Some interesting facts about pumpkins
There’s a lot more to pumpkins than Halloween carvings and Cinderella’s carriage. We’ve put together a list of interesting facts about this iconic orange superfood.
- 1. Pumpkins, like other squash, are native to North America.
- 2. The name originates from the word pepon which is Greek for “large melon."
- 3. Scientifically speaking, pumpkins are a fruit as they contain seeds but when it comes to cooking, they’re often referred to as vegetables.
- 4. Pumpkin is one of the best-known sources of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that gives orange vegetables and fruits their vibrant colour and is converted to vitamin A in the body.
- 5. Pumpkin is low in calories and high in fibre.
- 6. Pumpkins seeds are packed with potassium and magnesium which can help lift your mood.
- 7. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the heaviest pumpkin recorded weighed 1,054 kg (2,323 lb) and was grown in Switzerland.
- 8. As a food, pumpkin can be baked, roasted, steamed or boiled.
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