Does pumpkin have any nutritional value? My research in the interest of answering this question began as mostly negative. The data about calories, fat, protein and carbohydrates focused in on brand name frozen varieties that are commonly sold in grocery stores. Let this month’s newsletter allow me to redeem pumpkin pie by showing you what a homemade pumpkin pie has to offer in terms of nutrition. When compared to other typical holiday desserts, it actually comes out pretty good. Any dessert that has a vegetable as its main ingredient starts out ahead of other desserts whose main ingredients are sugar, white flour and fat.
Pumpkin, like carrots, is high in beta-carotenoids. The bright orange color tells us that pumpkin has anti-oxidants, iron, and vitamin B-2 (riboflavin). Iron builds the blood by replenishing the heme in the hemoglobin. That molecule is found in red blood cells; like a four prong fish hook, it grabs oxygen in the lungs and deposits it into other cells. A low level of iron in the blood is known as anemia. At our elevation, anemia results in an inability for the body to utilize what little oxygen is available up here. Riboflavin (B-2), unlike some B vitamins, is not destroyed by heat, oxidation or acid. It is essential to the body’s ability to metabolize carbohydrates, fats and proteins and convert them into available energy. The body even has an increased need for it in stress situations. It can aid growth, reproduction, helps promote healthy skin, nails and hair, and helps relieve a sore mouth, lips and tongue. It can also benefit vision and alleviate eye fatigue.
Another key nutrient in pumpkin is vitamin A; 100 mg provides 3500 IU’s of vitamin A and helps eyesight, even night blindness, builds resistance to respiratory infections, shortens the duration of disease, promotes strong bones, healthy skin, hair, teeth and gums, and growth. It helps treat acne, impetigo, boils, carbuncles and open ulcers when applied externally and aids in the treatment of emphysema and hyperthyroidism. It is very difficult to overdose on vitamin A if it is taken from a vegetable source, but you might turn a little orange – it’s called hypercarotenemia and is harmless. It might go unnoticed that pumpkin has a lot of fiber. In fact, pumpkin is pretty much all fiber. Canned versions of pumpkin somewhat disguise this because they pulverize it and chop it into tiny bits, making it appear to be more like a paste. Those who carved a jack-o-lantern last month can remember the stringiness of the insides of the pumpkin, including scraping the sides to get them really clean – that’s more fiber. Natural plant fiber helps the intestines in meaningful ways. Suffice it to say that typical desserts like cake or ice cream can have the opposite effect on the digestive system. The other nutritional benefits of pumpkin are at trace levels.
Moving on, another main ingredient in pumpkin pie is eggs. One egg has 6.3 mg of protein, and also contains vitamins A, B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6, B-12, C, D, phosphorus, selenium, calcium, iron, magnesium, copper, potassium, sodium, zinc, manganese, folate, and choline. I recently did a whole newsletter extolling the nutritious value of eggs, which can be found in the archives of the Active Life website at www.activelifechiro.info.
The third main ingredient in pumpkin pie is usually evaporated milk, from which 60% of the water has been removed. Although heat processed, evaporated milk can provide some solid nutrition. In 100 grams of evaporated milk, there’s calcium, 300 IU vitamin A, 6 IU vitamin D, 7.5 gr protein, 29 mg iron, 27 mg magnesium, 195 mg phosphorus, .065 mg copper, 332 mg potassium, 115 mg sodium,
.9 mg zinc, .006 mg manganese, 25.2 mg choline, 1.2 mg vitamin C, .24 mcg B-12, .738 mg B-5, .045 mg B-1, .309 mg B-2, .174 mg B-3, .055 mg B-6.
The other ingredients are sugar, and the pumpkin spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger and cloves (I go easy on the cloves myself). All in all this concoction is actually quite healthy. Other ways to make it even
healthier are to add in some protein powder to the mix, add extra eggs, and bake it in a greased dish or custard dishes and skip the pie crust. Other alternative ideas include using a gluten-free crust or even a cauliflower crust. Coconut milk makes a good alternative to dairy products, for those who prefer non-dairy ingredients.
On the subject of healthier holiday foods, sweet potatoes and cranberries can be substantial sources of similar nutrients and fiber. Find or modify recipes to use less sugar in order to lessen the negative.
Are elderberry supplements as ‘good’ as a flu shot? I recently read a newspaper article that compared the two. Would consuming elderberry pills, syrup, or powder be so effective that you wouldn’t need to get a flu shot? Of course, the doctors that were quoted said, “No it won’t replace a flu shot”. However, the benefits of taking elderberry were not extolled. The intent of the article appeared to be to promote flu shots. In the past two years, the flu shot gave people a 50/50 chance of not getting the flu. Like flipping a coin, these don’t seem like an improvement on your odds. Overall, the comparison of these two things seems meaningless. A flu shot exposes the immune system to a disease in order to stimulate its production of anti-bodies against it.
Nutritional supplements, including elderberry are taken to fortify health, preventing illness, because a robust immune system can often successfully fight off the disease. Anti-oxidants are said to destroy free radicals that otherwise can lower resistance to disease. There’s a measurement for this, called Trolox equivalents. (TE) 100 gr of elderberry has 10775 Trolox equivalents of anti-oxidants. The same amount of blueberries, considered to be very high in anti-oxidants, only contain 5562 TEs in comparison. Elderberry prevents colds, is an expectorant
and a circulatory stimulant, and has local anti-inflammatory effects. It also has polyphenolic flavonoids, vitamins C (36 mg) and A (600 IU’s), B-complex, and minerals such as calcium, potassium, manganese, iron, phosphorus and copper. There are different varieties to know about if picking your own: blue, purple, and black elderberries are edible, but the red ones are poisonous. The leaves, roots, and stems carry cyanidin alkaloid, which will give a person nausea, vomiting and in a worst case scenario’s neurological symptoms. Many safe elderberry products are readily available at retail stores. I think they are a good thing to have on hand all winter long.
Have you heard about the cautions regarding Lorazepam? Also known as Ativan, it is an anti-anxiety drug. Here’s one person’s cautionary tale. This patient was having problems within a week of surgery, specifically with sleep and was reluctant to use the prescribed, addictive pain medication as an aid. Subsequently, she was prescribed Lorazepam to help her sleep. A week later she saw a different physician who told her the Lorazepam was even MORE addictive, and advised her to stop taking it immediately. She was told that she would have to endure four nights of insomnia as part of the withdrawal, including a severe headache and nausea. So, here’s another “buyer beware” warning for you. Ask questions about any drug a doctor offers. Is it really necessary? Is it addictive? Are there other, less risky ways to address this issue? What exactly are the risks verses the benefits? Listen carefully to the answers to these important questions and realize that many of them are worse than the original issue that the drug promises to help. Weigh the benefits against the risks, and make educated thoughtful decisions for yourself. Our sincere and heartfelt wishes to you all for a happy, especially healthy New Year!
Pumpkin, like carrots, is high in beta-carotenoids. The bright orange color tells us that pumpkin has anti-oxidants, iron, and vitamin B-2 (riboflavin). Iron builds the blood by replenishing the heme in the hemoglobin. That molecule is found in red blood cells; like a four prong fish hook, it grabs oxygen in the lungs and deposits it into other cells. A low level of iron in the blood is known as anemia. At our elevation, anemia results in an inability for the body to utilize what little oxygen is available up here. Riboflavin (B-2), unlike some B vitamins, is not destroyed by heat, oxidation or acid. It is essential to the body’s ability to metabolize carbohydrates, fats and proteins and convert them into available energy. The body even has an increased need for it in stress situations. It can aid growth, reproduction, helps promote healthy skin, nails and hair, and helps relieve a sore mouth, lips and tongue. It can also benefit vision and alleviate eye fatigue.
Another key nutrient in pumpkin is vitamin A; 100 mg provides 3500 IU’s of vitamin A and helps eyesight, even night blindness, builds resistance to respiratory infections, shortens the duration of disease, promotes strong bones, healthy skin, hair, teeth and gums, and growth. It helps treat acne, impetigo, boils, carbuncles and open ulcers when applied externally and aids in the treatment of emphysema and hyperthyroidism. It is very difficult to overdose on vitamin A if it is taken from a vegetable source, but you might turn a little orange – it’s called hypercarotenemia and is harmless. It might go unnoticed that pumpkin has a lot of fiber. In fact, pumpkin is pretty much all fiber. Canned versions of pumpkin somewhat disguise this because they pulverize it and chop it into tiny bits, making it appear to be more like a paste. Those who carved a jack-o-lantern last month can remember the stringiness of the insides of the pumpkin, including scraping the sides to get them really clean – that’s more fiber. Natural plant fiber helps the intestines in meaningful ways. Suffice it to say that typical desserts like cake or ice cream can have the opposite effect on the digestive system. The other nutritional benefits of pumpkin are at trace levels.
Moving on, another main ingredient in pumpkin pie is eggs. One egg has 6.3 mg of protein, and also contains vitamins A, B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6, B-12, C, D, phosphorus, selenium, calcium, iron, magnesium, copper, potassium, sodium, zinc, manganese, folate, and choline. I recently did a whole newsletter extolling the nutritious value of eggs, which can be found in the archives of the Active Life website at www.activelifechiro.info.
The third main ingredient in pumpkin pie is usually evaporated milk, from which 60% of the water has been removed. Although heat processed, evaporated milk can provide some solid nutrition. In 100 grams of evaporated milk, there’s calcium, 300 IU vitamin A, 6 IU vitamin D, 7.5 gr protein, 29 mg iron, 27 mg magnesium, 195 mg phosphorus, .065 mg copper, 332 mg potassium, 115 mg sodium,
.9 mg zinc, .006 mg manganese, 25.2 mg choline, 1.2 mg vitamin C, .24 mcg B-12, .738 mg B-5, .045 mg B-1, .309 mg B-2, .174 mg B-3, .055 mg B-6.
The other ingredients are sugar, and the pumpkin spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger and cloves (I go easy on the cloves myself). All in all this concoction is actually quite healthy. Other ways to make it even
healthier are to add in some protein powder to the mix, add extra eggs, and bake it in a greased dish or custard dishes and skip the pie crust. Other alternative ideas include using a gluten-free crust or even a cauliflower crust. Coconut milk makes a good alternative to dairy products, for those who prefer non-dairy ingredients.
On the subject of healthier holiday foods, sweet potatoes and cranberries can be substantial sources of similar nutrients and fiber. Find or modify recipes to use less sugar in order to lessen the negative.
Are elderberry supplements as ‘good’ as a flu shot? I recently read a newspaper article that compared the two. Would consuming elderberry pills, syrup, or powder be so effective that you wouldn’t need to get a flu shot? Of course, the doctors that were quoted said, “No it won’t replace a flu shot”. However, the benefits of taking elderberry were not extolled. The intent of the article appeared to be to promote flu shots. In the past two years, the flu shot gave people a 50/50 chance of not getting the flu. Like flipping a coin, these don’t seem like an improvement on your odds. Overall, the comparison of these two things seems meaningless. A flu shot exposes the immune system to a disease in order to stimulate its production of anti-bodies against it.
Nutritional supplements, including elderberry are taken to fortify health, preventing illness, because a robust immune system can often successfully fight off the disease. Anti-oxidants are said to destroy free radicals that otherwise can lower resistance to disease. There’s a measurement for this, called Trolox equivalents. (TE) 100 gr of elderberry has 10775 Trolox equivalents of anti-oxidants. The same amount of blueberries, considered to be very high in anti-oxidants, only contain 5562 TEs in comparison. Elderberry prevents colds, is an expectorant
and a circulatory stimulant, and has local anti-inflammatory effects. It also has polyphenolic flavonoids, vitamins C (36 mg) and A (600 IU’s), B-complex, and minerals such as calcium, potassium, manganese, iron, phosphorus and copper. There are different varieties to know about if picking your own: blue, purple, and black elderberries are edible, but the red ones are poisonous. The leaves, roots, and stems carry cyanidin alkaloid, which will give a person nausea, vomiting and in a worst case scenario’s neurological symptoms. Many safe elderberry products are readily available at retail stores. I think they are a good thing to have on hand all winter long.
Have you heard about the cautions regarding Lorazepam? Also known as Ativan, it is an anti-anxiety drug. Here’s one person’s cautionary tale. This patient was having problems within a week of surgery, specifically with sleep and was reluctant to use the prescribed, addictive pain medication as an aid. Subsequently, she was prescribed Lorazepam to help her sleep. A week later she saw a different physician who told her the Lorazepam was even MORE addictive, and advised her to stop taking it immediately. She was told that she would have to endure four nights of insomnia as part of the withdrawal, including a severe headache and nausea. So, here’s another “buyer beware” warning for you. Ask questions about any drug a doctor offers. Is it really necessary? Is it addictive? Are there other, less risky ways to address this issue? What exactly are the risks verses the benefits? Listen carefully to the answers to these important questions and realize that many of them are worse than the original issue that the drug promises to help. Weigh the benefits against the risks, and make educated thoughtful decisions for yourself. Our sincere and heartfelt wishes to you all for a happy, especially healthy New Year!
