Missing Out on These SURPRISING Pumpkin Benefits?
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted November 20, 2022
It’s pumpkin season.
This humble squash is virtually ignored from December through to the following September. But when fall rolls around it takes center stage again.
For most of us, pumpkins show up as festive décor and baked into delicious pies in October and November.
But there are plenty of reasons you ought to start eating MORE fresh pumpkin all season long.
During October many of us keep a hollowed-out pumpkin perched on our front stoop with a scowl carved into its face. Then in November the squash makes its way inside where it graces our holiday tables.
The more adventurous among us might bake cubes of delicious pumpkin with other cool-weather veggies for a hearty side dish. And in my house, it’ll end up as the star ingredient in my wife’s killer pumpkin curry.
But it turns out we ought to be looking for even MORE ways to include pumpkin in our diet. The low-calorie squash is brimming with a surprising amount of vital nutrients your body needs.
- If you’re like most of us, you don’t get enough fiber. Pumpkins are PACKED with the stuff (7.1 grams per cup!). Even better, the squash is rich in pectin a soluble fiber which feeds the good bugs in your gut to support a healthy microbiome.
- Pumpkins also have one of the highest levels of vitamin A. In fact, they’re second only to beef liver – the best source of the vitamin on the planet. And all that A supports a healthy immune system and better vision.
- Pumpkin is loaded with free-radical-fighting antioxidants including alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin. Antioxidants are healthy-aging superstars. They help protect us from premature aging and a variety of chronic conditions from cancer to heart disease.
In fact, when you eat pumpkin you support healthy aging from head to toe.
Eye health: Pumpkin is brimming with eye-supporting nutrients starting with two powerful antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin. This potent pair joins vitamins A, B6, and K to protect your eyes from UV and other harmful high-energy light waves from the sun. Lutein is especially effective at filtering out harmful blue light like the kind that comes from your computer or smartphone screen.
Heart Health: Potassium deficiency is very common and cases are on the rise. And pumpkin is packed with it! Potassium is critical for heart health and is linked to a lower risk of heart attack and stroke. Plus, potassium helps protect muscles and bones and reduces your risk of kidney stones. The fiber and vitamin C in pumpkin also help keep your heart healthy.
Skin Health: The beta-carotene in pumpkin is great for your skin. This natural antioxidant is converted to vitamin A which helps protect against UV sun damage.
P.S. Putting out your Thanksgiving spread early is a common tradition. But it turns out eating dinner early EVERY night has big health benefits. Click here for all the details.
Sources:
“Trend of Hypokalemia Prevalence in the US Population and Possible Food Causes.” J Am Coll Nutr. 2021 Mar-Apr;40(3):273-279. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2020.1765893. Epub 2020 May 13. PMID: 32401639., https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32401639/
“β-Carotene and other carotenoids in protection from sunlight,” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 96, Issue 5, November 2012, Pages 1179S–1184S, https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.112.034819
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
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