The pumpkin, as one of the largest single fruits in the plant kingdom at all, belongs botanically to the group of berry fruits and to the family of the so-called Cucurbitaceae. Nevertheless, the pumpkin in our latitudes in its use is mostly used as a vegetable or appreciated as a decorative ornament in late summer or autumn.
Occurrence and species of pumpkin
Many pumpkins today are subject to innumerable crosses, so it is easiest to divide them into edible and ornamental. Pumpkins vary exceedingly extensively in color, shape and size. In addition, there are a lot of quite different species, including those that from the botanical point of view fall under the type of so-called Lagenaria. The main species of these imposing fruits in general include the garden pumpkin, the giant pumpkin, the musk pumpkin and the fig leaf pumpkin. Many pumpkins today are subject to innumerable crosses, so it is easiest to divide them into edible and ornamental. In addition, summer and winter squash can be distinguished by the thickness of the skin. Summer squashes with thin skin include zucchini, among others. The home of pumpkins is Central and South America. It came to Europe via North America. He has a millennia-long history behind him. It is probably one of the oldest food and cultivated plants in America. However, the so-called – visually striking – bottle gourds, which belong to the botanical group of Lagenaria, originated in Africa.
Application and use
Especially in the last two decades, pumpkins have regained greater importance in Germany. On the one hand as a vegetable, on the other hand as a decoration in the autumn months. But also the healing effects of the pulp and pumpkin seeds are increasingly appreciated in naturopathy and self-medication. Its processing to meals in the classical vegetable sense has the pumpkin above all the alternative and the health food scene to owe. Here above all starting from the 90’s many old-established vegetable and fruit kinds were again again discovered for the cooking pot. The last years the pumpkin belongs in the autumn naturally on the menu with. Whether the flesh of the pumpkin as pumpkin soup, pumpkin curry, pumpkin puree, pumpkin casserole, pumpkin gratin, to fill pasta, sweet and sour as a salad or as a refinement of Cilli, the pumpkin is almost universal. It has also now conquered baked goods in the form of pumpkin bread or pumpkin pie. Baked sweet, it is a welcome dessert. The edible pumpkins almost all have a slightly fibrous, yellowish-orange flesh. The flesh of the pumpkin has a slightly sweet taste. Its pumpkin seeds are also a delicious change when roasted as snacks, toppings for salads, in cereal or baked into rolls and breads. Pumpkin seeds are also processed into high-quality pumpkin seed oil.
Importance for health, treatment and prevention
Pumpkin pulp is extremely gentle on the stomach and low in calories. It is rich in phytochemicals, fiber and contains a lot of water. Thus, digestion is promoted and toxins can be eliminated more quickly. Curative effects are known for obesity, constipation, rheumatism, gout, elevated blood lipid levels, pancreatic complaints, kidney weakness and heart problems. In addition, the immune system and nerves are strengthened by eating pumpkin pulp. Pumpkins owe their color to carotene. Some pumpkins even contain twelve times the amount of carotene than the already extremely carotene-containing carrots and thus provide an extremely good supply of vitamin A. The pulp of the pumpkin can also be processed as a vitamin– and mineral-rich vegetable drink. Pumpkin seeds contain valuable polyunsaturated fatty acids, a lot of vitamin E and various minerals. They help in the digestive system, excretory organs, bladder weakness and especially – as one of the really few medicinal plants – prostate problems. They have a diuretic effect in the organism. The ingredients of the seeds, especially linoleic acid, have a direct positive effect on the bladder muscles and strengthen them. In addition, pumpkin seeds can provide a quick remedy for worms. The seeds are generally said to delay human aging processes. The cold pressed pumpkin seed oil is characterized mainly by a high content of the extremely healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids.In addition, it is rich in selenium and it contains fat-soluble vitamins A and E, as well as vitamins B1, B2 and B6. Pumpkin seed oil is therefore not only tasty, but also extremely healthy.
