Health Benefits of Pumpkin: 5 Reasons to Eat More This Fall

It's pumpkin season! Pumpkin is a nutrient-dense food that's naturally low in calories and provides a variety of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. And there are plenty of delicious ways to enjoy it!

So, let's take a look at some of the health benefits of pumpkin and why this fall favorite deserves a place on your plate (not just your porch!).

Pumpkin Nutrition: What's Inside This Fall Favorite?

That familiar orange color isn't just festive for the season, it's a sign of pumpkin's natural beta-carotene, a plant pigment that the body can convert into vitamin A.

Pumpkin also provides:

• Fiber to support healthy digestion and help keep you feeling satisfied
• Potassium to support normal muscle function and healthy blood pressure
• Vitamin C to support immune function and overall health
• Vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps protect cells
• Carotenoids, including beta-carotene and other beneficial plant compounds

And pumpkin gives you all of this without adding a lot of calories. One cup of canned pumpkin provides about 50 calories and 7 grams of fiber. That's a pretty impressive nutritional package for such a humble little squash!

One important note: We're talking about plain pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. Check the label when you're shopping because pumpkin pie filling typically contains lots of added sugars.

Pumpkin Supports Healthy Vision

One of pumpkin's standout nutrients is beta-carotene. Your body can convert beta-carotene into vitamin A, and vitamin A plays an important role in maintaining normal, healthy vision.

Pumpkin isn't the only orange food worth adding to your menu, either. Sweet potatoes, carrots and winter squash are also delicious sources of carotenoids.

Pumpkin Helps Support Your Immune System

Fall means cooler temperatures, changing weather and eventually more time spent indoors. It's a good time to make sure you're giving your body the nutrients it needs to support overall health. Pumpkin provides nutrients such as vitamin A and vitamin C, both of which play important roles in normal immune function.

Of course, there isn't one magic food that will keep you from getting sick. Your best bet is to focus on your overall eating pattern. Fill your plate with a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean sources of protein, and don't forget the basics like staying hydrated, getting enough sleep and staying active.

Think of pumpkin as one delicious piece of the healthy-eating puzzle.

Pumpkin Can Be Part of a Heart-Healthy Diet

Pumpkin has a lot going for it when it comes to heart-friendly nutrition. It's naturally low in saturated fat and provides fiber and potassium. Potassium is an important mineral that helps with fluid balance, muscle function and maintaining healthy blood pressure.

Of course, heart health isn't about one food. It's about the overall pattern of what you eat but pumpkin is an easy and delicious way to add more variety. Try stirring pumpkin into a soup, adding it to oatmeal or roasting it as a seasonal side dish.

Pumpkin Is Great for Digestion

Here's another reason to give pumpkin a spot on your menu: fiber! Fiber is important for keeping your digestive system healthy, and it can also help you feel satisfied after meals. One cup of canned pumpkin provides about 7 grams of fiber, making it an easy way to add more fiber to your day.

If you're trying to increase your fiber intake, remember to do it gradually and drink plenty of fluids. And you don't have to make things complicated. Stir some pumpkin into oatmeal, blend it into a smoothie or use it as the base for a comforting fall soup.

Pumpkin Can Help Promote Healthy Skin

Want another reason to love that beautiful orange color? The beta-carotene and other carotenoids in pumpin have antioxidant properties. It also provides vitamin C, which plays an important role in collagen production and healthy skin.

Eating pumpkin isn't going to transform your skin overnight, of course. But regularly eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables is a great way to provide your body with the nutrients it needs to support overall health, including healthy skin.

Don't Throw Away Those Pumpkin Seeds!

If you're carving a pumpkin this fall, don't automatically toss the seeds. Pumpkin seeds can be a tasty and nutritious snack. They provide protein, fiber, healthy unsaturated fats, magnesium and other minerals.

Simply clean and dry the seeds, toss them with a little olive oil and your favorite seasonings, and roast them until they're crunchy. Enjoy them on their own, add them to trail mix or sprinkle them over a salad or soup. Just keep in mind that pumpkin seeds are more calorie-dense than pumpkin flesh, so a little goes a long way.

4 Easy Ways to Eat More Pumpkin

Now that we've convinced you pumpkin deserves more attention than just a place on the front porch, let's talk about how to eat it!

1. Roast the Seeds

Save those seeds! Clean and dry them, season them and roast them for a crunchy fall snack. You can also toss them onto salads, soups or grain bowls.

2. Warm Up With Pumpkin Soup

Nothing says fall quite like a warm bowl of soup. Combine pumpkin with low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, onion, garlic and herbs such as thyme. Blend until smooth and add a little milk or cream if you'd like.

3. Roast It

If you've never tried roasted pumpkin, you're missing out! Treat a small pie pumpkin much like you would butternut or acorn squash. Cut it into pieces, add a little olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast until tender. It's an easy fall side dish that pairs well with chicken, turkey or fish.

4. Add It to Foods You Already Love

You don't need a complicated pumpkin recipe to enjoy its benefits. Try adding plain pumpkin to:

• Oatmeal
• Greek yogurt
• Smoothies
• Whole-grain pancakes
• Muffins
• Soups
• Chili
• Pasta sauces

It's an easy way to sneak a little extra color, flavor and nutrition into foods you already enjoy.

Pumpkin Spice Isn't the Same as Pumpkin

We can't talk about pumpkin without addressing the pumpkin spice elephant in the room! Pumpkin spice season can be delicious, but pumpkin-flavored doesn't necessarily mean pumpkin-filled.

Many seasonal drinks and desserts can contain significant amounts of added sugar and calories, while providing little actual pumpkin. That doesn't mean you have to give up your favorite pumpkin spice treat. Enjoy it if you love it!

Just remember that there's a difference between a pumpkin spice-flavored dessert and a serving of nutrient-rich pumpkin. For the biggest nutritional benefit, look for real pumpkin and use it in balanced meals and snacks.

Make Pumpkin Part of Your Healthy Fall

Pumpkin may be best known for jack-o'-lanterns and pumpkin pie, but there's a lot more to this fall favorite. It's colorful, versatile, naturally low in calories and packed with nutrients that can support healthy vision, immune function, heart health, digestion and healthy skin.

So this fall, don't let your pumpkin spend the entire season sitting on the front porch. Eat it, too!