Pumpkin may be synonymous with cake and decorations in your mind, but the truth is that pumpkin is a superfood. Don’t you know what its benefits are for your body? Here is a list to encourage you to include at least one pumpkin dish in your weekly menu.
Goodbye glasses and vision problems
Rich in beta-carotene (origin of its orange color), which is converted into vitamin A in the body, they take care of and strengthen the health of your eyes. One serving of pumpkin a week may even prevent cataracts and degeneration of the eye.
Youthful skin for longer
Beta-carotene continues to add benefits to our body, and another of its benefits is that it can protect us from the UV rays of the sun that, as we know very well, in excess age us and even cause us diseases. In addition to eating it, you also have the option of applying a pumpkin puree mask with honey and oats, and your skin will thank you!
Controlled weight
Pumpkins increase your feeling of fullness so that you will feel full for longer. In addition, they are rich in fiber and water, keeping you hydrated for more hours, accelerating metabolism, and providing very few calories to your dishes.
Healthy and strong heart
The high content of vitamin C, fiber, and potassium in pumpkin positively impacts the performance and condition of your heart. It is highly recommended to consume it if you suffer from hypertension, like melon, pineapple, and orange.
Goodbye to the flu
Combining vitamin C and beta-carotenes strengthens your immune system preventing flu, colds, and infections—more healthy days throughout the year.
You wonder … how to include pumpkin in your menu? Here is an option:
Cold pumpkin cream and Krissia bars
You need chopped leek, chopped and peeled pumpkin, vegetable or chicken broth, Krissia bars, and parsley for this recipe.
In a pot with the broth of your choice, cook the pumpkin pieces. When they are soft, add the leeks, salt, and pepper. Once everything is cooked, let it cool, and proceed to beat it until it reaches the consistency of your preference. Serve and decorate with pieces of Krissia bars and chopped parsley, and you will love it!
recipes and three benefits of pumpkin: a delicious and essential source for health
Known for its yellowish or orange appearance, covered by a thin layer of brittle lines and with a heart full of seeds; Squash is one of the foods that, par excellence, is recommended to be implemented in everyone’s diet. Why? Well, it has several benefits that help improve health. Therefore, here we collect some recipes that you can easily imitate in your home.
Squash: a source of flavor and vitamins
Believe it or not, the traditional pumpkin used to decorate Halloween parties reminds us of those delicious creams that our grandmothers prepared for us; They also have other forms of use that, according to the recommendations, cause hundreds of goods in our bodies.
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Pumpkin is a rich source of protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Surprisingly, there are many ways to incorporate this food into our eating routine, because thanks to its neutral and versatile flavor, it can go from being a salty dish to a sweet one.
The benefits of pumpkin
But what are its benefits?
1-Take care of blood pressure: on this occasion, apply the saying: “belly full, happy heart.” And is that eating pumpkin is critical in caring for the heart because thanks to its high content of vitamin C, fiber, and potassium, it is a source of energy that helps the heart’s health.
2-Improves vision: as if that weren’t enough, squash is antioxidant par excellence since it contains high sources of vitamins C and E and beta-carotene; make it an effective tool to take care of eye health and prevent degenerative damage.
3-Increase your immune system: in itself, vegetables such as pumpkin that are rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene allow a significant boost in the immune system due to their essential combination of nutrients.
Fact: Beta-carotenes are pigments that belong to the group of carotenoids, which are responsible for the yellow, orange, and red colors present in many foods. In addition, it is a primary source of vitamin A
Top 3: pumpkin-based recipes that you can make at home
Now that you have these benefits in mind, you will ask yourself: and how can I incorporate them into my day? Many recipes facilitate this work and that, in addition, are delicious and easy to de prepare. Therefore, below, we leave you three.
Squash cachaca
-Ingredients:
One squash
1 cup of cornstarch
½ sugar
1 cup of milk
Two eggs (optional)
One pinch of salt to taste
-Preparation:
The ingredients should be placed on a work table, previously having the pumpkin washed and diced.
Later, in a pot, you can add the water and salt together with the pumpkin. It is placed in the kitchen over medium heat for about 40 minutes.
After the established time, it is removed from the heat and drained with a strainer, reserving a cup of the broth in which the vegetable was cooked.
Once the pumpkin water has tempered, it is used to dissolve the cornstarch. Reserve it! Also, let the pieces of squash cool.
Grind the pieces of squash in a blender while, at the same time, add the sugar. Mix until a smooth dough forms. (At this time, you can add milk or eggs if you wish).
Spread a little oil or butter on the surface of a non-stick frying pan and heat over low heat to add a portion of the mixture. And so on, until you get a large number of round, yellowish squash cachapas ready to eat.
Pumpkin hamburgers
-Ingredients:
1 kg of pumpkin
Three tablespoons oatmeal
Four tablespoons of breadcrumbs
Two eggs
One clove garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
-Preparation:
After having washed the pumpkin very well, the skin is removed and cut into medium pieces.
If it is very hard, it is best to boil it for a few minutes in hot water. Subsequently, the whole vegetable is taken and grated with a medium to fine cut.
Next, the rest of the ingredients are incorporated, it is mixed very well until a uniform mixture is obtained. If it is too runny, it is recommended to add more oatmeal and breadcrumbs.
Courtesy photo
Get to work to form the squash patties, which are about the size of your palm.
Heat a little oil in a pan over medium heat, and cook the hamburgers for about 6 minutes. Once they are toasted on both sides, they are ready to serve and accompany with whatever you want.
Ready! From now on, you can incorporate squash into your diet to achieve, in this way, a healthier and more delicious eating routine at the same time.
