Pumpkin as vegetable, health benefits, cultivation, in recipe

According to botanists pumpkin is a fruit but used as vegetable in culinary all around the world. Pumpkin is one of the oldest known vegetable, used since centuries. Called baby boo, jack be little, sweetie pie, cheenikai, sihigumbala, kaddu, parangikai, gummadi kaya, mathanga, sweet melon it is a winter squash.

Pumpkin plant is vine grows easily and spreads to a larger area on ground as a creeper and also climbs if any support available. It grows in all weather conditions and hence it is grown around the world.

Pumpkin is large yellow or orange coloured fruit with thick ribbed rind and fleshy bright orange edible inner part with seeds and a inner groove at the centre. There are many varieties of pumpkins are grown in which some are greenish with yellow spots on them and some are pale yellow coloured.

Size of pumpkin also varies from variety to variety and they produce very large fruit which weighs from 4-10 kg. Nowadays hybrid varieties are grown in which pumpkins weighs up to 34 kg.

The orange colour of pumpkin is due to its content called carotenoid, a pigment which is converted to vitamin A in our body, which imparts eye and skin health.

Pumpkin is rich in vitamin A, B, C, E, K and minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. It contains large amount of water.

Nutrients present in pumpkin makes it a super food and it is a great source of energy. Soups, salads, curries, pie, desserts, spicy snacks are prepared using pumpkin as one of the main ingredient. Dishes prepared using pumpkin varies from place to place.

In Russia pumpkin cakes are prepared and in China steamed pumpkin cakes are popular. In India pumpkin desserts known as kaddu ka halwa, steamed sweet kadubu is prepared mainly during festivals.

In China leaves of pumpkins are used in preparing soups and salads. Flowers are also used in preparing dishes.

Pumpkin seeds are greenish in colour with white outer skin which is hard. These seeds are packed with nutrients also used in cooking and used as snack.

Pumpkin seeds contain oil and this oil is extracted from seeds used in cooking, salad dressing.

Raw pumpkin is used to feed poultry where it increases the production of eggs. It is one of the supplement food used.

During Halloween celebrations, pumpkin lantern are made by carving pumpkin for decoration. Interior soft edible portion of the pumpkin is scooped out and the thick rind is carved as face. A light is inserted in pumpkin and lantern is prepared for decoration.

Pumpkin health benefits

Healthy eye and skin

Pumpkin is rich with vitamin C and E with beta carotene which improves health of our skin and eye. It improves eye sight. Vitamins in it protects skin from harmful sun rays and prevents sun burn.

Immunity booster

Nutrient packed pumpkin improves our body immunity and helps fight against pathogens. It keeps many ailments at bay.

Healthy heart

High quantity of potassium, vitamin C and fibre promotes heart health. Potassium helps to lower blood pressure. It promotes blood circulation in our body.

Weight loss

Packed with nutrients but low in calorie pumpkin is great food to include in your diet which aids in weight loss. It also burns unwanted fat and prevents and controls obesity.

Digestion

It promotes digestion and fibre present in it avoids constipation and treats many digestive disorders.

Fatty liver

Antioxidants and fibre present in pumpkin prevents and controls fatty liver condition.

Pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds are known as pepita. Plenty of pumpkin seeds are attached to fleshy part inside the fruit and they have whitish outer skin. Seeds are green in colour when skin removed. These seeds are packed with nutrients and are eaten as snack.

In market deskinned seeds are available used in cooking. Seeds are used in desserts, salads and in other snack.

Pumpkin seeds constitute nutrients like fibre, protein, fat, vitamins, phosphorus, manganese, magnesium, iron, zinc, calcium and copper. These nutrients makes this super food to have and this is good option for snack.

Oi is extracted from pumpkin seed also contains rich vitamins and minerals. It is used for culinary purpose.

Pumpkin seeds health benefits

Insomnia

Pumpkin seeds consists of amino acids which helps to promote to good sleep. Seeds naturally cure insomnia. Nutrients present in seeds protects brain cells and promotes brain health.

Weight loss

Pumpkin seeds contain dietary fibre which taken longer duration for digest. This helps to keep away from hunger. It decreases the intake of food and helps in weight loss.

Depression

Compound namely L-tryptophan present in seeds may helps to treat depression. It may relaxes our mind.

Stomach worms

Pumpkin seeds removes stomach worms like tape worms. Seeds are crushed and taken with milk followed by castor oil.

Bone health

Seeds are good source of potassium, magnesium and calcium which promotes bone density and strengthens bones. This prevents and treats osteoporosis and joint problems.

Heart health

Rich antioxidants, magnesium and fibre present in pumpkin seeds lowers cholesterol and improves blood circulation in the body which promotes heart health.It also helps to regulate blood pressure.

Immunity

Nutrient packed seeds are super food to have regularly and they boost our body immunity. It keeps us away from many ailments and helps the body to fight against pathogens.

Women health

Pumpkin seeds are good source of zinc which is necessary for pregnant women and lactating mothers. It also prevents uterine infection. It also improves the health of skin and eyes.

Muscle cramps

Magnesium present in seeds calms down muscles and tissues which relieves from muscle cramps at night, mainly calf muscle cramps are common problem. It also relieves from inflammation. It avoids night sweats during menopause. It balances estrogen level.

Pumpkin flowers

Pumpkin plant produces male and female flower separately. Pumpkin flowers have sweet scent which attracts insects like honey bees. Flowers are pollinated by insects especially by honey bees. If insects are not available then these flowers are to be pollinated by manually.

Flowers are big and funnel shaped bright orange or yellow coloured. Female flower consists a round bump at the base of the flower when it blossoms and male flower is without bump. Male flower has shortest span of life, a few hours after it blossoms.

These flowers are edible and they are used in topping salads and other dishes. Pumpkin flowers are attractive and used in decoration.

Traditional importance of pumpkin in India

Festivals in India are blended with nature. Seasonally growing fruits and vegetables are used in cuisines during festival. This food is first offered to God. Pumpkin is used in preparing sweet dishes across India in deepavali or diwali festival.

Pumpkin halwa called kaddu ka halwa is prepared and offered to God lakshmi in north India whereas in south India pumpkin kadubu is prepared and offered to God.

Pumpkin in recipe

Pumpkin halwa or kaddu ka halwa

Pumpkin halwa is a dessert which is prepared during diwali festival as an offering to God. It is mainly a part of diwali celebration in north India.

Ingredients needed

Pumpkin peeled 1 kg

Cinnamon stick 1

Sugar 150 gm

Ghee 6-8 tsp

Raisins 50 gm

Grated copra 4-5 tsp

Cashew 50 gm

Preparation

Grate pumpkin and cook it in a pan with one cup of water.

Cook it till pumpkin becomes tender.

Take ghee in a pan and heat it and add pumpkin.

When it thickens add sugar and cook it till halwa turns glossy mixture.

Fry raisins, copra, cashew with ghee. Add this to halwa.

Pumpkin sweet idli or cheenikai kadubu recipe

Cheenikai kadubu is prepared during deepavali celebration and this sweet dish is prepared first of day of deepavali celebration. This is steam cooked dish.

Ingredients needed

Pumkin peeled 1 kg

Rice rava 200 gm

Grated copra 1 cup

Jaggery 1 cup

Salt to taste

Cardamom powder 1/4 tsp

Preparation

Grate pumpkin and add rava, grated copra, powdered jaggery, cardamom powder and salt to it and mix well.

Make round balls or oval shaped balls and steam cook it in a steamer for 15 minutes.

You can also steam cook it in idli cooker, to make sweet idlis.

Pumpkin cultivation

Pumpkins are widely grown in many countries, in India major quantity is grown. It is used for animal feed, as vegetable in cooking, for commercial purpose and ornamental sales.

Pumpkin vines are grown sowing seeds. As the growth of the plant starts, if proper weather and soil condition available vine spreads to a larger area easily. Although it is a creeper, it easily climbs if any support available.

This plant needs good amount of sunlight and requires plenty of water. It is best sow seeds in mansoon season. Pumpkin plant needs good amount of fertiliser at the beginning. Pruning of vine control the growth of plant while size of the fruit increases.

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About article

The opinions expressed herein are authors personal opinions and do not represent any one's view in anyway, do not use this information to diagnose or treat your problem without consulting your physician. Remedies here mentioned are used for ages may not be clinically proven.

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