If you've been following my blog for a while, you know that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE pumpkin in the fall. I love the smell of pumpkin muffins baking and I love that everyone, my kids, my husband, my friends, can smell the aroma wafting through the house as they come into my home. I love the taste of pumpkin treats, pumpkin breakfasts, pumpkin soups. I love the feeling that I get as I cook with pumpkin while the wind howls, the trees shed their leaves and the days get shorter and cooler. Sounds corny, I know, but hey, I really love pumpkin. Maybe I just really love the fall.
Anyway, to add to my love of pumpkin is the knowledge that it is EXTREMELY good for you! It is loaded with Vitamin A (alpha and beta carotene)...which may lower your risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer. It has and abundance of other vitamins, too, like C, K, E, and minerals like potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, folate, riboflavin, calcium, thiamine and niacin. In a 1/2 C serving, there are 4 grams of fiber, only 5 mg. of sodium and only 40 calories!
As if that weren't enough...pumpkin seeds are also good for you. They have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties that may help fight osteoporosis. And...1/4 C has 1/5 grams of fiber. So...this year when you carve your pumpkins...keep those seeds, roast them and enjoy those morsels of healthy deliciousness!
And...that is my official kickoff for fall...my pumpkin post. I'll post some delicious pumpkin recipes coming soon!
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