Trick-or-treat: pumpkin therapy for Halloween
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
The night of all the saints or Halloween is already approaching and will knock on our doors on October 31. Many do not celebrate this ancient Celtic feast, but there are also those who like to have fun, reincarnated as some evil spirits or monsters.
Naturally, the main symbol of the holiday is the beauty-pumpkin, which only the guise did not take in the skilled hands of masters. But the pumpkin is not only a piece of jewelry, but also a very useful vegetable, which is the time to cook and prevent many ailments.
Let's start with the fact that Halloween is a holiday of sweets, which means there is a danger of sampling sugar, which can lead to unpleasant consequences, so fun is fun, and moderation is still worth keeping.
In order not to shock the body with the amount of sweet, better enjoy the taste of dark chocolate, which is rich in antioxidants and has a beneficial effect on the work of the heart. Also, do not get carried away with sweet fizzy drinks, but rather replace them with natural juices. In addition, most Halloween sweets are based on apples, which you can eat both fresh and prepare a variety of goodies.
From the pumpkin you can cook a lot of delicious dishes: vegetable stew, pumpkin salads, soups, side dishes and fritters, as well as compotes and juices.
If you have never been particularly hungry for this wonderful orange vegetable, then try baking a cake that will probably surprise you with its rich taste. With a pumpkin, cranberry, apples and quince will perfectly match. You can also cook pumpkin jam and jam.
In fact, few know about the value of this vegetable, it is likely that only those people who eat pumpkin as a component of dietary nutrition can appreciate its useful properties. But in fact, it is worthy to be present at our tables more often.
Just imagine, according to the content of beta-carotene, the pumpkin outnumber the liver three times, and carrots - in as many as five! Beta-carotene is converted in the body into vitamin A, which is necessary for acute vision, strong bones and growth processes, and is an antioxidant that protects the body from external factors. And most importantly, vitamin A interferes with the development of cancer cells in the human body.
Pumpkin flesh is rich in pectin substances, which improve the work of the gastrointestinal tract, therefore it is very useful for people suffering from constipation.
Scientists say that regular use of pumpkin is a real prevention of diseases such as cancer, heart failure and stroke.
So enjoy the holiday, as well as its useful and tasty symbol!