{"id":11977,"date":"2018-10-18T15:04:00","date_gmt":"2018-10-18T22:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lifeandhealth.wordifysites.com\/?p=11977"},"modified":"2021-11-10T14:47:44","modified_gmt":"2021-11-10T22:47:44","slug":"weekly-roundup-all-things-pumpkin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/food\/nutrition\/weekly-roundup-all-things-pumpkin\/1511977.html","title":{"rendered":"Weekly Roundup: All Things Pumpkin"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s hard to resist the spirit of this time of the year. Something about autumn feels less commercialized than the other seasons, especially the upcoming red-and-green one. Maybe it\u2019s because we\u2019re growing weary of the constant heat of summer, or the frantic but exciting whirl of transitioning our kids back to school, or maybe it\u2019s just\u00a0the welcome nip of brisk air that hits your cheeks first thing in the morning.<\/p>\n

There really is something to autumn, though, and I know that I\u2019m not the only one who starts putting a pinch of cinnamon onto everything, <\/em>and I\u2019m definitely not the only one who welcomes the sight of pumpkins piled high in front of grocery stores. Am I right?<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why we\u2019re equipping you to celebrate with a holiday you\u2019ve probably never heard of but will also probably be\u00a0game to observe anyway. It\u2019s National Pumpkin Day on Friday, October 26, and we\u2019re going all in.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t reduce your pumpkin to a scary mantle decoration; pumpkins are packed with awesome flavor and health benefits. Here are the top 5 health benefits, according to Medical News Today<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Regulates blood pressure<\/strong> \u2013 The fiber, potassium, and vitamin C present in pumpkin all support heart health. Studies have shown that consuming enough potassium may be almost as important as decreasing sodium intake for the treatment of hypertension, or high blood pressure.<\/p>\n

Reduces cancer risk<\/strong> \u2013 Research has suggested a positive relationship between a beta-carotene-rich diet, and reduced risk of prostate cancer. Pumpkin is known to be one of the best-known sources of beta-carotene.<\/p>\n

Combats diabetes<\/strong> \u2013 The plant compounds in pumpkin seeds and pulp are excellent for helping the absorption of glucose into the tissues and intestines, as well as balancing levels of liver glucose.<\/p>\n

Great source of fiber<\/strong> \u2013 The recommended daily fiber intake is between 25 and 30 grams and is not met by the majority of people in the U.S. Just one serving of cooked, fresh pumpkin contains nearly 3 grams of fiber while one serving of canned pumpkin contains over 7 grams.<\/p>\n

Protects immunity<\/strong> \u2013 Pumpkin pulp and seeds are high in both vitamin C and beta-carotene, which offer a boost to the immune system. Beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A, which triggers the creation of white blood cells that fight infection.<\/p>\n

Want even more pumpkin in your life? Here are some fun pumpkin-y activities you can try:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Find your tribe of pumpkin enthusiasts at your\u00a0local pumpkin festival<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Settle in with your edible pumpkin creation and watch It\u2019s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown <\/em><\/a>with your family.<\/p>\n

Scroll down and start cooking!<\/p>\n

Savory pumpkin recipes from around the web:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Pumpkin Chili<\/strong><\/a> (Gluten-Free) by The Edgy Veg \u2013 \u201cThis chili is made with a selection of beans and veggies, coated in a rich tomato base, and just the right amount of spice. It\u2019s so easy to\u00a0throw together and only uses one pot, so clean up is easy peasy. Plus, I guarantee that even the meat-lovers in your family will love this dish!”<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Easy Thai Pumpkin Curry<\/a><\/strong> by Loving It<\/em> \u2013 “You will love this fabulous vegan pumpkin curry, it is: hearty, satisfying, wholesome, Thai-inspired, super quick and easy, and just 10 ingredients (including the rice!)”<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Pumpkin Mac \u2018 N\u2019 Cheese<\/strong><\/a> by The Minimalist Baker<\/em> \u2013 \u201cOnce your pumpkin is roasted, it\u2019s time to make the sauce, which is a simple mixture of ingredients like sage, garlic,\u00a0nutritional yeast<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0almond milk<\/em><\/a>, and\u00a0vegan parmesan cheese<\/em><\/a>. I added a pinch of pumpkin pie spice to add some warmth and spice as well as an optional pinch of red pepper flake for some heat.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s hard to resist the spirit of this time of the year. Something about autumn feels less commercialized than the other seasons, especially the upcoming red-and-green one. Maybe it\u2019s because we\u2019re growing weary of the constant heat of summer, or the frantic but exciting whirl of transitioning our kids back to school, or maybe it\u2019s…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":11986,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,4,7],"tags":[524,555,349],"thb-sponsors":[],"yst_prominent_words":[1263,795,733,1223,1022,679,1249,1412,800,1676,867,1390,1335],"class_list":["post-11977","post","type-post","status-publish","format-image","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food","category-nutrition","category-why-plant-based","tag-plant-based","tag-seasonal","tag-weekly-roundup","post_format-post-format-image"],"acf":[],"views":3318,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11977","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11977"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11977\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21484,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11977\/revisions\/21484"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11986"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11977"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11977"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11977"},{"taxonomy":"thb-sponsors","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/thb-sponsors?post=11977"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=11977"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}