Pumpkin

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Pumpkins (Cucurbita) belong to fruit vegetables. It is a plant of the Pumpkin family, which is widely used in cooking, as well as in the treatment of various diseases. The stem of the pumpkin is dragging, reaching a length of 4-5 meters. Pumpkin leaves have hollow, long stalks and large petioles. The pumpkin usually grows in places that are well lit by the sun and protected from the winds.

It is said that the story of the pumpkin began 5,000 years ago in faraway Peru, namely the Indians were the first people engaged in growing and breeding pumpkins. Archaeological excavations prove this claim.

Christopher Columbus first brought the pumpkin to Europe in the 16th century. Due to its unique taste and health properties, pumpkin it is spreading rapidly throughout the continent. Today, the pumpkin is the main heroine of Halloween.

Composition of pumpkin

100 g pumpkin contains

Protein: 1,000 g

Carbohydrates: 6,500 g

Fat: 0.100 g

Caloric content: 26,000 kcal

The pumpkin has valuable dietary and taste qualities. Its nutritional value is very similar to that of potatoes. In general, ripe pumpkins contain significantly less protein and fat, more sugar (sucrose and glucose), and water.

Pumpkin is a good source of the minerals potassium and phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and cobalt. It has a high content of vitamin C - about 15 mg per 100 g, as well as carotene, cellulose (about 1 g).

Pumpkin is quite rich in pectin and vitamins B1, B2 and PP. Pumpkin seeds are famous for their excellent nutritional and healing properties. Delicious pumpkin seeds contain a lot of oils, proteins and resinous substances. When consumed, they should not be salted too much. They are useful for those suffering from chronic liver inflammation, gastritis, colitis, anemia, hypertension and osteoporosis.

Types of pumpkin

The pumpkin family also includes zucchini, which ripen in late spring and early summer, and their homeland is considered to be Central Asia. There are 2 more types of pumpkins:

"A large white pumpkin, also known as a chestnut pumpkin."

- Muscat yellow pumpkin, also called violin pumpkin.

Chestnuts and violins originate from South and Central America. Their fruits are very large and their skin is thick and hard. On the other hand, their heart is very tasty.

Selection and storage of pumpkin

According to experts white pumpkins are of the highest quality. You will recognize them by the tender flesh and thin rind. When choosing pumpkins from the market, and especially if the fruit is cut into pieces, make sure that its surface is moist and flat, with a bright color. Otherwise, the pumpkin is not fresh and the taste is greatly impaired.

If the pumpkin is very shiny, it is probably torn off before it ripens well and has a bland taste. When choosing a pumpkin, make sure it is well ripened, but not too old. The most pleasant variety for consumption and preparation is the white pumpkin with a thin fleshy rind.

Usually a whole pumpkin can withstand up to two weeks at room temperature and several weeks in a cool, dark and ventilated place. Both species can be stored for several months in a cool, dark place.

Store the pumpkin, cut into pieces in the refrigerator for two or three days, pre-wrap it well in foil. The most suitable storage temperature for pumpkin is from 1 to 14 ° C, and below 0 is detrimental to its nutritional properties. If you still want to freeze a pumpkin, peel it in advance and cut into pieces.

Pumpkin in cooking

Pumpkin has a wide culinary application - it is used for both savory dishes and pumpkin cakes. Americans are passionate fans of pumpkin, as it is a traditional plant in their cuisine. It is usually used in sweet temptations, while the French make salty pies and other pastries with it. The pumpkin is consumed often only roasted or boiled, but in our country it is popular for making pumpkin. Pumpkin is widely used for the preparation of types of pumpkin pie, cream, pumpkin cake, pudding, buns, cakes, soups and more.

For optimal extraction of culinary and nutritional properties of pumpkin, it must be prepared properly. Too aggressive cooking kills a lot of vitamins and minerals of pumpkin. Prefer to roast the pumpkin, because when cooked, the useful ingredients and the very structure of the pumpkin are blurred.

How to make pumpkin juice?

Photo: Iliana Parvanova

It is saturated with many nutrients and is therefore very useful even in the form of pumpkin juice. It is important to note that the drink is useful only if the juice is freshly squeezed. That is why you should not buy ready-made pumpkin juice, as it has practically no nutrients and valuable substances in its composition.

1. Peel a squash, grate it and slice it.

2. Pour about 2 liters of water into a saucepan and bring the pumpkin to a boil for about 15 minutes after boiling the water. Periodically pierce it to check its readiness;

3. Then put it in a blender and just mash it;

4. Strain pumpkin puree with gauze.

If you have a juicer, then you will greatly facilitate your task, as you can make pumpkin juice with it.

Main dishes with pumpkin

1. Pumpkin porridge

This is the easiest way to prepare and for this purpose you need to boil about 250 grams of pumpkin. Do not forget to clean it from the skin beforehand, and then cook it for about 30-40 minutes. Drain the water and add 100 grams of milk, sugar, cinnamon and optionally decorate with blueberries.

2. Roasted pumpkin

Peel a squash, grate it and cut it into small pieces. Arrange them in a pan with the crust facing up, fill them with 1 cup of water, sprinkle them with half a cup of sugar and bake them until the water evaporates. Optionally, you can finally add more sugar if you like sweeter and sprinkle the pumpkin with cinnamon. It is important to get sugar syrup during cooking, in which all the pieces of pumpkin are dipped to make it juicy and sweet.

3. Pumpkin cream soup

To prepare this dish, you will need about 700 grams of pumpkin, 3 potatoes, 700 grams of vegetable broth, 1 onion, rosemary, cream and a little vegetable oil. At the beginning, chop all the vegetables into small pieces and simmer with rosemary until they soften well. Remove the rosemary and grind them in a blender until homogeneous. Add the butter and vegetable broth to the resulting puree. Mix all ingredients well and add cream at the end.

Benefits of pumpkin

Photo: Hristinka Koleva

With its rich content of vitamins C, B, A, D, E and even vitamin T, pumpkin is even able to help lose weight by preventing the accumulation of fat. Eating pumpkin regularly during the winter months is recommended for the body's immune defenses. It improves the condition of the skin and hair, works well on the nervous system and normalizes sleep.

Squeezed pumpkin juice you can drink for sleep disorders. If you add squeezed lemon, honey and hot water to the pumpkin juice, you will get a good remedy for stress. Pumpkin juice is also good for vision problems because of its content of provitamin A or beta carotene, which is in larger quantities even than carrots.

The main health benefits of pumpkin are associated with diseases of the cardiovascular system, diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract, problems with the urinary and digestive systems and high cholesterol. Sometimes it can have a mild laxative effect and has a good effect on constipation.

Pumpkin reduces swelling and water retention in the body, and has a good effect on diabetes. Patients with gastritis, ulcers, colitis and hepatitis should eat pumpkin regularly. Pumpkin seeds contain essential amino acids. They relieve the main symptoms of adenoma or inflammation of the prostate such as frequent urination, pain and more. In addition, the seeds are rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, copper and phosphorus. 100 g of pumpkin seeds contain 46.1% of the body's daily need for magnesium.

Compresses with a soft part of the pumpkin help with eczema, wounds, rashes. Boiled pumpkin water is used in healing folk medicine to calm the nerves and for better sleep. Do not neglect the regular consumption of pumpkin seeds, which are especially useful for prostate problems, osteoporosis, inflammation of the liver and worms.

More important useful properties of pumpkin:

- Pumpkin is especially useful for women's health, as it is saturated with a number of valuable vitamins and minerals that have a positive effect on the body as a whole. Unlike the seeds, the soft part of the pumpkin is quite a low-calorie product and contains only 26 kcal per 100 grams. That is why it is recommended for diets and weight loss if you want to lose weight;

- The benefit of pumpkin for men lies in the fact that it is saturated with a number of substances that have a positive effect on endurance and immunity. In addition, it is rich in zinc, which in turn is actively involved in sperm formation. This trace element has a positive effect on the prostate gland, normalizing its work;

- Vitamin B c the composition of the pumpkin helps for better absorption of fatty acids;

- For children, it is also very useful because it strengthens the immune system and normalizes metabolism. Under no circumstances give pumpkin to children who are prone to severe allergic reactions. You should not add pumpkin to the menu if the child has hepatitis or has peptic ulcer disease;

- Has a diuretic and choleretic, as well as laxative effect and therefore can be used for constipation;

- Most of the products we consume today increase the acidity, and this does not have a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract. Pumpkin, on the other hand, helps reduce acidity, so it's important to include it in your diet;

- Regular consumption is an excellent preventive measure against stomach ulcers. However, this product is contraindicated for people who have low stomach acidity.

- Pumpkin is useful in pancreatitis and in this case the daily norm is not more than 300 grams;

10 interesting facts about the pumpkin

1. In fact, it belongs to the so-called group of fruit vegetables and can weigh up to several hundred kilograms;

2. It is best to buy pumpkins in the period from August to November, because then is their season. This is the reason why autumn is the perfect time to pamper your loved ones with various pumpkin dishes, because that is when they are the freshest and are saturated with various useful nutrients;

3. Mexico is considered as the homeland of the pumpkin and there were found the most ancient seeds, which are about 7,000 years old;

4. There are about 800 different varieties of pumpkin in the world and only 200 of them are fit for consumption;

5. They can have different colors: white, yellow, green, orange and others. They also differ in color: spotted, striped and so on. In addition, I can be pear-shaped, oval or round in shape, as well as pimples on the surface with thinner or thicker skin.

6. To make one liter of pumpkin seed oil you need about 35 pumpkins. It helps lower cholesterol levels in the body and is an excellent prophylactic against cardiovascular disease. It is rich in vitamins A, E and K, selenium, phytosterols and linoleic acid;

7. Pumpkin is 90% water and high in beta-carotene. It is also rich in sodium and potassium, which are essential for maintaining muscle tone and regulating water balance in the body. It also contains magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphoric and silicic acid, as well as vitamins B, C and D;

8. It is an extremely low-calorie product, which makes it the ideal food if you are on a diet and want to lose weight;

9. Every year from September to November in the small German town of Ludwigsburg is held a large-scale festival dedicated to pumpkins. The event is astounding in its size and attracts thousands of tourists each year;

10. French researcher Jacques Cartier was the first European to discover pumpkins and initially decided that they were giant watermelons.

And if you've got too much information, it's time to move on to the fun part and prepare one of these stuffed pumpkin recipes. For dessert we have prepared a delicious pumpkin cream.