Vitamins in Pumpkin

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Vitamins in Pumpkin

Pumpkin, along with acorn squash and butternut squash, is a type of winter squash. Sugar pumpkin, also called pie pumpkin, has the most flesh and sweetest taste, and is the type most commonly used for baking. Pumpkin is rich in many important vitamins and minerals. According to The World's Healthiest Foods, pumpkin was so prized by Native Americans for its nutritional value that it was buried with the dead to provide them with sustenance in the next world. Pumpkin--low in calories and high in fiber--is a healthy dietary choice.

Vitamin A

Pumpkin is an exceptionally good source of vitamin A, needed for healthy vision, bone growth, and immune system regulation. The World's Healthiest Foods states that a cup of baked, cubed winter squash or pumpkin contains 7291.85 IU, or 145 percent of the recommended daily value. In addition to its other important functions in the body, vitamin A may help protect smokers--as well as those exposed to secondhand smoke--from lung cancer. In a review conducted by R. Baybutt and A. Molteni published in the 2007 issue of Vitamins and Hormones, the authors noted that animal studies showed that an active form of vitamin A had protective effects against emphysema, and urged continuing study of vitamin A for prevention and treatment of the disease.

Vitamin C

Pumpkin also is a very good source of vitamin C. One cup of baked pumpkin contains 19.68mg, providing 33 percent of the daily value. According to MedlinePlus, vitamin C has an important role in forming collagen, and is a powerful antioxidant as well, scavenging free radicals which contribute to the aging process and to development of diseases such as arthritis, heart disease and cancer. The NIH notes that vitamin C is not manufactured or stored by the body on its own, and must be ingested through diet.

B Vitamins

Pumpkin is a good source of B-complex vitamins. One cup of baked pumpkin, which contains a mere 79 calories, provides .17mg of thiamin, or vitamin B-1. The University of land Medical Center states that thiamin may strengthen the immune system and promote the body's ability to tolerate stress. It also helps the nervous system to function properly, as well as aiding in metabolization of fats and protein. The same cup of pumpkin yields 1.44mg of vitamin B-3, or niacin, which helps to improve circulation and cut blood cholesterol levels, and .72mg of vitamin B-5--also known as pantothenic acid--which is essential for the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Pumpkin is also a good source of vitamin B-6, or pyridoxine, delivering .15mg per cup. The Office of Dietary Supplements notes that vitamin B-6 is vital for red blood cell metabolism.http://www.livestrong.com/article/240783-vitamins-in-pumpkin/?utm_source=recipenewsletteroct & utm_medium=email & utm_campaign=101030