Bring back pumpkins to the menu

In many Kenyan homes, pumpkins make their first appearance on menus from when a child is around six months old to the time they are able to eat the family meal. And then it disappears slowly from the daily menu. But why?

Pumpkin is a very low calorie vegetable, rich in dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It also contains considerable amounts of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.

Boosts your immunity and protects you from diseases

Pumpkins are remarkably high in beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant that is converted into Vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is crucial in keeping your immune system strong which helps your body fight infections. A 100 grammes of cooked pumpkins can give you more than 200 per cent of the daily value, or recommended amounts of Vitamin A per day.

Will give you a healthy radiant skin

Apart from being rich in Vitamin A, pumpkins are also rich in Vitamin E and C, all natural antioxidants. These vitamins are required to protect the integrity and health of your skin and the inner lining of your digestive system. These antioxidants also protect your body cells from free radicals; harmful compounds that can damage your cells increase your risk of chronic diseases and premature skin aging.

It will protect your eyes

A small cup of cooked pumpkins will give you all the Vitamin A you need to keep your eye health on check. Vitamin A helps in reducing the risk of degenerative eye conditions like night blindness, by promoting and maintaining good vision health. Vitamin A also strengthens the eye’s mucous membrane to be an effective barrier to micro organisms and other foreign objects that can damage the eye.

Good for your heart

Pumpkins are a rich source of magnesium, potassium, dietary fibre and heart healthy fats. Magnesium and potassium are important minerals to maintain normal blood pressure. 100 grammes of pumpkin will give you around 65 per cent of daily value magnesium and up to 26 per cent of daily value potassium. Pumpkin fruit and pumpkin seeds are also rich in fibre which helps improve your cholesterol levels reducing your risk of diseases like stroke. The fats found in pumpkin seed can also help the body lower the bad cholesterol and increase the good cholesterol promoting your heart health.

Good in keeping those kilos at bay

Pumpkins are a powerhouse of vital vitamins, minerals and fiber which are essential for achieving and maintaining good health. Pumpkins are also very low in calorie with 100 grammes of cooked pumpkins providing as low as 26 calories. This means you can enjoy a daily cup of pumpkin soup without worrying about your waist line expanding.