benefits of pumpkins

Benefits of Pumpkins

51. Used in Anti Wrinkleand Hydrating Creams
Its high nutritional value makes it an active ingredient in many anti wrinkle and hydrating creams. It is widely used in facials in combination with other ingredients like honey, yoghurt, lemon juice and vitamin E oil for different skin types.
52. Promotes Hair Regrowth
The benefits of pumpkin juice for hair cannot be ignored. As said earlier, this juice is a great source of vitamin A which is extremely beneficial for your scalp. Moreover, it has a high content of potassium, a nutrient that helps in promoting the regrowth of hair.and
53. Moisturizes Dryand Damaged Hair
Pumpkin juice can be effective in moisturizing dry and damaged hair. The mixture given below can be tried to make pumpkin conditioner: It also contains carbohydrates and certain vital salts and proteins. Half a cup of pumpkin juice is recommended every day, thanks to its various medicinal and therapeutic properties.
54. Method
Puree the pumpkin and yoghurt in a blender and add coconut oil and honey. Apply this mixture on the hair and cover it with a plastic cap. Leave it for 15 minutes and then wash out thoroughly using shampoo and conditioner as usual.
55. Digestive System
If your diet is like the average American s, you don t get enough fiber. You should consume between 20 and 35 grams of fiber each day, according to the Harvard School of Public Health, but many people don t get more than 15 grams. Fiber helps you digest your food efficiently, which helps your body absorb the nutrients from your food. Getting enough fiber can keep you from getting constipated as well. One cup of pumpkin puree provides you with 7.1 grams of dietary fiber. Pumpkin puree contains about 10 percent of your daily requirement for potassium as well. You need adequate amounts of potassium to support healthy digestion.
56. Disease Prevention
The compounds that give pumpkins their bright orange color can protect you from developing lung cancer, according to Michael T. Murray, author of The Condensed Encyclopedia of Healing Foods. The same compounds help prevent heart disease. A 2010 article published in Nutrition Research Reviews notes that pumpkin reduces inflammation. Inflammation can lead to many chronic health conditions, including cancer and heart disease, as well as Type 2 diabetes and arthritis.
57. Eating Pumpkin Puree
Stir pumpkin puree into soup, stew or chili. The flavor won t change significantly, but your meal will have more nutrients. Use pumpkin puree in place of a portion of the oil in your favorite bread and muffin recipes. Add the puree to a bowl of oatmeal, or stir it into a carton of yogurt. Include pumpkin puree in pasta sauce or add it to a hummus recipe.
58. INSTRUCTIONS
Combine pumpkin, Parmesan, ? teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Spoon about 2 teaspoons pumpkin mixture into center of each wonton wrapper. Moisten edges of dough with water; bring 2 opposite sides together to form a triangle, pinching edges to seal. Place ravioli into a large saucepan of boiling water with 1 teaspoon salt; cook 7 minutes and drain in a colander. Place chicken broth and butter in pan; bring to a boil. Add ravioli, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with parsley. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 4 ravioli).
59. NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
CALORIES 162g; FAT 5g (satfat 4g, monofat 1g, polyfat 0g); PROTEIN 6g; FIBER 2g; CHOLESTEROL 17mg; IRON 2mg; SODIUM 505mg; CALCIUM 102mg. It is also an excellent source of many natural poly phenolic flavonoid compounds such as ?,
60. Antioxidant Support
While antioxidant nutrients are found in most WHFoods, it s the diversity of antioxidants in pumpkin seeds that makes them unique in their antioxidant support. Pumpkin seeds contain conventional antioxidant vitamins like vitamin E. However, not only do they contain vitamin E, but they contain it in a wide variety of forms. Alpha tocopherol, gamma tocopherol, delta tocopherol, alpha tocomonoenol and gamma tocomonoenol are all forms of vitamin E found in pumpkin seeds. These last two forms have only recently been discovered, and they are a topic of special interest in vitamin E research, since their bioavailability might be greater than some of the other vitamin E forms. Pumpkin seeds also contain conventional mineral antioxidants like zinc and manganese. Phenolic antioxidants are found in pumpkin seeds in a wide variety of forms, including the phenolic acids hydroxybenzoic, caffeic, coumaric, ferulic, sinapic, protocatechuic, vanillic, and syringic acid. Antioxidant phytonutrients like lignans are also found in pumpkin seeds, including the lignans pinoresinol, medioresinol, and lariciresinol.