8 health benefits of pumpkin that will make you want to add more to your diet

Pumpkins are bountiful this time of year, and the health benefits of pumpkin are bountiful, too.

We all love pumpkins in our pies, cakes, and even lattes. In fact, there are loads of vegan pumpkin recipes that showcase the sweet, earthy flavour of this succulent squash.

But the delicious taste isn’t the only reason to partake in a pumpkin-based meal or three this autumn.

Pumpkins are a great source of a variety of healthy vitamins and minerals that benefit our bodies in many ways.

And it’s not just the pumpkin flesh that’s loaded with health benefits, so don’t throw away those seeds!

Health benefits of pumpkin seeds

• Pumpkin seeds are a good source of mono-unsaturated fatty acids (the good fats) and fibre, essential for heart health.
• They are also packed with plant-based protein, which will keep you fuller for longer and help you to burn fat.
• Snacking on pumpkin seeds is a great way of increasing your zinc and iron intake that support our immune system and boost energy.
• The high content of the amino acid tryptophan may make them helpful to support a good night’s sleep and better moods.

Discover 8 reasons to eat more pumpkin this autumn with these wonderful health benefits of pumpkins…

8 Health benefits of pumpkins

1. They’re a great source of fibre

Pumpkins are rich in fibre – around 1 cup of pumpkin flesh provides about 5 grams of fibre (we need on average 18g per day to keep our digestive system functioning well).

2. Pumpkins benefit skin health  

Pumpkin contains vitamins C and E, as well as beta-carotene, all of which have been found to play an important role in the health of our skin.¹

Vitamin C is not naturally made by the body and so it is important we get it from the diet every day, as it plays a part in collagen formation, helps to prevent bruising and helps with wound healing.²

They are also rich in carotenoids, which are fat-soluble compounds that give the flesh its orange pigment.

Beta carotene and alpha carotene are the most abundant carotenoids in pumpkins and can convert to vitamin A in the body.

Your eyes will thank you for that vitamin A boost! Vitamin A, or beta-carotene, is also involved in skin protection from the sun’s UVB rays and may help protect against sunburn¹, although sunscreen is still required!

3. And they’re great for eye health, too

A deficiency of vitamin A has been linked with reduced vision or even blindness.³

Beta-carotene, as well as vitamins C and E, can help protect eyes and reduce the risk of age-related eye diseases.³

4. Pumpkins provide minerals

Pumpkins also contain the minerals: magnesium and potassium, which you need for good energy levels and heart health.

5. They can help with healthy weight-loss

Pumpkin is a great high-nutrient, low-calorie food.

With only 42 calories per cup and loaded with fibre, pumpkin will keep you fuller for longer, and helps to regulate your blood sugar levels to keep food cravings at bay, helping you to eat fewer calories and burn more fat.

6. Pumpkin can boost immunity

As indicated by their bright orange colour, pumpkins contain beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A when consumed.

Research has demonstrated that vitamin A plays an important role in supporting the immune system⁴, of which around 80% is in the digestive system.

Further research suggests that diet, including vitamin A, has a direct effect on immune system function⁵.

Beta carotene also works as an antioxidant – protecting the body and supporting the immune system and slowing down ageing process.

7. Pumpkins benefit prostate health

Pumpkin seeds, which are rich in zinc, should make their way in to every man’s diet for good reason. Prostate cancer is the the most common cancer in men in the UK, with over 50,000 new cases every year.⁶

Cancerous prostates show much lower levels of zinc compared to healthy prostates and several studies have implicated impaired zinc status in the development and progression of prostate malignancy.⁷

Pumpkin is rich in Zinc; it contains more than 2mg per ounce which can contribute to the prevention of prostate cancer, research shows.⁸

8. Pumpkins are rich in potassium

Did you know that a cup of cooked pumpkin has 564mg of potassium compared to bananas’ 422mg?

Potassium deficiency can lead to fatigue, muscle weakness and inactive reflexes, so switch it up and rotate some pumpkin into your diet instead of solely relying on bananas for potassium.

Make the most of your Halloween harvest with these tips to avoid pumpkin waste

Featured photo © AlexRaths via Getty Images

References:

1. Schagen SK, Zampeli VA, Makrantonaki E, Zouboulis CC. Discovering the link between nutrition and skin aging. Dermatoendocrinol. 2012 Jul 1;4(3):298-307. doi: 10.4161/derm.22876. PMID: 23467449; PMCID: PMC3583891.
2. NHS, Vitamin C.
3. Hammond BR Jr, Johnson MA. The age-related eye disease study (AREDS). Nutr Rev. 2002 Sep;60(9):283-8. doi: 10.1301/002966402320387215. PMID: 12296455.
4. Spencer SP, Belkaid Y. Dietary and commensal derived nutrients: shaping mucosal and systemic immunity. Curr Opin Immunol. 2012 Aug;24(4):379-84. doi: 10.1016/j.coi.2012.07.006. Epub 2012 Jul 31. PMID: 22857854; PMCID: PMC3431603.
5. Veldhoen M, Ferreira C. Influence of nutrient-derived metabolites on lymphocyte immunity. Nat Med. 2015 Jul;21(7):709-18. doi: 10.1038/nm.3894. Epub 2015 Jun 29. PMID: 26121194.
6. Cancer Research UK, Prostate Cancer Statistics.
7. Ho E, Song Y. Zinc and prostatic cancer. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2009 Nov;12(6):640-5. doi: 10.1097/MCO.0b013e32833106ee. PMID: 19684515; PMCID: PMC4142760.
8. Yadav, M., Jain, S., Tomar, R., Prasad, G., & Yadav, H. (2010). Medicinal and biological potential of pumpkin: An updated review. Nutrition Research Reviews, 23(2), 184-190. doi:10.1017/S0954422410000107