Pumpkins Essay

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As members of the squash family (sometimes referred to as “winter squash”), pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo) are thought to have originated in North America. The oldest evidence of pumpkin seeds, found in Mexico, dated from 7000–5500 BCE. Pumpkins are not actually a vegetable but are more accurately a type of botanical berry or pepo. The word “pumpkin” derives from the Greek pepon, which translates to “large melon”. The giant pumpkins (Cucurbita maxima) grown in South America can exceed one tonne in weight. While mainly orange, pumpkins can also be white, deep yellow or dark green. Today, pumpkins are grown everywhere in the world except Antarctica — for human food, animal food or for commercial or ornamental uses. Nutritional value The colour of pumpkin …show more content…

Other common carotenoids found in pumpkins are lutein and zeaxanthin. Pumpkin is a highly nutritious vegetable. One cup of cooked pumpkin (without added salt) contains 49 calories (205 kilojoules), 1.76 grams protein, 0.17g fat, no cholesterol and 12g carbohydrate (including 2.7g fibre), and it provides approximately 100 per cent of the RDA of vitamin A precursors, 20 per cent of vitamin C, 10 per cent or more of vitamins E and B2, and minerals such as potassium, copper and manganese, and at least 5 per cent of B6, folate, B3, B5, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. Pumpkin as a food Pumpkins are very versatile eating. The ripe “berry” can be boiled, steamed or roasted and eaten in either savoury or sweet dishes (eg pumpkin pie). Most other parts of the plant are also edible, including the seeds (raw or toasted as a snack), leaves (made into kimchi or as a vegetable) and even the flowers. Even when green and still small, pumpkins can be eaten like zucchini. Pumpkins (in various forms) are eaten almost all over the world and cooked according to the local cultural norms for both

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