Pumpkin vegetable history, benefits and journey: Pumpkin is an amazing vegetable. This is one of those special vegetables which keeps the body healthy from inside and also enhances it from outside. If you consume pumpkin regularly then you will remain safe from depression. Its consumption also reduces the speed of ageing. It is also considered very beneficial for skin and hair.
Pumpkin is one of those vegetables in the world, which is considered very ancient. It grows all over the world and is used in various foods and dishes. It is a heavy vegetable and is also quite ‘heavy’ in terms of nutrition. It is one of those very few vegetables which not only keeps the internal systems of the body smooth, but is also successful in making you beautiful externally, that is why doctors and dieticians recommend including pumpkin in the diet.
Some special benefits of consuming pumpkin
1. Food experts believe that pumpkin contains special types of vitamins and minerals which are very beneficial for the body. It has negligible calories and fat and contains fibre, magnesium, iron, potassium, sulphur, protein, calcium, sodium, copper, vitamin A and C. According to well-known dietitian Anita Lamba, if your skin is oily then you can use pumpkin face pack. If there is dryness in the skin, then add honey and milk to pumpkin puree and apply it, the skin will start glowing. It is also beneficial in acne. The special thing is that alpha-carotene, potassium and zinc and other minerals are found in pumpkin which play a special role in growing hair and keeping them healthy.
2. Consumption of pumpkin is also considered very beneficial for the brain. In fact, apart from many troubles of life, lack of tryptophan in the body often becomes the cause of depression. L-tryptophan (a component useful in mental depression) is found in sufficient quantity in pumpkin, which reduces depression and stress. A research has accepted that pumpkin is a natural anti-depressant vegetable, eating it regularly also improves sleep.
3. Regular consumption of pumpkin reduces the speed of ageing. The reason for this is that its consumption keeps the skin and hair healthy. It has low calories and due to fiber it keeps digestion healthy. The beta carotene present in it maintains eyesight, while the potassium and magnesium present in it keep the heart and muscles smooth, and also contribute in keeping the immune system strong. If the body becomes so much ‘strong’ then the time of old age will go ahead.
4. Let us also tell you that the special minerals found in pumpkin reduce the risk of stroke and protect the arteries from hardening, which will reduce the risk of high BP. Its benefit will be that there will be no heart problems. The vitamins present in it also keep the body away from arthritis diseases. It also helps in removing toxicity from the body.
The history and journey of pumpkin is interesting
Pumpkin has been grown and eaten in India for thousands of years, yet it is an exotic vegetable. Author and senior scientist of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Dr. Bishwajit Chaudhary, in his book ‘VEGETABLES’ has considered its origin to be in the tropical region of America many thousands of years ago. By the way, in the Indian Ayurvedic text ‘Charak Samhita’, written 3 thousand years ago, Pumpkin (Kushmand) has been described as having alkali, sweet acid and destroyer of all three doshas (Vata-Pitta-Kapha).
Today pumpkin is cultivated the most in America, India, China and Mexico. Let us tell you that Halloween Day is celebrated every year on 31 October in western countries. Pumpkin is in great demand and respect on this day. The youth scare people by cutting pumpkins, making scary faces out of them and dressing them up.