Add pumpkin to savory meals for health and nutritional benefits
In a world full of pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin-flavored you-name-it, leave room for pumpkin-savory meals. Dr. Luis Rustveld, a registered dietitian at Baylor College of Medicine, explains how you can add pumpkin to your savory meals and the health and nutritional benefits it offers.
Pumpkin is a great addition to any meal, Rustveld said. It can go well with sources of protein like chicken, lentils, beef or fish. It’s a healthy vegetable not only for the fall season, but at any time.
“It is a nutritionally-dense vegetable. It’s low in calories and high in fiber and vitamin A. One cup of cooked pumpkin provides you with about 200% of the recommended daily value of vitamin A, along with potassium, vitamin C and fiber,” Rustveld said.
He adds that these nutrients support eye health, immunity, heart health and are a rich source of antioxidants.
To incorporate pumpkin into the diet, Rustveld suggests starting with small amounts of pumpkin puree or using it as a substitute. You can also pair it or add it to soups or stews.
“You also can enhance pumpkin’s flavor by adding herbs and spices. This can make soups or stews thicker, more flavorful and savory by mixing it with curry, chipotle or any other kind of seasonings,” he said.
Rustveld also suggests using pumpkin pasta or risotto. He says that you can mix pumpkin puree with tomato sauce to thicken it and then pour it over your pasta. Because pumpkin is on the sweet side, you also can use it with vinegar-based ingredients. You can even add pumpkin to your pancake batter to make your pancakes more nutritious with added fiber and vitamin A.
If you are carving a pumpkin, don’t throw away the seeds because they are healthy as well. “You can roast them. They are also rich in plant-based protein and fiber,” Rustveld said.
While there isn’t a specific amount of pumpkin you should or shouldn’t consume, Rustveld says that if you have diabetes, prediabetes or kidney disease, eat pumpkin in moderation.
“Although pumpkin is very high in fiber, it also contains carbohydrates. Eating too much pumpkin in one sitting can cause spikes in your blood sugar. Pairing pumpkin with a protein source can help offset that,” Rustveld said.
Learn more about Baylor Medicine Family Medicine.
By Taylor Barnes