PUMPKINS:FOR HEALTH AND HALOWEEN

Halloween is coming and this day has been strongly associated with Jack o’lanterns and so pumpkins also.

I think you know that your Halloween pumpkin are one of the most nutritious and flavorful fruit around. In this article I want to highlight the nutritional and medicinal properties of pumpkins.

Native to Central America, Pumpkins are a nutritious vegetable vine plant which date back many centuries. The word pumpkin originates from the word pepon, which is Greek for “large melon". The French adapted this word to pompon, which the British changed to pumpion and later American colonists changed that to the word we use today, “pumpkin".

Pumpkins generally weigh 9–18 lbs (4–8 kg) with the largest (of the species C. maxima) capable of reaching a weight of over 40kg The pumpkin varies greatly in shape, ranging from oblate through oblong. The rind is smooth and usually lightly ribbed. Although pumpkins are usually orange or yellow, because of leutin, Alfa and beta carotenes and carotinoids

Pumpkins have great nutritional values. Pumpkins are very versatile in their uses for cooking, from the fleshy shell, to the seeds, to even the flowers; most parts of the pumpkin are edible.its seeds are green, covered with yellow husk. Seeds contains large amount of calories. Its major components are fiber proteins fatty acids, amino acids, mucilaginous carbohydrates, phytosterols, vitamins and minerals such as Iron, copper, magnessium, magneese, phosphorous, and a small amount of calcium, potassium, zinc, selenium, and niacin.

Pumpkins seeds oil is also of great medicinal importence.It contains omega-3, and omega-6, fatty acids. Austria is largest producer of pumpkin seed oil. Because of his high nutritional and medicinal values it’s regards as green gold.

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In intestinal infections

In intestinal infections by parasites like tapeworm and round worm, pumpkin used as medicine. It’s also listed by the U.S.Pharmacopea as a artificial medicine. Its shows amazing results on Snail transmitted severe parasite disease

Shichtosomiasis in Asia and Africa. It’s also found that its seeds can also clear the problems by.

Tapeworms.Curcurbitin a main constituent in has ant parasitic properties

Prostate problems

Benign prostatic hypertrophy, or BPH, is a condition that commonly affects men 50 years and older in the United States. BPH involves enlargement of the prostate gland. One of the factors that contribute to BPH is over stimulation of the prostate cells by testosterone and its conversion product, DHT (dihydrotestosterone). Components in pumpkin seed oil appear able to interrupt this triggering of prostate cell multiplication by testosterone and DHT.

The carotenoids found in pumpkin seeds, and the omega-3 fats found in pumpkin seeds are also being studied for their potential prostate benefits. Men with higher amounts of carotenoids in their diet have less risk for BPH; this is the connection that has led to an interest in pumpkin seed carotenoids.

Zinc is one further nutrient found in pumpkin seeds that might impact prostate function. The fact that pumpkin seeds serve as a good source of zinc may contribute to the role of pumpkin seeds in support of the prostate.

Bone problems

Another reason for older men to make Zinc-rich foods, such as pumpkin seeds, a regular part of their healthy way of eating is bone mineral density. Although osteoporosis is often thought to be a disease for which postmenopausal women are at highest risk, it is also a potential problem for older men. Almost 30% of hip fractures occur in men, and 1 in 8 men over age 50 will have an osteoporotic fracture. A study of almost 400 men ranging in age from 45-92 that was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found a clear correlation between low dietary intake of zinc, low blood levels of the trace mineral, and osteoporosis at the hip and spine.

Benefits in Arthritis

The healing properties of pumpkin seeds have also been recently investigated with respect to arthritis. In animal studies, the addition of pumpkin seeds to the diet has compared favorably with use of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin in reducing inflammatory symptoms. Importantly, though, pumpkin seeds did not have one extremely unwanted effect of indomethacin: unlike the drug, pumpkin seeds do not increase the level of damaged fats (lipid peroxides) in the linings of the joints, a side-effect that actually contributes to the progression of arthritis.

Against cholestrol

Phytosterols are compounds found in plants that have a chemical structure very similar to cholesterol, and when present in the diet in sufficient amounts, are believed to reduce blood levels of cholesterol, enhance the immune response and decrease risk of certain cancers.

The FDA has approved the following claim for phytosterols: "Foods containing at least 0.4 gram per serving of plant sterols, eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of at least 0.8 gram, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease."

To date, more than 20 clinical studies on the effects of phytosterols on cholesterol have been conducted. One study published in Food Technology indicated that consuming two grams of phytosterols daily could slash the risk of heart disease by 25% (Hicks 2001). Another study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that phytosterols interfered with cholesterol absorption by 33% to 42% (Mattson 1982).

In Diabetes

East ChinaNormalUniversity research on type-1 diabetic rats, published in July 2007, suggests that chemical compounds found in pumpkin promote regeneration of damaged pancreatic cells, resulting in increased bloodstream insulin levels. According to the research team leader, pumpkin extract may be "a very good product for pre-diabetic people, as well as those who already have diabetes," possibly reducing or eliminating the need for insulin injections for some type-1 diabetics. It is unknown whether pumpkin extract has any effect on diabetes mellitus type 2, as it was not the subject of the study.

Depression and learning disorders

The Harry Potter novels, in which pumpkin juice as a favorite drink of the students  of Hogwart’s School of Wizards and Witches is a recurring element. That is a fiction but in fact in china pumpkin seeds have been used in the treatment of depression and learning disorders and this may be due to the purported L-tryptophan contents.

Nutritional values

The pumpkin seeds are a balanced source of good proteins. They are very nourishing and energizing. In addition to protein, they are an excellent source of iron, B vitamins, vitamin E, fiber, oil, and minerals. Pumpkin seeds also provide a wide range of traditional nutrients. Our food ranking system qualified them as a very good source of the minerals magnesium, manganese and phosphorus, and a good source of copper, and as previously mentioned, zinc.

Nutrient Content of 1 Ounce (28 grams) Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (Unsalted)

Calories 126

Protein 5 g

Saturated Fat 5 g

Cholesterol 0 mg

Carbohydrate 15 g

Calcium 16 mg

Phosphorus 26 mg

Iron 0.9 mg

Sodium 5 mg

Potassium 260 mg

Dietary fiber 10 g

Vitamin A 2 RE

Thiamin 0.01 mg

Riboflavin 0.02 mg

Niacin 0.1 mg

Vitamin C 0 mg

Medicinal Uses of Pumpkin Seeds Throughout the World

People from around the world have discovered the usefulness of pumpkin for medicinal uses. Let us take a short tour.

When the first explorers arrived in America, they noticed the pumpkin plant in the cultivated maize fields of the Indians. The native Indians utilized the plant for medicine as well as for food. An emulsion made from a mixture of pumpkin and watermelon seeds served to heal wounds for members of the Yuma tribe. The Catawbas ate the fresh or dried seeds as a kidney medicine, while the Menominces drank a mixture of water and powdered squash and pumpkin seeds to ease the passage of urine. In settler folk medicine the ground stems of pumpkin were brewed into a tea to treat "female ills," and the ripe seeds were made into a palatable preparation to dispel worms. Modern folk healers advocate pumpkin seeds to rid the body of intestinal worms, and they point out that the seed oil is helpful for healing bums and wounds.

Ethiopians chew pumpkin seeds (which contain fiber) as a natural laxative

People of Germany discovered that raw, hulled pumpkin seeds contain substances that stimulate sex hormone production. The seeds contain large amounts of zinc, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin B. So, eating a handful of pumpkin seeds a day may help prevent impotence.

Studies performed at ViennaUniversity have revealed that prostatic hypertrophy, or swelling of the prostate, is almost non- existent among the men of Transylvania. Extensive research by the Szekler group in the Transylvanian Alps has shown that this phenomenon can be attributed to the Transylvanian passion for pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds contain large amounts of magnesium, which French physicians have proven to be effective in the treatment of prostate ailments. The seeds are also excellent sources of zinc.

Bulgarian mountain dwellers, Hungarian Gypsies, Anatolian Turks, Ukrainians, and Transylvanians all eat pumpkin seeds as part of their everyday diets. Originally intended to prevent prostate ailments (probably due to the high zinc content), pumpkin seeds have been found by these people to prevent impotence as well.

The pumpkin is a symbol of prosperity and fruitfulness in China, even though the first pumpkins came from India. In both countries, a popular snack is made by drying pumpkin seeds and dipping them in salt. This snack has gained popularity in other parts of the world, including the United States. The seeds are highly nutritious, containing zinc and other minerals that improve vision.

Polish researchers have discovered that the seeds and pulp of deep orange pumpkins and winter squash contain substances that may inhibit cancer. All orange and deep yellow fruits and vegetables contain beta carotene, an effective cancer preventive.