Feed me: Five health benefits of pumpkins

The poor old pumpkin gets a rough ride. Every year millions of us take to it with a carving knife, hacking gruesome grimaces into this much maligned veg and then pop a red-hot hot light inside it. Who’d be a pumpkin eh?

But hold on . . . take a look at some of the health benefits on offer from this big ball of golden goodness and you might think twice about leaving it on your doorstep to go mouldy.

Bright eyes

Packed full of vitamin A – which helps eyesight – one cup of mashed pumpkin contains more than 200% of your recommended daily intake. Not only that but this veg is packed full of beta-carotene that the body converts into vitamin A for extra x-ray vision.

Ease the pressure

Phytoestrogens can be found in pumpkin seed oil – said to lower blood pressure. Sounds like the perfect excuse to whip up that pumpkin pie.

Heart of the matter

Pumpkins are stuffed full of fibre which is great news for your heart. Studies show that men who eat a high fibre diet had a 40% lower risk of heart disease and women 25%. Pumpkin soup anyone?

Have your fill

Not only does the fibre in a pumpkin have benefits for your heart but it keeps you fuller for longer so is ideal for weight loss. Pumpkin seeds contains about 1.7 grams of dietary fibre per ounce and mashed pumpkin has only 50 calories a cup.

Wake up call

Foods containing tryptophan are known to aid sleep. Pumpkin seeds are rich in this amino acid which also helps the body make serotonin, the feel-good substance that helps you relax and switch-off. Who said Halloween was mean to be scary?