For those trying to lose weight this Halloween season, try avoiding the kids' candy bucket by looking no further than the pumpkin sitting on your front porch!
The nutritional value of pumpkins are very well known. Sure, you've probably seen pumpkin seeds in the gas station food marts but the meat of the pumpkin is equally as nutritious.
Locate a pumpkin patch in the Atlanta area!
If you are on a low-carb diet such as Atkins, pumpkin is actually one of the allowed vegetables. A half cup of canned pumpkin has 6.5 grams of effective carbohydrates which are the carbs your body uses for energy. The same half cup also contains 3.5 grams of fiber.
One tip off that pumpkin is loaded with nutrients is the orange, bright color. It has a boatload of Vitamin A and carotenoids (especially alpha and beta-carotenes) as well as vitamins C, E, and K.
And, about those seeds? Pumpkin seeds have an anti-inflammatory effect and may even help against prostate cancer as well as osteoporosis.
How to prepare it
There are a couple of ways to prepare the pumpkin meat. You can puree it by cutting the pumpkin in half, baking it, scoop out the cooked meat, and puree in a food processor. You can go HERE for detailed instructions on making pumpkin puree.
You can also bake the chunks by cutting the raw meat into cubes and popping them into the oven. Did you know you can substitute pumpkin for squash in recipes that include squash?
There is also the roasting of the seeds. First, scoop the seeds out and wash them thoroughly. After they dry, just season them how you want and pop them in the oven (set to 300 degrees) for about 45 to 60 minutes. Make sure to stir them about every quarter hour.
Looking for pumpkin recipes?
Sure, there is pumpkin pie but what else can you do with pumpkin? Here are some great recipes:
- Low-carb pumpkin cheesecake
- Pumpkin bread
- Pumpkin waffles
- Toasted pumpkin seeds
- Frozen pumpkin mousse pie
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