Bethany Frazier
Price Chopper Dietitian
The start of fall means sweater weather, hayrides, fall foliage, and pumpkin spice everything. This fall we’re looking for more ways to ramp up the pumpkin game beyond fan-favorite pumpkin spice lattes–which, surprisingly, often contain little to no actual pumpkin. Read on for health benefits and tips for adding pumpkin to your diet this autumn.
Why You Should Up Your Pumpkin Intake
Although pumpkin is often associated with sweet treats like PSLs(Pumpkin Spice Lattes) and pumpkin muffins, pumpkins are both versatile and nutritive powerhouses.
Pumpkins:
- Are rich in vitamin A. One cup of pumpkin contains 250% of your daily Vitamin A, which is essential for many processes, including healthy eyes and immunity.
- Protect against chronic illnesses. Pumpkins are full of antioxidants like beta-carotene, a carotenoid that gives pumpkins their big orange color. These antioxidants protect against chronic illnesses like heart disease and cancer, and are all-around inflammation reducers.
- Are nutrient dense. Pumpkin is the whole package: a healthy source of vitamins and fiber (7g of fiber in one cup!), but still low in calories–pumpkin contains just 50 calories per cup.
- Support eye health.Pumpkin contains compounds such as beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin help protect your eyes from harmful UV light and prevent age-related vision loss.
- May lower blood pressure. High potassium helps keep blood pressure under control
Beyond the Pumpkin Spice
Read on for alternative ideas on how to bring more pumpkin (and more nutrition) to your plate this fall.
- Pumpkin, meet queso. Add pumpkin to your favorite cheesy chip dip for some extra nutrition, see the recipe here.
- Make a cozy autumn soup. Try this Turmeric Pumpkin Soup, perfect to warm up on a crisp fall day.
- Add to chili. Pumpkin makes a terrific–and easy–addition to your favorite chili recipe. The sweetness of pumpkin balances out the natural heat of chili, and cuts the acidity of the tomato base. Try it out by adding pumpkin to taste when you add your beans of choice.
- Energy bites.These bites are a pre-workout snack, healthy dessert swap, or an afternoon pick-me-up to get you through the post-lunch slump.
- Mix pumpkin seeds into homemade granola. Bake this Pumpkin Pecan Granola for a very seasonal breakfast.
- Pumpkinify your favorite hummus. No recipe needed–grab your go-to, store-bought hummus, and blend together with pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. Pairs well with chips, crackers, and apples.
- Stir into a cocktail. This Loyal Linus is a perfect sweet-and-spicy end to an October day.
- Veggie roast. While many pumpkin baked goods come from a can, this squash can also be enjoyed fresh. Roast pumpkin in cubes and add to a salad, or serve as the veggie side to any meal.
