Pumpkin lowers blood pressure and blood sugar, here are 4 health benefits you must know! Nutritionist: Rich in potassium and vitamin A, diabetics should be careful when eating

When I see pumpkins, I think of Halloween. The annual Halloween is coming again! The most representative highlight of Halloween is the pumpkin lantern decoration. However, nutritionists remind us that the pumpkin left over from the holidays is actually a nutritious ingredient. Pumpkin is a superfood and has its own unique characteristics when steamed, boiled, fried or stir-fried. Nutritionists point out that pumpkin is rich in nutrients and is a treasure all over. Also, don’t throw away pumpkin seeds easily as they have unexpected benefits.

How did Halloween come about? It is said that it was one of the religious ceremonies of the residents in the area of ​​​​now Britain and Ireland more than 2,000 years ago, "Samhain". Samhain is a festival held on October 31st at the end of the year by the ancient Celtic people to celebrate the autumn harvest and offer crops as sacrifices to the gods. People believe that the souls of the dead will come back to see their families at this time, but at the same time, "evil demons" and "bad goblins" from the spirit world will also come out, so Halloween is also a festival to drive away evil spirits.

However, for some unknown reason, pumpkin has become the representative food of Halloween. Nutritionist Xu Yuzhen said that pumpkin is a whole grain root food, which is the so-called carbohydrate! It contains only 74 calories per 100 grams, so it is not high in calories. It is rich in vitamin A, beta-carotene and high in potassium.

Pumpkin is very rich in vitamin A and beta-carotene, as well as potassium ions.

4 Benefits of Pumpkin and Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin is rich in vitamin A and beta-carotene, as well as potassium ions. Nutritionist Xu Yuzhen will help you understand the nutritional value and four benefits of pumpkin and pumpkin seeds:

1. Lowers Blood Pressure:

Pumpkin is rich in potassium ions, which have the effect of excreting sodium, helping to lower blood pressure and water retention, and prevent stroke.

Many studies have shown that pumpkin can help improve blood sugar control and is relatively good for overall health because it is rich in dietary fiber.

2. Regulate blood sugar:

Many studies have shown that pumpkin can help improve blood sugar control and is relatively good for overall health because it is rich in dietary fiber. But it also has a high carbohydrate content, so the "food replacement" principle must also be followed. Pumpkin seeds are rich in magnesium, fiber and healthy fatty acids, which are beneficial for controlling blood sugar.

3. Anti-oxidation and anti-cancer:

Pumpkin is also rich in vitamin A and β-carotene, has excellent antioxidant effects, can prevent cancer, maintain the integrity of epithelial cells, promote the health of mucous membranes in the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, oral cavity, nasal cavity, etc., and can form a natural protective wall when bad bacteria invade.

4. Protect cardiovascular system

As a member of the nut family, pumpkin seeds contain 20 mg of vitamin E per 100 grams, making them a good source of vitamin E. Vitamin E not only has powerful antioxidant properties, but also participates in regulating the immune system and vascular elasticity, thus protecting the cardiovascular system.

Nutritionist Xu Yuzhen reminds us, however, that because pumpkin has a GI value of 75, it is a high GI ingredient, so diabetics should not eat too much at one time, or they should eat it with high-fiber vegetables, or foods containing protein and fat to balance the GI value and prevent blood sugar from rising so quickly.

In addition, the GI value of mashed or pureed pumpkin will be higher. For example, pumpkin soup will increase blood sugar more easily than pumpkin cubes. Diabetic patients or friends who want to lose weight should be careful not to eat too much at one time.

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