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pumpkin ( Cucurbita) is called a one- or perennial herbaceous plant, gourds of the family Pumpkin. Pumpkin was first cultivated in South America more than 8 thousand years ago, in Europe the vegetable appeared in the 16th century thanks to Spanish sailors. Pumpkin fruits have a round, oval or flattened shape, decorative pumpkins can be of a wide variety and bizarre shapes. Pumpkins are also heterogeneous in color - bright red or dark green, with or without stripes, variegated and pastel-olive, it all depends on the variety. The weight of pumpkin fruits can reach 200 kg, but the weight of an ordinary pumpkin is from 2 to 9 kg. Due to the fact that the pumpkin can retain its taste and useful properties for up to six months, without requiring special storage conditions, almost all gardeners grow the vegetable with pleasure.
pumpkin calories
The calorie content of pumpkin is 28 kcal per 100 grams of product.
Pumpkin is a godsend for people suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract, due to potassium, which maintains the tone of the heart muscle and a low content of coarse dietary fiber, which irritates the digestive tract.
Pumpkin is a dietary product, so it is allowed to eat with gastritis and stomach ulcers. The product is able to delay the aging process, has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and hair.
In addition to the pumpkin itself, it is very useful as a prophylactic against helminths and which is involved in hematopoiesis.
Varieties and types of pumpkin
Pumpkins are divided into early-ripening, mid-ripening, late-ripening and early-ripening; hard-barked, large-fruited and nutmeg; fodder (only for livestock feed), table (for human food) and decorative (for decoration).
The most common pumpkin varieties, unpretentious and growing well in the middle lane: Rossiyanka, Zorka, Acorn, Marble, Gribovskaya, Almond, Mozoleevskaya, Winter Sweet, Khersonskaya, Smile, Arina. Not the best lands are suitable for growing pumpkins, it is convenient to plant pumpkins in compost pits, along fences, large leaves and fruits will decorate any corner of a summer cottage. Decorative pumpkins are beautiful not only in compositions, but also during growth, they are usually planted next to gazebos or playgrounds.
With a low calorie content, a sufficient amount of fiber and a pleasant taste, pumpkin is one of the favorite foods for fasting days and. A big plus of a pumpkin is its cheerful red color, which uplifts the mood and makes it easier to survive food restrictions.
pumpkin in cooking
Pumpkin is subjected to all types of heat treatment - it is boiled, fried, baked and grilled. Soups and cereals, jams and jams are cooked from pumpkin, baked with meat and stewed in stews, added to the dough for pancakes, muffins and pies, toppings for cakes, it goes well with. Raw pumpkin is used in salads with and eaten dipped in as a dessert. very tasty and extremely useful.
Pumpkin and Halloween
The most memorable symbol of Halloween - a merry holiday on the eve of All Saints' Day, celebrated on the night of November 1st - is Jack's lamp, which is a hollow inside pumpkin with carved eyes and an ominous grin, in which a candle is placed. Initially, such lamps were made from Halloween's homeland - in Scotland and Northern Ireland, but at the turn of the 20th century, the holiday migrated across the ocean to America, where turnips were replaced by pumpkins, which were cheaper and more affordable (calorizator). The purpose of Jack lanterns is to drive away the souls of the dead from the house, which return before the day of all saints.
Nowadays, Halloween is an occasion to meet up with friends, dress up as horror movie characters and work hard on a big pumpkin so that the Jack-O-Lantern will remind you of a great time for a long time.
You can learn more about the pumpkin and its beneficial properties from the video clip of the TV show “About the Most Important Thing”, starting from 16 minutes 07 seconds.
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Pumpkin is a popular melon culture, which is the fruit of the herbaceous plant of the same name, which grows and is cultivated all over the world, in regions with a warm and temperate climate. The fruit is a large pumpkin, spherical or oval in shape, covered with a hard, smooth rind. Color, shape and size depend on the type of vegetable. Inside contains a juicy fleshy pulp and numerous small seeds, which are also suitable for eating.
calories
100 grams of pumpkin contains about 26 kcal.
Compound
The chemical composition of pumpkin is characterized by a high content of carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins (A, B9, C), macro- (potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus) and microelements (iodine, cobalt, manganese, copper, fluorine, zinc).
How to cook and serve
Unlike most exotic varieties, an ordinary pumpkin is suitable for eating not only the pulp, but also the leaves, flowers and seeds. The cooking process of this vegetable begins with the peeling of foreign matter. Then it is cut into two equal parts, after which the center of the fruit (kernel) with numerous seeds is removed, and the pulp is cut into small cubes, the size of which is the same as the further use of the pumpkin, depends solely on one's own preferences.
These vegetables are widely used in cooking. Pumpkin is great for cooking a wide variety of boiled, fried, baked dishes, as well as desserts, bakery and confectionery products, where it is often used as a filling.
However, many recipes involve the use of unripe fruits and seeds. The latter, usually fried, are used as a snack.
How to choose
Since mainly ripe pumpkin fruits are eaten, when choosing, you should focus on weighty vegetables with a hard and smooth surface, as well as with a thick stalk.
Storage
Fresh, intact pumpkins can be stored for many weeks in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated place. The cut vegetable must be put in the refrigerator, and then eaten within a few days.
Beneficial features
Pumpkin, with its low calorie content, does not contain saturated fats and cholesterol, which, combined with the presence of a large amount of biologically active substances, causes this vegetable to have a number of useful properties that have been used by humans for the treatment of various diseases for thousands of years. Regular consumption of pumpkin has a healing effect on the skin and mucous membranes, improves vision, and reduces the likelihood of cancer.
In addition to the pulp, pumpkin seeds also have useful properties. They are a rich source of fiber and monounsaturated fatty acids, which have a positive effect on the state of the cardiovascular system, as well as increase immunity, and due to the high content of tryptophan, stimulate brain activity.
The most valuable food and dietary food product, a source of a rich set of biologically active substances. They contain well-digestible proteins, pectin, carbohydrates, starch, organic acids, fats, vitamins, mineral salts and other substances that are useful to the human body. The chemical composition of pumpkin fruits largely depends on various technological methods, species and varieties, as well as soil and climatic conditions and other factors. Unfortunately, pumpkin has not yet been given due attention and it is not widely used in dietary and baby food. Its fruits can be eaten mainly in winter, when the range of vegetables is limited.
Pumpkin fruits contain 85-94% water. The greatest amount of dry matter (10-15%) are varieties Slavuta, Kherson, Zhdana, Almond 35 and others; from 6 to 9.6% - Valok, Ukrainian multiple, Lel, etc. Carbohydrates (8-12%) are mainly represented by polysaccharides. Of the total amount of sugar (4-8%,), individual table varieties contain from 11 to 14%, including sucrose up to 8%, especially after the autumn-winter season. These varieties include Kherson, Almond 35, Zhdana, Slavuta, etc. Pumpkin fruits contain from 2.5 to 16% starch, which turns into soluble sugars during storage. Since there are many sugars in the pumpkin and few organic acids (acidity - 0.8-2.9%), it is widely used in confectionery factories for the manufacture of candied fruits and marshmallows.
There is relatively little protein in pumpkins (0.5-1.1%), but they are very rich in pectin (2.6-14.0%), which helps to eliminate cholesterol from the body. In such widespread vegetables as carrots, it contains only 0.5-0.6%. According to the content of protopectin, pumpkin is second only to lettuce, green onions, and beans. A characteristic feature of pumpkin is its low fiber content (0.3-1.2%), which is well boiled soft, non-fibrous and easily digestible in a puree form.
Pumpkins are the main source of carotene in the plant world. Its carotene varieties give from 5 to 18 kg of carotene per hectare. The content of carotene in the fruits Arabatskaya, Vitaminnaya, Carotene, Marble, Novelty is 16-17 mg per 100 g of raw product, and in some forms it reaches 35-38 mg. The brighter the orange-yellow pulp of pumpkins is colored, the more carotenoids it contains. It should be noted that in medium and late-ripening table varieties, their content increases in the first months of storage. Carotene in pumpkins is 15 times more than in watermelons, and 4 times more than in melons. To meet the daily needs of an adult in carotene, it is necessary to consume 50-60 g of pumpkin. Therefore, pumpkins are a valuable raw material for the vitamin industry, which produces concentrates from carotene.
The vitamin composition of pumpkins is very diverse. Thiamine (vitamin B, 0.04-0.06 mg per 100 g) was found in the fruits, the lack of which causes various disorders of the nervous system, rapid mental and physical fatigue; riboflavin (vitamin B2 - 0.03-0.06 mg), the lack of which causes a violation of appetite, weakness, weight loss; tocopherol (vitamin E), the lack of which causes a disorder of the sexual functions of the body; nicotinic acid (vitamin PP - 0.4-0.5 mg), the lack of which causes pellagra; as well as ascorbic acid (vitamin C - 10.0-50.0 mg), pantothenic acid (vitamin B3 - 0.2- 0.4 mg), pyridoxine (vitamin B6 - 0.11-0.13 mg), folic acid (vitamin B9 - 4-19 mcg), methylmethionine (vitamin U - 0.1 mg). They contain pumpkins and vitamin D, which is especially valuable for a child's body, which accelerates the growth of children, helps to better and faster absorb roughage, and enhances the body's vitality.
Pumpkin fruits are also rich in mineral salts, especially potassium (170-380 mg per 100 g of crude substance), iron (0.4-0.8 mg), calcium (fruits - 25-40 mg, - 51 mg) and phosphorus (fruits - 25 mg, seeds - 1144 mg). Pumpkins also contain salts of sodium (4-14 mg), magnesium (14 mg), copper (0.4-3.5 mg), cobalt (0.16 mg) and other elements. Ash in pumpkins is 0.6-0.8%, fat - 0.08-0.13%, nitrates - 23-255 mg / kg.
From 36 to 55% of excellent edible oil was found in pumpkin seeds, 150-250 kg of fatty oil are obtained from 15-20 tons of fruits. For this purpose, the gymnospermous gourd is of the greatest interest. In addition to oil, the seeds contain proteins, phytosterols, carotenoids, vitamins B and C, organic acids, resins, iron, zinc and phosphorus, which are part of bones and teeth. The energy value of 100 g of pumpkin fruits is close to the color one (121 kJ). The edible part of the fruit is 70-75 pulp and 10% seeds. taste can compete with nuts.
Pumpkin fruits are widely used in boiled, baked and fried form. Over 100 dishes can be prepared from them. Unfortunately, they have not yet learned how to cook delicious homemade dishes from pumpkin. It should be used in food more widely than is done with us. This applies not only to dishes with heat treatment, the pumpkin is also suitable for use raw (young and tender shoots, leaf stalks and fruits), in addition, like cucumbers, it can be harvested for the winter in various ways.
Pumpkin is one of the valuable agricultural crops. In mature pumpkin fruits it is contained in percentage: dry matter - 6 ... 25, sugar - 1.5 ... 14, starch - 1.5 ... 20, fat - 0.1 ... 0.15, fiber - 0.7 ... 0.95 . The calorie content of fruits is 17 ... 30 kcal (per 100 g). Pumpkin is a rich source of potassium salts (222 mg per 100 g), which support the alkaline reaction of the blood, reduce the acidity of gastric juice. According to the content of iron, which is necessary for the processes of hematopoiesis, table pumpkin among vegetables is one of the first.
Of the minerals in the pumpkin, there are also salts of magnesium, phosphorus, copper (4 ... 35 mg), cobalt (1.62 mg). Pumpkin contains vitamins B, B1, B2, 0.06 mg each, C - 10 ... 40 mg. According to the content of carotene, it occupies one of the first places among vegetables. Carotene is the basis of the yellow color of the pulp of fruits and flower petals. By the intensity of the color of the pulp, one can judge the content of carotene in it. In widespread varieties, it contains up to 5 mg per 100 g, in some cases - up to 38 mg. Muscat pumpkin fruits are the richest in carotene up to 26.2 mg and the least - hard-core species up to 4.1 mg, and fruits of large-fruited species contain up to 19.2 mg per 100 g of the substance. The accumulation of carotene is associated with the life span of the fetus. Thus, its high content is observed in late varieties and in the first set fruits. The second-oldest fruits contain 2-3 times less carotene than the first, and the third - less than the second. The content of carotene in fruits increases during storage up to 70 days, and then it begins to decrease.
The fruits are used in the vitamin industry as a raw material for the preparation of carotene concentrate. Its output from 1 ha is from 5 to 8 kg, while tomato and carrot, which are considered to be high-carotene crops, give a carotene yield of only about 1...2 kg/ha. In addition, tomatoes and carrots are more labor-intensive crops than pumpkin. The daily human need for carotene is covered by 80 g of pumpkin.
Pumpkin sugars typically contain all 3 common forms: glucose, fructose, and sucrose. The least in mature fruits contains glucose (0.3%), more - fructose (0.5 ... 4.2%) and the largest amount - sucrose (up to 10%). Sucrose accumulates later than other sugars during storage: there is especially a lot of it in the fruits of keeping varieties. Starch is also richer in later varieties, mainly of southern origin. There are varieties that contain more sugar than watermelon. The most sugary varieties are found in large-fruited pumpkin species.
In a pumpkin, vitamin T was found in a fairly high concentration (0.07 ... 0.08 mg), which contributes to a more intensive assimilation of food and activates all life processes.
In addition, pumpkin fruits contain a small amount of vitamin E (tocopherol), the absence of which causes infertility in animals. Therefore, pumpkin as a succulent feed is given to animal producers.
Fruits located closer to the root collar, as well as those located too far from it, are characterized by reduced quality by a decrease in dry matter, starch, and sugar in the cell sap. On lashes of the first order, the quality of fruits located close to the stem is higher.
Seeds contain up to 50% fatty oil, protein (up to 30%), sugars, B vitamins, ascorbic acid, phytosterol, fetish, leucine, lecithin, tyrosine, salicylic acid, resins with oxycerotic acid. The fatty oil includes glycerides of linoleic, oleic, palmitic and stearic acids. The average seed yield per 1 ha is 2…4 centners. Gymnospermous varieties of pumpkin can be used for processing into oil. From 1 hectare, it is possible to get up to 6 ... 7 centners of pumpkin seed oil, which is very valuable in its properties. Mineral fertilizers increase the percentage of dry matter in seeds, improve the quality of seeds and oil.
Pumpkin seeds are also very nutritious: they contain up to 55% of the most valuable vegetable oil for the body and have a healing effect - they expel tapeworms.
The leaves of the plant, compared with the fruits, contain significantly more ascorbic acid, up to 620 mg. Coloring substances, flavonoids and carotenoids (cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, flavoxanthin) were found in the flowers.
A common valuable feature of pumpkin crops is the harmonious combination of vitamins, proteins, enzymes in them, due to which they are dietary food for children and patients. Easy digestibility and nutritional value make it indispensable in violation of the functions of the liver and kidneys. Easily absorbed by the body, pumpkin promotes the absorption of other heavier foods. Being a voluminous food rich in fiber, pumpkin fruits contribute to the activation of the functions of the digestive organs. Pumpkin dishes prevent obesity and the accumulation of excess cholesterol in the body, so they are recommended for the elderly.
Compound
Everyone is confident in the low calorie content of zucchini. But this is the closest pumpkin relative. For clarity, let's compare the calorie content and nutritional value of both vegetables. The table shows their chemical composition:
| Nutritional value per 100 grams | kcal | Squirrels | Fats | Carbohydrates | Alimentary fiber | Organ. acids | Water | saccharides |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pumpkin | 22 | 1 g | 0.1 g | 4.4 g | 2 g | 0.1 g | 91.8 g | 4.2 g |
| Zucchini | 24 | 0.6 g | 0.3 g | 4.6 g | 1 g | 0.1 g | 93 g | 4.6 g |
it is a low-calorie product; The composition of pumpkin and comparing it with zucchini allows us to draw the following conclusions:
- 100 grams of pumpkin contains more protein, but less fat and carbohydrates than zucchini;
- it contains a lot of dietary fiber (pectin, fiber), which makes the vegetable nutritious and good for digestion;
- there are relatively few saccharides, it is even recommended for diabetes;
- in both vegetables there are very few organic acids, so they are allowed even with inflammatory processes in the digestive organs;
- as in a zucchini (and in a cucumber too), the water in the pumpkin is more than 90%.
Add to this an abundance of vitamins, macro- and microelements. The leader among vitamins is vitamin C (per 100 g - 15 mg). The vegetable is rich in beta-carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, folic and nicotinic acid, biotin, etc. It contains a lot of potassium, so it is recommended for diseases of the cardiovascular system and edema. Pumpkin will enrich the body with calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron, phosphorus and cobalt.
Pumpkin 100 grams cover 6.7% of the daily requirement for dietary fiber, 5% for organic acids; 8% - in vitamin B 3, 8.9% - in C, 8.2% - in potassium and 10% - in cobalt.
Use the unique properties of the vegetable to its full potential by arranging fasting days with it. 1.5 kg of pumpkin should be baked in a heated oven for 10 minutes to become softer. So it is better absorbed. Divide your daily intake into several doses.
Calorie pumpkin dishes
Convincing information about a vegetable as a dietary and “right” product applies only to raw pumpkin. How do calorie content and its composition change depending on the method of preparation?
Over the long history of pumpkin fame, many recipes have accumulated. Their calorie content per 100 grams is shown in the table:
| Raw | boiled | baked | Stewed | fried | Puree | Soup puree | Juice | Cake | Porridge | Flour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | 37 | 46 | 52 | 76 | 88 | 60 | 38 | 166 | 148 | 305 |
As you can see, there are few calories in pumpkin dishes. Meanwhile, its unusual taste diversifies the traditional menu and makes it much healthier.
raw pumpkin
Pumpkin pulp is good to eat raw. All the benefits are preserved in it and the calorie content is low. For this purpose, choose sweet nutmeg varieties. Peel the fruits from the dense peel and seeds, cut into cubes - fragrant, juicy fruits are ready. You can cook dietary, but hearty salads - with apples, nuts, vegetables, cheese, etc.
boiled pumpkin
This is a light product, easy to prepare. Boil the peeled pieces need no more than half an hour. If they seem too bland, you can dust them with sugar and cinnamon. But the calorie content of such a dish will increase significantly - from 37 to 127 calories per 100 grams.
If you grind the boiled vegetable in a blender, you get a delicious puree. Pumpkin puree is one of the first baby foods. Its taste is richer and not so bland than that of zucchini puree.
baked pumpkin
You can make a delicious low-calorie dessert from a baked vegetable. A popular recipe is with honey, apples and orange. A kilogram of pumpkin and 2 apples are peeled, cut into cubes, orange juice is squeezed on them and 2 tablespoons are added. honey.
Roasting is another way to cook vegetables. Baked pumpkin is a frequent guest on the table of those who lose weight due to its low calorie content and good digestibility. To make it soft, it needs to be baked in foil for 20 minutes.
Braised pumpkin
It can be an excellent side dish for meat or fish. Delicious vegetable, the calorie content of which does not exceed 60 calories when stewed, is a great alternative to potatoes. But remember that additional ingredients (butter, milk) dramatically increase the calorie content of the dish.
Calories in pumpkin seeds
If the taste of the pumpkin itself seems unusual to someone, then everyone usually loves the seeds. Moreover, they are recommended as a natural medicine for diseases of the cardiovascular and digestive systems. The fiber of pumpkin seeds cleanses the body and saturates well. And its anthelmintic properties are known to all. But do lovers of pumpkin delicacy know that its calorie content is very high? Because of the oils contained in 100 grams of seeds - 556 calories! Therefore, pumpkin seeds, the benefits and harms of which are inseparable, should be used with caution by dieters. They, like nuts, can be eaten a lot.
A vegetable with a bright appearance has a bright taste. Decorate with them not only your home, but also the healthy menu of your loved ones.