It’s almost Halloween, and that means it’s time to carve out pumpkins and use their stuffing to make pumpkin pies! Pumpkins have anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties. They provide you with a significant percentage of your daily nutrients. They also fight heart disease by lowering bad cholesterol.

Eating pumpkins is good for the eyes and skin since they’re a good source of vitamin A. A typical serving of pumpkin provides you with approximately 7 grams of dietary fiber and 10 percent of your daily potassium requirement. It also provides you with 15 percent of your daily vitamin E requirement and almost 50 percent of your daily iron requirement if you’re male (20 percent if you’re female).

According to some studies, consuming pumpkins can prevent lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes mellitus. Also, consuming pumpkin seeds reduces your bad cholesterol levels because they contain phytosterols. Consuming pumpkin seeds can help regulate your mood since they’re also a good source of tryptophan, which your body needs to synthesize serotonin.

Pumpkins are also rich in carotenoids, which are antioxidants that fight signs of aging. They’re also a good source of vitamin C, which your immune system needs to fight off pathogens.

This fall, feel relieved that being forced to eat pumpkin dishes due to making Halloween decorations is actually healthy for you. Pumpkins are a great source for many of your required daily nutrients and have cancer-fighting and mood-regulating properties as well. Enjoy your serving of pumpkin pie, but make sure to eat the pumpkin seeds too!

Sources:

(healthyeating.sfgate.com/health-benefits-eating-pumpkin-puree-4645.html)
(huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/04/pumpkin-health-benefits_n_1936919.html)