Pumpkins are a striking and at the same time somewhat forgotten vegetable. Yes, a vegetable, because despite the fact that pumpkins are very famous because of the originally American Halloween, pumpkin is also very tasty and healthy and there is no reason not to prepare pumpkin soup or pumpkin pie. September is the right month for this because then pumpkin season starts again.

Pumpkin season

September and October are months that are all about the pumpkin every year. Of course, this is because it is now pumpkin harvest time, but that is not the only reason. Every year on October 31st it is time for Halloween. Halloween is a kind of horror festival that is mainly known from TV series and films and eventually spread to the Netherlands. Not that we now go door to door with our children to score sweets (Trick or Treat), but the item is used in all kinds of ways these days in the form of decorations and/or parties with the motto Halloween.

Big, small, orange, green, long or short

You come across pumpkins in the strangest shapes, sizes and colors. In the garden centers with the intention of bringing back the fading summer colors in the garden, but also in the health food store so that you can make a deliciously healthy pumpkin soup. Unfortunately, this is not yet as well known as, for example, the traditional Dutch pea soup. And yet it is certainly tasty and equally healthy.

Pumpkins have been cultivated for thousands of years

Yet eating pumpkin is not new at all. Pumpkins were grown at least 7,000 to 10,000 years ago. At that time by the Indians in North America who already knew that all parts of the pumpkin could be used. The flesh of the fruit, of course, but also the seeds and the resulting pumpkin seed oil. Even the peel was used when dried as a dish or bowl. If they wanted to keep the pumpkins a little longer, they were cut into strips and dried and could then later be ground into flour after which they could be baked into cakes.They probably didn’t know how healthy pumpkins were at the time, but we do know now. Firstly, the color is already an indication. The orange color is caused by lutein, which has a protective effect against the development of cataracts, and of course there are the kernels. The seeds are packed with healthy nutrients and also with the healthy pumpkin seed oil that helps against a number of health problems. Pumpkin seeds are very tasty when you lightly roast them.

What is in pumpkin?

• Fruit flesh, seeds and oil.
• Vitamins and minerals such as: Vitamin B1, B6, B11, B12, C and D.
• Minerals such as: sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, copper and zinc.
• Fiber, antioxidants, carbohydrates, fats and sugars and certainly 90% water.

Pumpkins are healthy

It is now clear that pumpkins can be very tasty and are very versatile. But far too few people know that they are so healthy. The health benefits at a glance:

• Pumpkins speed up digestion
• Pumpkins are good for our cells
• Pumpkins are good for the eyes and skin. This is because pumpkins contain carotene that can be converted into vitamin A in our body
• Pumpkins increase resistance
• Pumpkins, but certainly also pumpkin seeds and oil, help against problems with the prostate such as prostate enlargement.
• Pumpkin seeds fight parasites/worms in the intestines
• Pumpkin seeds combat problems with the bile and liver
• Tea made from pumpkin leaves helps relieve asthma

What can you make from pumpkin?

Pumpkin soup is quite well known. But cake, pudding, puree, jam or pumpkin cake are also possible.

Pumpkin soup recipe

• You don’t have to peel a pumpkin. Simply cut the pumpkin into pieces and then scoop out the seeds and seeds with a spoon. Do not throw away the kernels. Rinse them and let them dry because you can roast them later. Delicious!
• Calculate 1 liter of water per kilo of pumpkin.
• Would you like to make the soup with meat in it? Then first draw stock from the soup meat. Then cut the pumpkin into pieces, add it and let it cook for about 20 minutes. Then first remove the meat.
• Add to taste: garlic, onions, ginger, turmeric, nutmeg, pepper, cumin and a little bit of savory. Not too much of all this!
• Pulse with a hand blender into a smooth sauce, after which the meat can be added again. You now have a creamy, smooth soup that you can dilute with some cream just before serving. But, you can also add fresh vegetables. It just depends on what you like.

Now this is one recipe but certainly not the only recipe! There are many different recipes for a delicious pumpkin soup made to your own taste. Just google it.

Another tip:

Do not leave the cut pumpkin pieces too large. The smaller the pieces, the faster they are cooked and the more nutrients can be retained.

Are all pumpkins edible?

In principle, all pumpkins are edible. But Gourds are not. And that naturally brings us to the question: What is the difference between pumpkins and gourds? Everyone always talks about pumpkins and actually gourds are also pumpkins but smaller. You can say that the larger types are pumpkins and therefore edible and the smaller types are gourds that are only useful for ornamental purposes.

Finally

If you want to work on your health, healthy food is the first requirement. It is always healthier and certainly cheaper to eat seasonal vegetables from your own country. This means the vegetables that are harvested on the land in that season and therefore no fruit and vegetables from greenhouses or abroad. Do you want to take it a step further? Then choose organic fruits and vegetables because they are tastier and much healthier.

read more

• Pumpkin seed oil is healthy
• Seasonal vegetables and fruits
• Biological. What is that actually?
• Preparing food with fresh products is much healthier
• Antioxidants and free radicals. What are those?