to more than 1,000 pounds. Those around 10-25 pounds may be carved for jack-o'-lantern Halloween decorations or used for baking pies.
Some pumpkin varieties include:
- Standard orange
- Small, weighing 2 to 5 pounds. Types: Baby Bear, Baby Pam, Small Sugar or New England Pie, Spooktacular, Sugar Treat, and Winter Luxury
- Intermediate, weighing 8 to 15 pounds. Types: Autumn Gold, Bushkin, Frosty, Funny Face, Harvest Moon, Jack-o-Lantern, Spirit, and Young's Beauty
- Large, weighing 15 to 25 pounds. Types: Aspen, Big Autumn, Big Tom, Connecticut Field, Ghost Rider, Happy Jack, Howden Field, Jackpot, Jumpin' Jack, and Pankow's Field.
- Rouge Vif d'Estampes, a deep red-orange pumpkin. This pumpkin is sometimes called the "Cinderella" pumpkin because it inspired Cinderella's carriage.
- Jumbo, which weigh 50 to 100 pounds or much more. Types: Atlantic Giant, Big Max, Big Moon, Mammoth Gold, and Prizewinner
- White pumpkins: Casper, Lumina, Snowball, and Little Boo
- Cushaw group: Golden Cushaw, Green-Striped Cushaw, Sweet Potato, Tennessee, and White Cushaw
- Naked-seeded: Trick or Treat (great for carving), Tricky Jack, and Triple Treat (cooks well)
- Processing pumpkins, used to make canned pumpkin: Buckskin, Chelsey, Dickinson Field, and Kentucky Field
- Miniature pumpkins: Baby Boo, Jack-Be-Little, Jack-Be-Quick, Munchkin, and Sweetie Pie
Pumpkin Benefits
Pumpkin benefits for skin
Pumpkin is a food rich in nutrients beneficial for skin health and moisturization, including minerals, fiber, vitamin C, carotenoids, and essential oils. Pumpkin contains beta-carotene, which reduces inflammation and may help prevent skin cancer caused by sun exposure. Plus, alpha-carotene in pumpkin may help slow down the aging process.
Research has also shown that taking pumpkin extract by mouth or applying it to the skin may, along with other therapies, treat contact dermatitis — an inflammatory skin disorder — tied to depression. More research is needed, though, to see how well pumpkin works for this disorder.
Pumpkin oil is a traditional remedy for eczema to reduce skin damage. Recent research suggests it can be used with betamethasone, a steroid medication for inflammatory skin disorders, to treat chronic hand eczema. Combining pumpkin oil with betamethasone also reduces the amount of betamethasone needed, reducing the medication's side effects.
Is pumpkin good for weight loss?
Pumpkin is low in calories and high in fiber, which may help with weight loss. Fiber can help you feel full, reduce appetite and food intake, encourage regular bowel movements, reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and improve mineral absorption in the gut, all of which may benefit weight management.
Though much research hasn’t been done on pumpkin and weight loss, you can add pumpkin to a balanced diet.
May protect from oxidative damage
The bold orange color of a ripe pumpkin means it is packed with beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant.
Antioxidants protect the body from free radicals — atoms that cause tiny injuries to cells. Over time, the damage can lead to diseases like cancer and dementia. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, keeping them from harming cells.
If tumor cells do start to form, beta-carotene can jump in and hinder their growth. Beta-carotene also triggers the body to release natural killer cells that attack and destroy tumors.
May improve eye health
While beta-carotene guards cells from free radicals, your body is changing it into vitamin A. The body then uses vitamin A to make a protein needed for your eyes to work properly. Vitamin A also supports other parts of the eye such as the cornea, which focuses light so you can see clearly.
Not only that, but vitamin A is important for healthy skin, bones, lungs, and kidneys. Both beta-carotene and vitamin A are best obtained from foods like pumpkin, not pills.
Supports heart health
Pumpkin is recommended as part of a heart-healthy diet that may help lower your risk of heart disease. It offers a long list of nutrients that protect and support the heart, such as vitamins A, B1, B6, and C, copper, fiber, folate, and manganese.
Pumpkin provides calcium, potassium, and magnesium, which can help keep your heartbeat regular and your blood pressure low.
The fiber in pumpkin can also play a part in lowering blood pressure as well as cholesterol.
May boost immunity
Pumpkin contains immune-promoting nutrients like vitamins A, E, and C, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, selenium, iron, magnesium, and beta-carotene.
Consuming pumpkin may help manage immune-related diseases, reduce how often you fall sick, and help you recover faster from infections.
May improve gut health
Pumpkin is a functional food ingredient that may benefit your stomach in many ways. Its peel has polysaccharides, which help the good bacteria in your stomach grow and reduce the growth of harmful bacteria. It’s high in zinc and vitamin A, which may help improve the intestinal barrier. A properly working intestinal barrier allows the body to absorb nutrients while blocking harmful substances from entering the blood.
Fiber and zinc may also help manage gastrointestinal disorders. Fiber maintains bowel movements and health. Plus, pumpkin contains cucurbitin, an amino acid that helps remove worms from the intestine.
Pumpkin Nutrition
Nutrients per serving
| 1 cup of raw pumpkin (1-inch cubes) | 1 cup of canned pumpkin without salt |
|---|---|
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Pumpkin vitamins
Pumpkins are a rich source of:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B1
- Vitamin B2
- Vitamin B3
- Vitamin B5
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin B9
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
Pumpkin minerals
Pumpkin is good source of:
- Iron
- Copper
- Manganese
- Potassium
Things to watch out for
Although pumpkin is typically safe to eat and offers impressive health benefits, it’s often combined with high-sugar and fat ingredients. When shopping for canned pumpkin, check the label to make sure you're getting 100% pumpkin puree with no added sugar or salt. Pumpkin pies, pumpkin rolls, and pumpkin spice lattes are usually loaded with sugar, so save these desserts for special occasions like Thanksgiving.
Pumpkin seed shells are safe to eat and an excellent source of fiber. However, the shells can trigger uncomfortable symptoms for people with digestive conditions. Shelled pumpkin seeds are a safer option for people with digestive concerns.
Is pumpkin high in potassium?
Pumpkin is high in potassium, containing up to 564 milligrams of it in a 1-cup serving. Potassium helps your muscles contract, supports healthy blood pressure, and regulates minerals and fluid in your body.
However, having too much potassium may cause a serious condition called hyperkalemia. It can cause symptoms like nausea, muscle weakness, numbness, and tingling and can be life-threatening when it happens suddenly.
Kidney problems and taking medications that prevent your kidneys from removing potassium properly can cause you to develop hyperkalemia.
Talk to your doctor about how much potassium you should have in your diet if you have kidney disease or are taking medications that affect your kidneys. Also, see a doctor immediately if you’re having heart palpitations, difficulty breathing, chest pain, nausea, and vomiting, which may be symptoms of sudden hyperkalemia.
Can you eat raw pumpkin?
You can eat pumpkin raw and add it to salads and smoothies, but thoroughly wash it before eating it to remove bacteria that may make you sick.
How to Eat Pumpkin
Pumpkin is a great addition to any meal. This versatile fruit can be used in both sweet and savory recipes. An autumn favorite, you can buy fresh pumpkins in grocery stores across the U.S. in September and October.
Prepping fresh pumpkins
To cook with fresh pumpkin, you have to do some prep work. First, split the pumpkin in two and use a spoon to remove the seeds and stringy flesh on the inside. Next, use a small knife to pare off the pumpkin's skin.
You can use canned pumpkin in many recipes if you don’t want to deal with messy preparations.
Healthy and tasty pumpkin recipes
Pumpkin will boost the nutrition of your dish, help thicken it, and make it more filling and hearty. Here are some healthy, tasty ways to work pumpkin into your diet:
Pumpkin parfait. Layer pumpkin puree over plain or vanilla Greek yogurt, drizzle some maple syrup, and sprinkle with cinnamon. Top with granola or raw pecan pieces and enjoy.
Healthy baked goods. If you’re making pancakes, quick bread, brownies, cookies, or muffins, use pumpkin to replace some of the butter or oil in the recipe.
Smoothies. Mix pumpkin into a smoothie with yogurt, fruit, and honey.
Pasta sauces. Stir pumpkin puree into your spaghetti sauce before warming it. Experiment with varying amounts, starting with 1 cup of puree for a 24-ounce jar of sauce. Taste before serving -- you may want to add Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
Soups and stews. Use pumpkin puree to thicken your soups and stews. Taste and adjust seasonings before serving.
Is pumpkin soup healthy?
Pumpkin soup can be healthy and provides all the benefits of pumpkin, but pay attention to how it's prepared. A canned pumpkin soup may have more sodium compared to one you make yourself. You can modify a pumpkin soup recipe that calls for milk or cream with a dairy substitute if you prefer.
Takeaways
Pumpkin is an excellent source of nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, essential oils, protein, and fiber. This versatile fruit provides many health benefits for the skin, eyes, heart, gut, immunity, and more. You can enjoy a variety of pumpkin dishes, but because pumpkins are high in potassium, be careful to avoid a serious condition like hyperkalemia. Keep in mind that certain drinks and treats with canned or pureed pumpkin may have added sugars and salts, which can be unhealthy in high amounts.
Pumpkin FAQs
What are the five benefits of eating pumpkin?
Eating pumpkin may:
- Improve skin health
- Improve eye health
- Support heart health
- Support immune function
- Support a healthy gut
Is it good to eat pumpkin every day?
You can eat pumpkin every day if you enjoy it. However, if you have kidney problems or are taking medications that affect your kidneys, talk to your doctor first before you start eating high amounts of pumpkin.
What is the best time to eat pumpkin?
Pumpkins can be eaten at any time of the day, for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, or brunch. Fresh pumpkin is harvested in the fall, but you can find canned pumpkin in grocery stores all year.
Why are pumpkins a superfood?
Pumpkins are a superfood because they’re high in many nutrients essential for a well-functioning body, including: fiber, carotenoids, potassium, vitamins A, E, and C, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, selenium, iron, magnesium, and beta-carotene.
