Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Pumpkins aren’t just for Jack-O-Lanterns!

Here at Willard we celebrate our favorite fruits and vegetables. These foods are good for our bodies and we can compost the leftovers. This helps keep the Earth healthy. This month we will focus on orange foods by bringing in orange foods and wearing orange clothes on Wednesday, November 13th!


After our trip to the pumpkin patch

photo by: Kirsten Skiles knitsteel


Pumpkins aren’t just for Jack-O-Lanterns!

Now that Halloween is over, it’s time to start thinking about how we can use all of those pumpkins left rolling around!  Sure, they make great decorations for Halloween but they are also delicious and packed full of good stuff.  Here are a few reasons to try some pumpkin!

1. Pumpkins contain Vitamin A which is great for your eyes and especially helpful when trying to see in the dark.

 2. Packed full of fiber, eating pumpkin will help you feel fuller longer!

3. Pumpkin seeds contain something called “phytosterols” which decrease the bad cholesterol in your body and increase the good cholesterol which is great for your heart.  Research shows they can even help defend your body from certain cancers!  Not only that, but pumpkin seeds help keep our moods bright by helping to produce serotonin and ward off depression.

4. A pumpkin’s bright orange color comes from an antioxidant called beta-carotene which can fight cancer and keep the skin wrinkle-free.

5. Pumpkins are packed full of potassium—even more than a banana!  So have some pumpkin after exercising to help recharge those muscles.

6. Eating pumpkin also gives you a big dose of Vitamin C which can help reduce the symptoms of the common cold.  It also helps keep the immune system nourished which can help the body battle disease.

How can you become Peter Peter the Pumpkin Eater?  Here are a few yummy ways to get pumpkin into your diet.

Toast the seeds that are inside the pumpkin.  Add a dash of salt or some delicious spices like cinnamon or nutmeg and you have a powerful treat.  If you like it hot, add some garlic and cayenne pepper instead and you’ve got yourself a spicy snack!

Add some pumpkin to a smoothie!  Toss in some cinnamon and nutmeg and you have a natural pumpkin spiced drink.

Add some pumpkin to your morning oatmeal and you’ll feel full well into lunch.  Top it with raisins, walnuts or some brown sugar.

Make pumpkin cookies.  Put in some chocolate chips for a delicious dessert.

Pumpkin bread and pumpkin muffins are also great ways to eat pumpkin.  Freeze the leftovers and you can have a pumpkin treat whenever you are hungry!

Mix some pumpkin with butter and mix it into your pasta for a tasty dinner.

There are many other orange foods to celebrate with...
Happy Wellness Wednesday!

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for all the info about pumpkins! We learned a lot of data about how healthy pumpkins can be for us.
    From 1ZA, Mrs. Zaccaria, Ms. Gallucci, and Ms. Gleason

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi 1ZA,
      Isn't is amazing how great pumpkins are!? There are many orange fruits and veggies that help keep our bodies strong. Let us know if you try any!

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