New Formate post

Hey Guys!

I went to Trader Joe’s recently, and the aisles were like a sea of PUMPKIN EVERYTHING. Pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin bagels, pumpkin cream cheese, pumpkin soup, pumpkin body butter?

Oh, and you can’t forget that pumpkin spiced latte.

Isn’t it kinda funny how pumpkin takes over the second a leaf hits the ground? Don’t worry because I am definitely NOT complaining. I actually picked up some fall goodies for myself!

And if we’re being honest, I think maybe we should all be eating pumpkin year-round! But not the stuff made with artificial flavoring. The food made with REAL pumpkin, straight from the patch… or can

I don’t hear people talking about the health benefits of pumpkin very often. It almost seems like people forget it’s a fruit!

Let’s give pumpkin the credit it deserves! Here are some reasons why it’s super healthy for you.

Pumpkin’s list of vitamins and minerals is IMPRESSIVE

Wheewww who knew the base to so many desserts was actually so full of nutrients?!

Here’s the nutrition breakdown per cup of pureed pumpkin:

Calories: 83

Fat: 1g

Carbohydrate: 20g

Fiber: 7g

Protein: 3g

Pumpkin is an amazing source of vitamin A (one cup provides wellllll over the recommended daily intake), vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, folate and other B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper, and manganese.

Another cool thing about pumpkin is that it’s 94% water. So not only is it hydrating, but it gives you a lot of volume on top of all those nutrients, for not very many calories. The pros have a term for this: nutrient dense.

And can we talk about pumpkin seeds?! Because those alone make a delicious little super snack.

First, pumpkin seeds are an amazing source of plant-based protein. You get 7 grams of protein per 1 ounce serving! In addition to the protein, pumpkin seeds are filled with healthy fats and minerals including iron, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, and manganese.

Oh, and we can’t forget fiber! One serving of pumpkin seeds give you 2 grams, which makes this a great snack to boost your fiber intake.

Antioxidants!

Pumpkin is high in carotenoids which:

A. Give it that pretty orange color and

B. Function as antioxidants

Antioxidants protect the cells from damage. Free radicals, which form in the body due to natural and environmental factors, can seriously damage the cells. Your body produces some antioxidants naturally to fight free radical damage. Without them, we’d be in big trouble! “Boosting” antioxidants with a healthy diet might help to prevent diseases caused by free radical damage like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

Where can you get more antioxidants? Colorful fruits and veggies (like pumpkin!), coffee, green tea, and dark chocolate are some of the best sources.

Pumpkin boosts your immune system

Okay so we listed a ton of nutrients, antioxidants, etc. so now let’s talk about how they actually benefit you!

First up, your immune system. Kinda important, right?!

So pumpkin is high in vitamin C, which we know is good to stay healthy. It boosts white blood cell production, which helps fight off infection if we do catch a bug.

It’s also rich in beta-carotene, which turns into vitamin A. This vitamin is a key player for fighting infection and strengthening the immune system. In fact, some studies even suggest that people who aren’t getting enough vitamin A get sick more easily.

Those are the two big ones, but vitamin E, folate, and iron work within the immune system too!