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Pumpkins for Health!

The pumpkin is the vegetable that is probably the most emblematic of fall and the oncoming winter. (Even though, biologically-speaking, pumpkins are technically fruits, they are considered vegetables for culinary purposes). The only time it usually appears on the table is during the holidays in a store-bought or homemade pie. But there are more than a few reasons you should consider adding pumpkin to your diet year-round. Apart from being chock full of fiber, pumpkins contain:

* Vitamins C
* Vitamin E
* Vitamin K
* Potassium
* Carotenoid pigments like alpha-carotene
* Beta-carotene
* Lutein

By now, you may be scratching your head, thinking how difficult it would be to regularly incorporate this seasonal vegetable into your diet. Nonsense! There are literally dozens of delicious and nutritious pumpkin dishes, many of which are available all year long, including pumpkin bread and muffins, pumpkin rolls, and pumpkin casseroles.

You can even add roasted pumpkin seeds to salads or soups. Pumpkin seeds, also called pepitas, are loaded with minerals and are high in zinc and essential fatty acids. If you're one of the many people who love roasting the seeds from their Halloween jack o'lanterns, be sure to set some aside to enjoy later. Though the high oil content means pumpkin seeds go rancid fairly quickly, they may be kept for several months if properly frozen or vacuum-sealed.