You will surely be impressed with the number of nutrients that zucchini offers. It is low in calories (with only 17 calories per 100 grams), high in fibre, and has no cholesterol or harmful fats.
It is also rich in antioxidants such as zeaxanthin, carotene, and lutein, which significantly slow ageing and prevents disease with free radical detecting properties.
Most of the antioxidants and fibre are in your skin, so it’s best to leave it on when serving this meal.
Zucchini is also a wonderful source of potassium, a heart-friendly nutrient that helps moderate your blood pressure and counteracts the effects of too much sodium. A zucchini contains more potassium than a banana.
Zucchini is rich in B-complex vitamins, folate, B6, B1, B2, B3, and choline and minerals such as iron, manganese, and phosphorus.
One study revealed the wide variety of health benefits summer squash provides, including squash.
According to the food expert and food industry analyst, the starchy carbohydrates in this vegetable come from the polysaccharides in the cell walls and include pectins.
Pumpkin
Pumpkin belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. It is a squash with yellow or orange flesh, with multiple shapes and colours, native to North America.
Their hollow, hairy stems have very large toothed leaves covered with coarse hairs.
Pumpkin
Photo by Carmen Gonzalez on Unsplash
Pumpkin and its health benefits
Imported from America in the 16th century, squash was quickly discovered to have antiparasitic properties, and its efficacy was confirmed as early as the 19th century in treating tapeworms.
These same seeds were also thought to soothe inflammation of the digestive and urinary tracts.
Green pumpkin seeds have excellent diuretic properties. Since 1980, pumpkin seeds have been used against benign prostatic hyperplasia.
They are also attributed to anti-inflammatory and purifying properties, as well as a deworming action.
Pumpkin pulp, a diuretic and decongestant, is often prescribed in the diets of intestinal and kidney patients and arthritic and rheumatic patients.
After a diet, pumpkin pulp is highly digestible and highly recommended as a portion of solid food.
The beta-carotene in pumpkin, a source of vitamin A for the body, would also have an antioxidant effect. It could improve certain functions of the immune system.
Pumpkin is a source of phosphorus that plays an essential role in forming and maintaining healthy bones and teeth.
The raw pulp has emollient properties. Crushed, it is a soothing poultice against burns.Growing pumpkins for their benefits
To flourish, pumpkins need a sunny, warm exposure and an exact location. They should grow in rich, moist, cool but well-drained soil.
Feel free to add compost to your soil – pumpkins love it.
Be careful; in soil that is too humid, the plant will rot. And watch out for slugs and snails when the pumpkins start to grow.
Pumpkins are harvested from early fall until the first frosts. The fruit reaches maturity when its slightly yellowish foliage begins to dry out, and the stem is ready to detach.
You can store the whole pumpkin in a well-ventilated space at a constant temperature of about 15 ° C for six months. Once cut, the slices can be stored in cling film in the refrigerator for a week.
There is no point in growing pumpkins in a pot, it is inappropriate, and you would not get satisfactory results.Pumpkin in the kitchen and its benefits
Pumpkin is excellent in soups and purees. You can also enjoy it in compote, mixed with a few apples and flavoured with cinnamon and vanilla.
Pumpkin seeds, natural or roasted, added to your salad dressing, are known for their cardiovascular health benefits and appear beneficial in preventing certain cancers. The seeds must be vacuum packed to preserve all their freshness and benefits.Pumpkin seeds or seeds are rich in minerals and nutrients, making them ideal for a healthy diet. Next, in Living Healthy, we talk about pumpkin seeds and all their benefits.
Pumpkins such as melon, watermelon or cucumber belong to the Cucurbitaceae family; the pipes are green in colour and are wrapped in a white rind, although some varieties of gourds have seeds without the shell.
pumpkin seeds
Benefits of pumpkin seeds
There are many benefits attributed to them.
Look at the pumpkin seeds, among which we find the following:
Prostate health benefits
Pumpkin seeds have a beneficial effect on prostate health. In studies, the oil extracted from pumpkin seeds is beneficial for the prostate. Benign prostate hypertrophy affects many men from the age of 50. Cucurbitacin, an amino acid component of pumpkin seed oil, appears to have a very positive effect in curbing this disorder.
Ideal for people with depression and melancholy
Its L-Tryptophan content makes it ideal in the diet of people with a tendency to depression and melancholy.
Beneficial when suffering from Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis, pumpkin seeds for their high zinc content. A study of nearly 400 men ages 45-92 published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition found a clear correlation between a low-zinc diet and Osteoporosis in the hip and spine.
Great anti-inflammatory power
Anti-inflammatory in arthritis processes. Its healing properties concerning arthritis have been investigated in animals. Animals that consumed pumpkin seeds in their diet have been compared to the use of indomethacin, an anti-inflammatory non-steroidal substance.
Indomethacin is used in necessary cases but has side effects that affect the stomach, liver, kidney. In comparison, pumpkin seeds do not present these adverse effects. They increased lipid peroxides that pumpkin seeds do not have.
Relief from an upset stomach
Relieve stomach upset. Pumpkin seeds help to improve intestinal disorders. In some countries, they were used to eliminate parasites such as tapeworms.
Do you want to hear more about the benefits of sunflower seeds? Look at this video.
Pumpkin seeds: Properties
Vitamins like: Vitamins B, K, C, E, and D
Minerals such as magnesium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, proteins.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic and linolenic acids.
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that helps regulate serotonin levels.Are pumpkin seeds fattening?
Pumpkin seeds are undoubtedly beneficial, as we have already seen thanks to their nutrients since they are rich in essential fatty acids and the amino acid tryptophan, and although you should take them, we cannot say that it is necessary to go overboard.
Like any other nutrient-laden food, pumpkin seeds should be taken in moderation and in this way, you will obtain the necessary nutrition to be healthy without the risk of gaining weight since they have many calories, as we will see later. It is recommended to take at most 20 grams of pumpkin seeds, and with that, you will already be consuming more than 120 calories.
Pumpkin seeds are high in fat and, as a result, have more calories per serving than many other foods. But they are also very nutrient-dense, containing abundant fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, making them an important part of a low-calorie diet.
You run the risk of taking in fewer adequate nutrients by cutting calories, so including a small number of pumpkin seeds in your diet each day can help you avoid deficiencies. Additionally, pumpkin seeds are a rich source of fibre, with more than 5 grams per 100 grams. Fibre is an important part of a weight loss diet as it helps fill the belly and prolongs fullness, leading to reduced hunger and lower calorie intake.
