Pumpkin - a bright beautiful autumn fruit, originally from Mexico. This melon culture has been known for more than seven thousand years, but it was brought to Europe, and then to Russia, in the XVI. Here she fell in love and took root thanks to a huge number of useful qualities, accessibility, unpretentiousness and ability to be stored for a long time without loss of taste and quality characteristics.
Both the pulp and the seeds of the fetus have a unique chemical composition, and bring invaluable benefits to the body.
Eating pumpkin pulp is effective in any culinary design - the first and second boiled, fried and baked in the oven dishes, mashed potatoes, juices, jam, jam and even salads. But, like all fruits, fruits and vegetables, raw pumpkin brings the greatest benefit to the body.
Raw pumpkin: eat or not eat?
Perhaps, everyone has heard about the useful properties of this amazing product, without exception. But, for some reason, not everyone seeks to include pumpkin dishes in their diet - even dishes, not to mention a raw product. So, is it worth it or not to focus on the pumpkin, to eat or not to eat bright orange pulp? Definitely - yes!
Doctors and nutritionists, emphasizing the uniqueness of the beneficial composition, call for the use of raw pumpkin - the greatest benefit for the body is to use the product in its natural form. In extreme cases, you can alternate pumpkin dishes with a raw food diet. But, in fairness, it should be noted that the taste of raw pumpkin is much nicer than boiled, and the smell too. Raw pumpkin has a rich aroma of freshness, and during heat treatment a peculiar "pumpkin" smell appears, frankly, for an amateur.
Raw pumpkin - a storehouse of vitamins and minerals
Why is this gourd so useful? The benefits of raw pumpkin are a record amount of vitamins, trace elements and fiber. It is especially valuable that in the autumn-winter period all the nutrients are perfectly preserved in the fruits, and in the first 1.5 - 2 months the pumpkin matures, improving taste.
Chemical composition of the product
The weight of one medium instance is 3-6 kg. Imagine the nutritional value of one pumpkin if 100 g of pulp contains:
• vitamins - A, E, C, D, F, PP, T (carnitine), a group of vitamins B, carotene (more than in carrots);
• trace elements - zinc, copper, cobalt, as well as iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium in the form of salts;
• sugar;
• starch;
• pectin;
• cellulose;
• vegetable proteins;
• organic and fatty acids.
And all this with a calorie product of 22 kcal / 100 g.
Useful and healing properties
The richest vitamin and mineral composition provides a whole range of useful properties of raw pumpkin:
• has a positive effect on vision due to the content of vitamin A and carotene;
• improves the digestive system, promotes faster metabolism; a large amount of fiber cleanses the intestines, and a couple of pieces of pumpkin after a hearty meal will help to digest the contents of the stomach faster;
• raw pumpkin - a powerful antioxidant, helps to eliminate toxins from the body, toxins and "bad" cholesterol, strengthens blood vessels due to the content of pectins; regular use of raw pulp or freshly squeezed juice helps to normalize blood pressure and water-salt balance;
• pumpkin is one of the leaders in iron content; this important trace element and vitamin A help fight anemia;
• iron + vitamin T (carnitine) improves metabolism and blood coagulation;
• anti-inflammatory effect - helps to get rid of various kinds of inflammation in the intestine; pumpkin puree is recommended to be applied to burns, wounds, rashes, eczema - heals and anesthetizes;
• raw pumpkin at the beginning of the autumn-winter season - excellent prevention of colds, since the product contains vitamin C in large quantities;
• raw pumpkin is useful in old age - it helps to restore tissue, renew cells, strengthen bones;
• has a diuretic effect, promotes the splitting of kidney stones, the treatment of hemorrhoids and inflammatory processes in the bladder;
• pumpkin juice before bedtime will calm the nervous system and relieve insomnia.
This series of useful properties can be continued. In cosmetology, pumpkin extracts and extracts are used to create creams, shampoos, masks, lotions, etc. Raw pumpkin masks prepared at home effectively smooth wrinkles and rejuvenate the face.
Pumpkin - a diet product for effective weight loss
The benefits of raw pumpkin for weight loss are undeniable. Various diets are based on the low calorie content of pumpkin pulp. The carnitine in the composition helps to accelerate the metabolism and intensive burning of body fat. In addition, vitamin T strengthens the muscles, prevents the tissues from sagging after losing weight.
Another important component of bright orange pulp is structured water - up to 91%. It is structured water that has a healing effect on the body.
Fiber cleanses the intestines like a brush and prevents fat from being absorbed. The laxative effect of pumpkin also helps cleanse the body and speeds up metabolism.
Pumpkin diet consists in eating dishes from raw and heat-treated pumpkin for 2 weeks, during which time you can easily lose the extra 6-8 kg.
Pumpkin juice
Raw fresh squeezed juice from pumpkin is a source of a huge amount of useful substances and vitamins B1, B2, B6, E, A, C, beta-carotene, which is a powerful antioxidant. Drinking pumpkin juice on an empty stomach (150 g per day) will cleanse the liver of toxins, heal and rejuvenate the entire body. Raw pumpkin juice is very useful for children: it will increase immunity, help the work of the digestive tract, and supply the child’s body with useful substances and vitamins.
Pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin seeds - a universal product containing a lot of necessary components for the body: folic acid, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, essential oils, glycosides. The rich composition allows the use of seeds as an anthelmintic, against hair loss, prostatitis, zinc helps fight skin infections, acne. If earlier the use of pumpkin seeds for healing was referred to as folk medicine, now doctors are strongly advising to use the product as food, since its medicinal value and benefits have been scientifically proven.
What harm can raw pumpkin bring?
Any, even the most useful product, has restrictions on use. Raw pumpkin can also be harmful to the body. Unripe fruits should never be eaten raw. In addition, raw pumpkin is harmful in diseases:
• gastritis with reduced gastric secretion;
• intestinal colic of a different nature;
• violation of acid-base balance;
• stomach ulcer.
In other cases, in moderation, raw pumpkin can only benefit the body, and doctors officially recommend it for use in its raw form. In the autumn-winter season, a bright orange fruit will support the body and saturate with useful substances.
