5 Reasons to Eat Pumpkin!!!
I know some people get annoyed by Pumpkin Spice Season. I will admit that it can get a little out of hand, especially when big corporate companies try to get in on the action for profit only. But here are a handful of things to consider when it comes to pumpkins...
Now remember I'm referring to the actual pumpkin, not the artificial pumpkin flavoring that gets put into everything pumpkin season at the local super market.
Pumpkins are surprisingly healthy, I mean really insanely healthy. Continue reading to find out how beneficial this vegetable is for your overall physical health.
Reason you should enjoy this beautiful autumn vegetable...
As part of the winter squash family, pumpkins are loaded with Vitamin A. The bright orange color contains alpha and beta carotene. This helps maintain a healthy heart, which in turn promotes healthy circulation throughout the entire body.
It contains fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin B6, and niacin, which lowers triglycerides, balances erratic heart rhythms, and reduces the risk of heart disease.
It fights free radicals! Yes! This is my favorite reason to eat pumpkin. We are exposed to so many toxins today. They are in everything from the water we drink, to the air we breathe, and even the clothes we put on our skin. Some of us try to eat super clean, but in the modern era we currently live in, toxins are everywhere. Free radicals are toxic invaders that seep into our bodies, and can end up causing a lot of damage, this includes many cancers. Pumpkins have a natural way of fighting these toxins, and expelling them from our systems.
All of these powerful vitamins help to give us more energy. Who doesn't want more of that?
Pumpkin is only 80 calories a cup. It is delicious, and guilt free. So load up baby!
When considering Ayurveda, pumpkin is excellent for vata types. It's amazing how nature gives us exactly what we need, when we need it. There is a reason that pumpkins grow in autumn. Autumn carries with it all of the elements of vata. Autumn is cold, dry, mobile, and light. These qualities, when paired with a person who is vata imbalanced, or who has a strong vata tendency, can wreak havoc. Pumpkins, carry all of the qualities that will help a vata person come back into balance. Pumpkins are warm and grounding. Pumpkins have a sweet taste, as well as a sweet post digestive effect.
Pumpkin seeds, and the pumpkin seed oil are used to treat early enlargement of the prostate gland. They also help relieve menopausal symptoms. They are high in essential fatty acids and zinc. And chomping on pumpkin seeds will kill intestinal parasites.
So enjoy that pumpkin pie. Just be mindful of the sugar.
Here's a pumpkin recipe to try.
PUMPKIN SPICE BITES
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup of pitted dates chopped or pulsed in a food processor.
1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 heaping spoonful of pureed pumpkin
Ground cinnamon, to taste
Nutmeg, to taste...warning, nutmeg is strong, so be careful with this.
Less than 1/4 cup of honey...eyeball it
A handful of pumpkin seeds, shelled
A handful of dark chocolate chips
Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl. You want the consistency to be sticky.
With a spoon, or a cookie scoop, form the mixture into little bite sized balls.
Place on parchment paper, so they don't stick to the surface. Refrigerate and enjoy!!!
Sabrina is a Health Coach and Fitness Instructor
with more than 20 years of experience coaching clients
and teaching a variety of classes. She is also a certified
Ayurveda Health Educator. DM me for information on how to schedule your free consult.
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