FitNutrition, LLC
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by Katie Jeffrey-Lunn, MS, RD
Now that the weather is colder and the air is crisp, I have the
desire to bake and fill the house with autumn smells such as
pumpkin pie and hot mulled cider. I love to create my own
recipes that are both nutritious and delicious.
Pumpkins, like other orange or yellow fruits and veggies, are
excellent sources of beta-carotene, an antioxidant and precursor
of vitamin A. Antioxidants are important for your health because
they neutralize free radicals or unstable substances in your body.
Free radicals are produced when the cells in your body create
energy by using oxygen or are formed when you are exposed to
environmental factors such as cigarette smoke and ultraviolet light.
Free radicals can damage body cells and tissues. Your chances
of developing certain types of diseases such as cancer, heart
disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease increase when you are
continually subjected to harmful environmental factors. Eating a
wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, like pumpkin,
broccoli, spinach, and berries, reduces your risk of developing
these diseases due to their abundance of antioxidants.
Vitamin A supports normal vision and helps your eyes adjust well
to the dark. It also promotes the growth and health of cells and
tissues throughout your body as well as protecting you from
infections by keeping the skin and tissues in your mouth, stomach,
intestines, and respiratory, genital, and urinary tracts healthy.
Pumpkin is also rich in vitamin K with one-half cup of canned
pumpkin supplying about 40% of your daily requirements. This
water-soluble vitamin is responsible for producing proteins that
cause your blood to clot when you bleed. Additionally, vitamin K
also aids in the production of other proteins that are needed for
your blood, bones, and kidneys.
Pumpkin is a good source of potassium and magnesium. These
minerals play essential roles in maintaining blood pressure. A half
cup of canned pumpkin supplies approximately 7% of your daily
requirement for potassium and magnesium and 10 and 8 percent
of your daily needs for iron and vitamin C, respectively. Pumpkin
is also naturally low in fat and provides a healthy 5 grams of fiber
per serving. And, it can be easily incorporated into a variety of
tasty and nutritious dishes or healthier desserts. A few of my
favorites are hot pumpkin pie cereal, moist pumpkin bread,
pumpkin bread pudding and pumpkin soup.
As you can tell, I just love the taste and versatility of pumpkin.
Enjoy baking with family and friends this Fall!
Katie Jeffrey-Lunn, MS, RD, CSSD, is a registered dietitian,
Board Certified as a Specialist in Sports Dietetics, a columnist,
and the owner of FitNutrition, LLC, in Mystic. She provides
individual nutrition counseling, sports nutrition counseling for
athletes and educational nutrition presentations on various topics
for all age groups. For more information, call 860-598-9547 or
go online to www.fitnutrition.net. Join FitNutrition, LLC on
Facebook.
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| The Benefits of Baking & Cooking with Pumpkin |
| 860-598-9547 katie@fitnutrition.net Old Lyme & Stonington, CT |
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