Pumpkins just aren’t for decoration

By Richard White
INstride

October 11, 2009

Pumpkins just aren’t for decoration, the seasonal squash is a superfood.

And now’s the time to take advantage of all its health benefits—right down to the tiny seeds inside.

Pumpkin meat is high in carotenoids, shown to decrease the risk of various cancers, including those of the lung, colon, bladder, cervix, breast and skin.

These health-packed compounds are what give pumpkins their orange color. And it turns out they can also help improve our skin color—but without the orangish hue. Carotenoids can neutralize free radicals, nasty molecules that can attack cell membranes and leave the cells vulnerable to skin damage.

Also packed inside pumpkins are lutein and zeaxanthin, considered a friend to the eye in helping prevent the formation of cataracts and reduce the risk of macular degeneration. Read more