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Plant Source Foods
Published in Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy, Food and Lifestyle in Health and Disease, 2022
Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy
Pumpkin belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae, genus Cucurbita. It is found in tropical and subtropical countries, with its three varieties being Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita moschata, and Cucurbita pepo (146). Pumpkin fruit is composed of pulp and seeds. Pumpkin pulp contains polysaccharides, carotenoids, amino acids, active proteins, and minerals. Pumpkin fruit and seeds are high in lipids and proteins, and they are a good source of potassium, copper, manganese phosphorus, and magnesium (146). Pumpkins are rich in macro- and micronutrients and antioxidants that promote immunity against cancer and other diseases (146). Pumpkins are consumed in various ways, whether fresh, canned, frozen, or dried. Preservation of pumpkin by drying is an important way to prevent postharvest losses. Pumpkin fruit can be processed into flour which has a longer shelf-life, highly desirable sweet flavor, and deep yellow-orange color. Pumpkin flour contains high levels of carbohydrates, starch, dietary fiber, protein, and low levels of lipids and crude fiber, and is an ideal food for diabetes patients, cardiovascular disease patients, and the elderly (146). Many countries, such as India, China, Brazil, Argentina have been using different species of this fruit as a medicine. The various health benefits of pumpkin include antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-carcinogenic, and possible anti-fatigue effects (146). Pumpkin may protect eye health and lower blood cholesterol.
Moderate Consumption of Nuts and Seeds
Published in John J.B. Anderson, Marilyn C. Sparling, The Mediterranean Way of Eating, 2014
John J.B. Anderson, Marilyn C. Sparling
Most Mediterranean populations consume nuts such as almonds, pine nuts (pignolia), pistachios, hazelnuts, and walnuts. Sesame seeds also figure prominently in the diets of most Mediterranean nations. Other seeds frequently consumed include fennel, caraway, celery, poppy, and flax. Pumpkin and sunflower seeds also offer unique health benefits, but they have only been eaten since discovery of the New World, as they are native to the Americas. Substituting moderate amounts of some nuts and seeds for other, less-healthy foods likely plays a role in helping to prevent chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).
Encapsulation of bioactive compounds extracted from Cucurbita moschata pumpkin waste: the multi-objective optimisation study
Published in Journal of Microencapsulation, 2022
Slađana Stajčić, Pezo Lato, Jasna Čanadanović-Brunet, Gordana Ćetković, Anamarija Mandić, Vesna Tumbas Šaponjac, Jelena Vulić, Vanja Šeregelj, Jovana Petrović
Pumpkin is one of the vegetables used in healthy diets as well as for medicinal purposes in many countries (Caili et al. 2006; Zdunić et al. 2016). There are about 20 species which belong to the pumpkin (Cucurbita) genus of the Cucurbitaceae family (Kulczyński and Gramza-Michałowska 2019). Three of these species, Cucurbita pepo L., Cucurbita maxima Duchesne, and Cucurbita moschata Duchesne are economically important and cultivated worldwide with high production yield (Caili et al. 2006). However, less attention has been paid to Cucurbita moschata Duchesne, in spite of its great nutritional value (Jacobo-Valenzuela et al. 2011).