Who Should Include Pumpkin in Their Diet? Opinion of a Dental Hygienist

The peak of the pumpkin season will last until the end of November. This means there is still time to stock up and treat yourself to delicious dishes made from it until January. A hygienist explains who can benefit from pumpkin and how to choose it correctly.
What is pumpkin good for? A hygienist at the sanitary and epidemiological department of the State Institution "Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology of the Leninsky District of Minsk", PhD in Medicine Sergey Chepelev calls pumpkin a storehouse of vitamins. He also explains why it should be included in the diet:

- This product is great for preventing heart disease, improving the condition of the skin, joints, vision, and strengthening the immune system. Vitamins are found not only in the pumpkin pulp, but also in the seeds and flowers. By the way, this vegetable contains 4 times more carotene than carrots! These substances in the body are converted into vitamin A - a powerful antioxidant and an essential microelement for good vision. In addition, pumpkin contains vitamins C, E, K, almost all the B vitamins. It also contains potassium, polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants, which reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, reduce cholesterol levels and serve to prevent atherosclerosis and arterial hypertension.

Pumpkin seeds also contain many trace elements, and in terms of zinc content, they are among the top three vegetables. It is enough to eat just 30 grams to replenish up to 70% of the daily requirement for zinc. Pumpkin seeds also have a good effect on the liver. They also help improve sleep and mood, since they contain magnesium. And
pumpkin should definitely be included in your diet for those who want to lose weight:

- This is an ideal dietary product. Pumpkin has a low calorie content - 100 grams of pulp contains only 22 kcal, no starch, cholesterol and trans fats, little SUGAR, but a lot of fiber useful for digestion. And the seeds of this vegetable normalize metabolism , dull the feeling of hunger, help to lose weight, also due to the large amount of fiber, - added the hygienist.

Pumpkin is boiled, baked, soups, salads, side dishes, desserts are prepared from it. It goes well with MEAT, cereals and vegetables.
Who should not rely on pumpkin? However, doctors do not recommend relying on this vegetable for people with gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, as well as diabetics, for whom pumpkin can increase blood sugar levels.

- This vegetable should not be eaten raw by those who suffer from inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, gallstones and kidneys. After all, pumpkin has a choleretic effect, which means it can provoke the movement of stones. Unprocessed, raw pumpkin is better not to give to children and the elderly, since in this form the product is harder to digest, - explained Sergey Chepelev.
What to Remember When BuyingHe also drew attention to several important rules to remember when buying:

- Never buy pumpkins "from the ground" at spontaneous markets. Do not buy a fruit with a rotten area or damaged peel. If you want to buy a pumpkin at the market, ask the seller for a conclusion from the veterinary and sanitary laboratory of the market - everyone should have one. In this document, pay attention to the content of nitrates and pesticides.

Sergey Nikolaevich warns: you cannot buy a half or pieces of pumpkin, because it is impossible to know in what conditions the fruit was cut. In addition, there is a risk that the vegetable is overripe and spoiled, which is why it was divided into parts, putting the freshest ones up for sale.

To choose a tasty pumpkin, you need to remember the following: a large one is good only in the fairy tale about Cinderella. In reality, such a vegetable will be watery and may taste bitter. Look for a medium-sized pumpkin, with a dense, but not "wooden" skin, on which there are no cracks or dark spots. Pay attention to the tail - it should be dark and dry. And never buy a fruit without a stem. Firstly, such a pumpkin is stored much less. Secondly, the seller may have gotten rid of it on purpose, since the fruit was picked ahead of time and did not have time to ripen.

| Elena IVASHKO, newspaper "7 days". Photo from open Internet sources.

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