Pumpkin: benefits and harms for the human body, for women, during pregnancy

Pumpkin - the benefits and harms of this vegetable are of concern to many people, since large orange fruits often appear on tables in the autumn. To evaluate the properties of pumpkin, you need to carefully study its composition and learn about the effect on health.

Nutritional value and chemical composition of pumpkin

Juicy orange pumpkin is a delicious and affordable vegetable that has a lot of useful properties. The nutritional value of pumpkin is presented:

carbohydrates - about 4.4 g;
proteins - about 1 g;
fats - only 0.1 g;
water - up to 92% of the total volume of the product.

The vegetable contains many valuable substances. In addition to mineral salts and vitamins, the pulp contains a lot of fiber and natural sugars. At the same time, starch and cholesterol are completely absent, and this increases the beneficial properties of pumpkin for the human body.

Fresh pumpkin is a very low calorie product. 100 g of pulp contains only 26 kcal, so the vegetable does not have any harmful effect on weight.

What are the beneficial properties of pumpkin

There are so many vitamins and minerals in a fresh vegetable that they are worth studying in more detail. It is in them that the value of the orange vegetable is mainly contained.

Pumpkin contains:

a huge amount of alpha and beta carotene - up to 85% and 65% of the daily value, respectively;
vitamin A - about 42% of the daily requirement;
subgroup B vitamins - on average 5-10% of the recommended daily allowance;
vitamins E and K, ascorbic acid, 5% of the daily value of these substances can be obtained from pumpkin.

Noteworthy are the minerals in the vegetable:

magnesium - a small portion of a vegetable can cover and exceed the daily requirement for this element;
iron and phosphorus, pumpkin contains more than 5% of the daily value of these substances;
manganese, potassium, calcium and zinc, from pumpkin you can get from 2% to 7% of the daily value of these elements.

Pumpkin is one of the best foods to prevent the development of vitamin deficiency. Regular consumption of the vegetable helps maintain the correct balance of valuable substances in the body and does not experience seasonal vitamin deficiencies.

The benefits of pumpkin when consumed regularly

Pumpkin is most beneficial if consumed on a consistent basis. In this case, the vegetable will be able to:

improve vision and lower blood pressure;
regulate bowel function and normalize the frequency of stool;
align the water-salt balance in the body;
to strengthen the walls of blood vessels and increase their elasticity, thereby preventing the development of atherosclerosis;
lower stomach acidity and eliminate heartburn;
strengthen immune resistance and reduce the risk of colds;
normalize sleep and have a beneficial effect on the state of the nervous system as a whole;
reduce swelling and promote the removal of excess fluid from the tissues;
protect the liver from destruction and contribute to its recovery.

Also, the vegetable promotes cell renewal and helps to maintain youthfulness and normal functioning of the whole body for a longer time. It can be used as a prophylaxis for oncology; against the background of eating a vegetable, the risk of developing malignant tumors decreases.

In what form to take

Pumpkin benefits the body, regardless of the form in which it is served on the table; after heat treatment, the vegetable remains useful. But the greatest amount of valuable substances is present in raw vegetables, therefore, for health, pumpkin is best consumed fresh. Unprocessed pulp is very beneficial for digestion, heart and blood vessels.

As for baked or boiled pumpkin pulp, by definition it contains less vitamins and minerals. But on the other hand, a thermally processed vegetable has a milder effect on the intestines, therefore it is especially recommended for the elderly, young children and patients recovering from severe ailments.

Important! A raw pumpkin must be fully ripe, if you eat an unripe fruit, the body can be harmed.

Why is pumpkin useful for the human body?

When eaten regularly, the vegetable has the following beneficial effects:

cleanses the body and evens out the water-salt balance;
stabilizes metabolism and starts the processes of cellular renewal;
increases hemoglobin and relieves the symptoms of vitamin deficiency;
has a beneficial effect on the vascular and cardiac systems, brain function.

It is also worth considering the special effect of the vegetable on the male and female body.

The benefits of pumpkin for men

The beneficial substances in pumpkin have a positive effect on male reproductive functions. Pumpkin prevents a decrease in libido, improves the quality of male genetic material and can help in conceiving a healthy child. The benefit also lies in the fact that the vegetable affects the hormonal system and promotes the production of testosterone - this increases endurance and strength in men.

The beneficial effect of the vegetable on the heart and blood vessels protects men from the development of dangerous ailments - strokes and heart attacks. The product can be taken as a prophylaxis to prevent prostatitis and tumors of the genitourinary system.

Why is pumpkin useful for a woman's body

The useful properties and contraindications of pumpkin for women are very diverse; in a constant diet, this vegetable can have a valuable effect on women's health. When pumpkin is consumed, the body actively gets rid of toxins, harmful salts and heavy metals. With the help of pumpkin, you can fight edema, and the vegetable is also very useful as a prevention of gynecological inflammation.

The benefits of pumpkin for a woman's body lies in the beneficial effect of the vegetable on external beauty. Vitamins in orange pulp improve skin condition, protect nails from brittleness and help strengthen hair.

Is it possible to pumpkin during pregnancy

During the period of gestation, the pumpkin brings double benefits. First of all, it saturates the body of the expectant mother with valuable substances - magnesium and calcium, iron and folates, vitamins and organic acids. This ensures not only the healthy formation of the fetus, but also the well-being of the woman, vitamin deficiency often develops against the background of pregnancy, and the orange vegetable prevents its appearance.

The vegetable relieves swelling and helps prevent constipation. Another valuable property of the product is an effective aid in case of toxicosis. The following remedy relieves nausea well:

200 g of raw pumpkin pulp is cut into small pieces;
pour in a liter of water;
insist for an hour.

You need to drink the remedy throughout the day, like tea, at the first symptoms of nausea.

At what age can a pumpkin for children

The vegetable can be introduced into the child's diet quite early. Already at 4 months, it is allowed to offer the baby juice squeezed from fresh pulp, from six months of life, soft pumpkin puree is introduced, and from 8-10 months - vegetable soups based on pumpkin.

The vegetable is especially beneficial for the child's body due to its high content of vitamin A, which is responsible for healthy vision. Also, the vegetable strengthens the baby's immune system and the musculoskeletal system, helps maintain healthy digestion.

Attention! Sometimes pumpkin can cause severe allergies, an orange vegetable has other contraindications. Before offering the pulp to a child, you should definitely consult a pediatrician.

The benefits of pumpkin for the elderly

The body of the elderly is highly sensitive and requires a careful approach to the diet. In old age, the digestive tract often begins to work worse, which leads to constipation, but a healthy pumpkin helps to normalize the intestines.

The orange vegetable also benefits from its anti-aging properties. Pumpkin stimulates cell renewal, supports the circulatory system. Therefore, older people begin to feel the signs of aging later and can maintain good health and vigor.

The benefits of pumpkin for the human body

For some ailments and conditions, orange pumpkin can be of particular benefit. Traditional medicine and dietetics offer proven ways to consume vegetables for various diseases.

With diseases of the liver and kidneys

The diuretic and choleretic properties of the vegetable help to cope with renal and hepatic ailments and prevent the occurrence of severe disorders.

In case of malfunctioning of the kidneys, it is recommended to eat 500 g of grated fresh pumpkin daily or drink 100 ml of manually squeezed juice. You need to continue treatment for 3 months, then the pumpkin will help get rid of edema and remove small stones from the kidneys.
For liver diseases, another recipe is beneficial - pumpkin pulp in a volume of 1 kg needs to be grated, mixed with 500 g of prunes, add 2 large tablespoons of buckthorn bark and pour the ingredients with 150 ml of rosehip syrup and 1.5 liters of pure water. The mixture is steamed for about half an hour under a lid, and then filtered. You need to take the medicine in a glass shortly before bedtime for a week. The recipe has powerful cleansing properties and is therefore of great benefit to the liver.

To protect the liver from hepatitis and cirrhosis, as well as to quickly remove toxins, you can simply consume 500 g of fresh vegetables for a week.

For the digestive tract

The high fiber content of pumpkin pulp provides invaluable benefits to the digestive system. The vegetable helps to normalize the stool and promotes the complete assimilation of valuable substances.

With heaviness in the stomach, it is very useful to eat baked pumpkin every day. The vegetable will have a calming effect on the body, relieve irritations and facilitate easy digestion of food.
For constipation, a vegetable with vegetable oil - sunflower, olive or castor oil will bring a valuable effect. In the morning, you need to eat 200 g of pulp and wash it down with a couple of tablespoons of oil, this will quickly cleanse the intestines.

If you eat pumpkin in small quantities every day, it will help to solve the problem of sluggish digestion, intestinal motility will become more active, and chronic constipation will go away.

For the cardiovascular system

Minerals and vitamins in the vegetable help thin the blood and help to equalize blood pressure. This not only eliminates problems with blood vessels, but also has a positive effect on cardiac activity - the risk of heart attacks and other heart diseases is reduced.

In case of hypertension, it is recommended to use such a remedy - 200 g of pumpkin pulp is mixed with 30 g of raisins and the same amount of wheat germs, and then ground in a blender. The mixture is consumed in 1 large spoonful at breakfast for 10 days.
With cardiovascular ailments, freshly squeezed pumpkin juice is of great benefit; you need to use it in half a glass on an empty stomach.You can take such a remedy for a long time, not only for treatment, but also for the prevention of ailments.

A vegetable in the weekly diet will have a beneficial effect, if fresh or processed pulp is often eaten, the condition of the blood vessels and the heart will noticeably improve.

For skin

The benefits and harms of pumpkin for the human body are manifested, including with the external use of the vegetable. Vitamins in pumpkin pulp help heal cuts, disinfect purulent wounds and help burns heal faster.

Natural pumpkin juice helps with sun and thermal burns. It is necessary to squeeze out 100 g of raw pulp, and then moisten a cotton swab in the juice and wipe the affected areas several times a day.
Pumpkin pulp gruel will help from festering wounds and eczema - 300 g of raw vegetable should be chopped in a meat grinder, and then applied to a sterile bandage and fixed with a compress on a sore spot for 3 hours.

Important! For the best effect, it is recommended to apply the vegetable externally for 2 weeks, then it will not only eliminate damage to the skin, but also help prevent the appearance of scars.

With gout

Since pumpkin has a powerful cleansing effect on the body, it is beneficial to use it in the deposition of harmful salts in the joints.

As a therapeutic and prophylactic agent, traditional medicine recommends consuming baked pumpkin on an ongoing basis - three times a day, 1 large spoonful of pulp.
You can also prepare a decoction that helps with the deposition of salts - chop the dried vegetable stalks in the amount of 1 large spoon, pour a glass of hot water, boil for a quarter of an hour and leave for 40 minutes under the lid. You need to take the remedy three times a day, a couple of large spoons on an empty stomach.

With gout, the vegetable improves mobility, eliminates pain and inflammation, and helps to improve the condition.

With atherosclerosis

Pumpkin lowers blood cholesterol and therefore helps prevent or mitigate atherosclerosis. Traditional medicine offers several recipes.

Infusion on the peel to cleanse blood vessels. About 40 g of dense pumpkin peel should be poured with 250 ml of hot water, insisted for half an hour, and then drink 100 ml at breakfast for a week.
Pumpkin pulp for lowering cholesterol. About 50 g of raw pulp just need to be grated and taken half an hour before breakfast every day for a couple of weeks.

To maintain good vascular health, it is recommended to include raw or processed vegetables in the diet more often, this will only benefit.

With anemia

Pumpkin is one of the record holders among vegetables in terms of the content of vitamins and valuable minerals. Therefore, with a deficiency of nutrients and a low level of hemoglobin, it must be included in the diet.

The main recipe suggests simply using 150 g of raw pulp per day for anemia, until the hemoglobin count rises.
You can also take baked pumpkin - up to 2 kg per day along with cereals and other dishes. Such treatment should be continued for 5-7 days so that there is no excess of nutrients in the body.

Eating an orange vegetable is recommended as a seasonal prevention of anemia. In the autumn, many people suffer from a deficiency of valuable substances and are faced with a drop in hemoglobin levels, but it is at this time that pumpkin can become the most accessible vitamin product.

How to eat pumpkin properly

In order for the pumpkin to be able to bring maximum benefits, certain rules must be followed when using it.

Adults are advised to eat no more than 300-400 g of pulp per day. When treating ailments, the portions can be increased in accordance with the recipes, but the active use of pumpkin should not continue for too long.
For children, the dosage of the vegetable must be significantly reduced. Until the child turns 1 year old, he can be offered no more than 30 g of vegetables per day and no more than twice a week.Subsequently, the daily rate can be increased to 50 g three times a week.
For older people, it is preferable to eat not raw, but processed pumpkin. Although it contains slightly less vitamins, it is better absorbed by the stomach and does not lead to intestinal upset.

Pumpkin should be handled with caution in case of a tendency to diarrhea. Although the vegetable does not fall on the list of prohibited foods, its laxative properties can have a negative effect, it is advisable to eat pumpkin in a baked form and in reduced portions. Also, the dosage of the vegetable must be reduced in case of ulcers and low acidity of the stomach.

Excess dosages of raw pumpkin are dangerous not only by the occurrence of diarrhea, but also by yellowing of the skin. The fact is that a vegetable contains a lot of carotene, and an excess of this substance in the body can change the color of the skin. For the same reason, it is better not to consume pumpkin at the same time as taking vitamin A or with vegetables and fruits containing this element.

Pumpkin brings the greatest benefits in the diet in the morning - dietary fiber in the pulp awakens the intestines and metabolic system to active work.

Limitations and contraindications

Useful properties and contraindications of pumpkin are inseparable from each other. So that the body does not get harm, you should not eat a vegetable when:

colitis and peptic ulcer disease;
gastritis with decreased production of gastric juice;
cholelithiasis with large stones;
a tendency to diarrhea.

With diabetes, only thermally processed pumpkin is prohibited for use - a raw vegetable is still allowed.

Conclusion

Pumpkin - the benefits and harms to the body from this vegetable accompany each other. However, if you use the product in the absence of contraindications and in small dosages, the vegetable will have a very positive effect on all systems and organs.

Why pumpkin is useful: composition, calorie content, vitamin content