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For many centuries before landing on the shores of the American continent of Columbus and the Spanish conquistadors, Indian tribes knew the taste of pumpkin and grew its fruits in abundance. In Europe, the culture came only in the XVI century and due to its unpretentious nature was recognized in many countries. Today, pumpkin cultivation is carried out in various parts of the world, and although the leadership in industrial production remains with the United States, only slightly less pumpkin grows in the fields of Russia, China, North African countries, Europe and Asia. What caused the interest in garden culture, and why has it persisted for the past three thousand years?
Obviously, the fruits are grown not only as a source of affordable and tasty, but also useful food.
Moreover, the pumpkin is almost entirely useful for the human body, only about 15% of the hard peel is discarded, and the flesh and seeds are eaten and used as components of various culinary dishes.
Composition and caloric content of pumpkin
Whatever the variety of pumpkin grown in the garden, about 75% of its weight falls on juicy dense pulp, containing a huge amount of useful substances and compounds for humans. In a series of vitamins available in the orange dense flesh, beta-carotene, vitamins A, B1 and B2, B5 and B6, B9 and ascorbic acid, vitamins E and PP.No less impressive is the list of macro and micronutrients that enter the body, if the menu of a person has pumpkin dishes. Such minerals include potassium and calcium, magnesium and iron, phosphorus, sulfur, sodium and manganese, iodine and zinc.
How many calories are there in a pumpkin, which is so rich in substances valuable to the body? Since the main component of pumpkin is water, which constitutes up to 90% of the mass, and in addition to it, in 100 grams of pulp there are about 4.2 grams of sugars, up to 2 grams of dietary fiber and a small amount of protein, organic acids, ash and starch, the calorie content is extremely high.small and is only 22 kcal.
Today, when the usefulness of food is put above its caloric content, this fact only expands the ranks of pumpkin lovers. What are the beneficial properties of pumpkin and are there any contraindications to its use?
How is pumpkin useful for the human body?
Pumpkin can be considered a truly unique vegetable, recommended not only to healthy people, but also to those who suffer from a variety of ailments.
With a mass of benefits for the body, pumpkin can inflict harm only in rare cases when patients themselves neglect the safety rules.
What diseases can be avoided and easier to cure if you include pumpkin dishes in your diet? Explicit and undeniable benefits of the vegetable bears digestion, and the pumpkin, which is distinguished by its low calorie content, is recommended not only to people who want to get rid of extra kilograms and centimeters at the waist, but also to aspire to improve the digestive processes and clean the intestines from toxins and slags. All this allows you to make rich pulp, but almost no starch-containing sweet pulp, which gives energy, but does not significantly affect weight.
A pumpkin with practically no contraindications can add to its useful properties fast and almost complete digestibility. But not only that pumpkin dishes are well accepted by the body, they contribute to the digestion of other products, which are served to the table, for example, fatty meats, smoked meats or nuts. Activating digestion and making it more effective, the pumpkin also has anti-inflammatory properties, protecting the intestinal mucosa from irritation, removing existing ones.
Helping to lose weight, pumpkin fiber is also useful for those who suffer or are at risk of developing hypertension and atherosclerosis. Doctors say the beneficial effects of pumpkin on the liver and the cardiovascular system. What is the pumpkin useful for the human body in a similar situation? Diet vegetable removes slags actively, does not allow harmful cholesterol to accumulate.
If you use a pumpkin regularly, the risk of atherosclerosis and the risk of pressure increase are significantly reduced. The walls of blood vessels experience less stress, retain elasticity and health longer.
Pumpkin containing many mineral salts, including potassium compounds and moisture, is an excellent natural diuretic used by both traditional and official medicine. An important role in the treatment of diseases of the urogenital sphere is played by the ability of the vegetable to remove excess moisture from the body, and anti-inflammatory qualities. Pumpkin is prescribed for pyelonephritis, cystitis, urolithiasis and other diseases.
What is useful for people who feel discomfort from kidney failure is the ability to remove the swelling and intensify the work of the entire system. The combination of mineral salts, vitamins, organic acids and pectins makes it possible to use pumpkin effectively in autumn and winter, when immunity naturally decreases, vitality drops, and depression, insomnia, and mood swings are especially frequent.
A small amount of pumpkin pulp as a side dish, in baking or in the form of juice will help to cope with these problems and even withstand seasonal viral infections.
If it is recommended to use a pumpkin useful for the human body in case of problems with digestion or overweight, adding to porridges, then with nervous disorders and colds, honey-rich juice will help.
Why is a pumpkin useful for women?
The fair sex will be interested in both the low calorie content of the pumpkin and its diuretic ability. Women who prefer to wear high heels know how their legs get tired by the end of a busy day, and in the morning their feet suffer from edema. In both cases, pumpkin will help, however, in the first situation gruel is applied as a lotion to strained legs, and in the second it is advised to introduce a vegetable into the diet.
Grated raw pumpkin pulp is a great remedy for skin rashes and irritations. Natural drug can be used for manifestations of eczema, as well as burns.
Do not forget that the pumpkin is only slightly inferior to the carrot content of beta-carotene. Therefore, the juice from the pumpkin is useful for women who have sensitive skin, but wanting to tan a little. Pumpkin is an excellent, very useful component for homemade masks, saturating the skin with vitamins, removing the slightest inflammation and smoothing mimic wrinkles.
And the high content of iron in the pulp is the reason to pay attention to the pumpkin for those who suffer from anemia.
How is a pumpkin useful for men?
Pumpkin can bring strong sex and improve immunity, and a quick recuperation after serious physical and mental stress, and self-confidence.
Both the seeds and the pulp of the pumpkin are beneficial to the man's body in that they contain zinc. This element plays an important role in maintaining the health of the reproductive system, hormonal levels and sperm quality. According to recent studies, the regular inclusion of pumpkins in the menu will help a man not to fear the development of inflammation in the urogenital system and cancer.
Contraindications to the use of pumpkin
Feel the benefits of pumpkin, and not harm from the use of vegetables can only be attentive to their health and using the recommendations of doctors. Sweet, delicious pumpkin varieties should not be often and in large quantities included in the menu for patients with diabetes, as well as people at risk for this disease.
Individual intolerance to vegetables containing a lot of beta-carotene, vitamin A and other active compounds is also possible.
Raw pumpkin can cause a violent reaction to the product from the digestive system. Particularly at risk are those diagnosed with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in the acute stage. Therefore, in the presence of gastritis with low acidity, peptic ulcer, acute pancreatitis or cholecystitis, it is better to first consult with your doctor. The same recommendation applies to pumpkin dishes for baby food.
In order to reduce the possible harm from healthy pumpkins, fennel or dill seeds, as well as the greens of these herbs, are added as spice to the dishes that are cooked.
