tag:reuters.com,2021:newsml_RC2YBR9SKCJG:1065183298
(New York, NY) — With Halloween AND Thanksgiving right around the corner, a dietitian is offering some tips on incorporating pumpkin into the diet.
Taylor Stein at Mount Sinai hospital says pumpkins are a squash that are high in a substance that the body converts into vitamin A, which is essential to immune system health. She says one can easily blend canned pumpkin into soups, dips, and sauces and it can be a healthy substitute for ingredients in baking recipes, such as heavy cream. Pumpkin is also a good source of fiber and low in carbohydrates.
Pumpkin carving is a tradition around Halloween, and usually involves cutting around the stem to create a “lid”, scooping out the seeds inside and carving designs into spooky faces. To preserve the carved pumpkin, you can soak it in a bleach and water solution or rub petroleum jelly on the cut edges, just don’t use THAT pumpkin in your recipes!
Cooking pumpkin dishes is generally easier using canned pumpkin puree from the store.
