Pumpkins have been cultivated for more than three millennia…
And… in ancient China, newlyweds were given a pumpkin as a wish for fertility.
In Laos there is a legend like that of Noah's Ark, according to which a local righteous man was warned of the coming flood and he hid with his family in a large gourd.
Pumpkins have been used to ward off evil spirits in Thailand and Cambodia. Again, in these countries, they were also used to treat infertility. The pumpkin is also a main attribute of the mystical holiday of Halloween in the USA and Western Europe.
Over the centuries, it was also often used in alternative medicine to treat various diseases – high fever, nervous disorders, constipation, heart pain and more…
Since the healing properties of the pumpkin were widely known, it was grown everywhere and in large areas. In addition, it can be stored for a long time without special care.
Pumpkin is a very good vegetable to use in your daily diet as it contains all the vitamins of groups B, C, E, PP and T, which are rarely found, but speed up the metabolism.
Pumpkin also contains vitamin K, which is responsible for blood clotting. It is also a rich source of vitamin A, which acts as an antioxidant and protects the body from the harmful effects of free radicals. It contains trace elements such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, cobalt, sodium and iron.
Pumpkin is low in calories and highly recommended for any diet. It is easily digested, which makes it suitable for consumption by the elderly as well.
In addition, there is a lot of pectin in pumpkins, which cleanses the intestines and helps the body get rid of accumulated radionuclides.
Pumpkin helps with stomach ailments.
Pumpkin is also very useful for people with stomach and intestinal diseases, stomach ulcer, duodenal ulcer, colitis or gastritis. It is recommended to consume it not boiled, but roasted. The seeds are a proven laxative. No less rare vitamin T helps digest heavy food and prevents obesity. Pumpkin has a mild laxative effect and works well for constipation. Prevents the formation of edema and water retention in the body. Pumpkin is also a mandatory part of the menu for hepatitis patients.
Pumpkin is useful for sick kidneys
Pumpkin removes salt and water from the body without irritating the kidneys. This makes it suitable for the prevention of urinary diseases such as pyelonephritis. Kidney ailments are alleviated if half a glass of freshly squeezed pumpkin juice is drunk in the evening before going to bed. For people prone to the formation of kidney stones, it is recommended to carry out a three-week treatment course with pumpkin juice four times a year. It is taken every morning in one cup.
Anti-obesity pumpkin
Pumpkin is low in calories and can be taken in unlimited quantities. It suppresses the feeling of hunger, and at the same time accelerates the metabolism and the removal of slags from the gastrointestinal tract. It acts very delicately on the gastrointestinal tract.
Pumpkin against intestinal parasites
Pumpkin seeds have been famous for their anti-parasitic effect for centuries. They are particularly effective against worms. In this case, folk medicine recommends taking cleaned raw pumpkin seeds for a week, together with the green rind.
Pumpkin for a more stable nervous system
Pumpkin contains substances that improve the work of the nervous system. Thanks to the high content of B vitamins, pumpkin has a calming effect and is even recommended for pregnant women with symptoms of frequent vomiting.
In case of insomnia, it is good to take half a glass of fresh pumpkin juice at night before going to bed, or to consume a compote of the soft part of the pumpkin with a spoonful of honey. For relaxation and sound sleep, it is good to drink the water from the boiled pumpkin.
The folk medicine also has an anti-stress recipe - a wine glass of pumpkin juice, the juice of two lemons and two tablespoons of honey dissolved in warm water are mixed. This liquid supplies the body with a lot of potassium and vitamins, which help the body fight stress.
One of the biggest advantages of pumpkin is that there are almost no limits when it comes to its culinary uses. Its relatively neutral taste adapts equally well to sweet or savory recipes.
If you can't wait to get wild in the kitchen and turn the pumpkin into the main ingredient of your masterful culinary performance try this simple recipe :
Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients:
• Pumpkin - 1.5 kg
• Pie crusts - 400
• Sugar - 250 g
• Water - 150 ml
• Walnuts - 150
• Melted butter (or vegetable oil) - 150 g
• Orange peel - grated from 1 orange
• Vanilla
• Cinnamon
(Image of traditional pumpkin pie from the Beni's kitchen)
Preparation:
Put the grated pumpkin in a saucepan together with the sugar, water, cinnamon, vanilla and grated orange. We stew the pumpkin for a few minutes and then pour it into a colander to drain well.
We do not throw away the juice, but set it aside. Crush the walnuts and add them to the drained pumpkin.
Arrange the pumpkin pie in the usual way. We grease the two crusts with butter (or vegetable oil) and put the stuffing on them, then roll them up. Place the first roll in the middle in a pan greased with oil, wrapping it like a spiral. And we continue like this with the other rolls to get a big spiral from all the rolls.
If we want, we can also make the pumpkin as a layered pie. Brush the finished pumpkin with oil and bake until golden brown in a preheated oven at 180°C. A few minutes before the end of baking, take the pumpkin pie out of the oven and pour the squeezed juice over it. And then return it back to the oven to finish baking for another 5 minutes. We serve this delicious pumpkin pie slightly chilled.
True deliciousness with benefits for every season.
Shared with joy
A. A
Stob, Bulgaria