The benefits and harms of boiled pumpkin: what is good about a boiled vegetable, how to cook and eat it correctly

Pumpkin enjoys well-deserved popularity on all continents. As soon as it is not prepared: they boil, and bake, and stew, and eat raw, prepare snacks, season with spices, herbs, butter and honey. It is useful in any form for adults and children.

Of course, the maximum benefit can be obtained from raw pulp, but the cooked vegetable also contains the same minerals and vitamins. In this article we will talk about the benefits and dangers of boiled pumpkin, consumption rates and contraindications.

Boiled pumpkin

Pumpkin is a valuable melon crop with a rich chemical composition. It is quite easy to cook it at home. The boiled pulp makes excellent cereals, soups, and puree for baby food. The advantage of this method of culinary processing is in preserving the beneficial qualities inherent in raw vegetable.

Benefit and harm

Pumpkin contains a lot of useful elements that have a beneficial effect on all systems of the human body.

Vitamin T, which is found in large quantities in pumpkin, helps to digest meat, legumes, vegetables high in coarse fiber.

Copper, iron, calcium, cobalt and zinc increase hemoglobin, strengthen bones, and enhance immunity.

Fiber accelerates the elimination of toxins and cholesterol, helps to reduce excess weight.

Boiled pumpkin is suitable for baby food from an early age. Bright orange shade attracts the attention of babies. Mashed potatoes, cereals and soups are often liked by little fussy. They perfectly saturate and replenish the reserves of vitamins and minerals.

Boiled pulp helps pregnant women fight swelling. This is facilitated by potassium, which gently and safely removes excess fluid from the tissues.

Boiled pumpkin masks can replace many expensive cosmetic products. They fill the skin with moisture, nourish, vitaminize and smooth the network of fine wrinkles.

In addition to the beneficial effect on the body, boiled pumpkin can harm people suffering from:

• diabetes mellitus (there is a lot of sucrose and fructose in the pulp, which lead to sharp jumps in insulin);
• ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract in the acute stage;
• chronic diarrhea (pumpkin has a laxative effect).

reference... Ban on pumpkin with stomach ulcers more related to raw vegetables. Boiled pulp is allowed to be consumed in small quantities.

Composition

In the pulp of boiled pumpkin, almost the same nutrients are stored as in a raw vegetable:

• vitamin A - useful for myopia, maintains the health of teeth, skin, nails and hair;
• B vitamins - normalize sugar levels, strengthen the immune system, increase stress resistance, improve the functioning of the digestive tract;
• vitamin D - forms and strengthens bones, inhibits the development of cancer cells, invigorates;
• vitamin K - prevents the leaching of minerals from the bones;
• vitamin PP - normalizes the state of the nervous system;
• vitamin T - helps to digest food;
• iron - increases hemoglobin;
• magnesium - regulates the work of the heart muscle;
• cobalt - is responsible for blood formation;
• zinc - rejuvenates, relieves inflammation of the prostate gland, relieves sexual dysfunction;
• copper - helps the body absorb iron.

KBZhU and glycemic index

Nutrients:

• proteins - 1 g;
• fats - 1 g;
• carbohydrates - 4.4 g

How many calories are in boiled pumpkin? For 100 g of pulp - only 28 kcal.

The glycemic index of boiled pulp is 75 units. This is a fairly high figure, so diabetics are advised to consume pumpkin in limited quantities. For them, the beneficial effects of pumpkin on the pancreas are especially noteworthy.

reference... The glycemic index (GI) is a measure that displays the rate at which blood sugar levels rise when certain foods are consumed. The body absorbs fast carbohydrates quickly. The jump in glucose levels signals the pancreas to produce a portion of insulin.

Benefits for various diseases

Boiled pumpkin is recommended to be included in the menu for such diseases:

• gout;
• atherosclerosis;
• pathology of the intestines, kidneys, liver, gallbladder;
• constipation;
• diabetes;
• obesity;
• lesions of the skin (dermatitis, eczema);
• diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

When losing weight

Low calorie content, high fiber and pectin content help to easily lose weight, remove excess water, which delays the process of losing weight.

Pumpkin pulp increases intestinal contraction, promotes the elimination of "bad" cholesterol. Coarse fiber, moving along the digestive tract, cleans the walls of toxins and toxins.

Just replace starchy vegetables with boiled pumpkin for a period of weight loss, lose weight easily and without disruption.

For men

Zinc in the pulp regulates the production of testosterone, improves the quality of semen, prevents the development of prostatitis, and eliminates problems with urination.

For women

The vegetable is healthy and for female representatives. Due to the high content of carotenoids, pumpkin provides an even tan and improves complexion, helps to remove deposits in fat traps (sides, thighs, back). During menopause, it prevents the development of complications (violation of cardiac activity, osteochondrosis against the background of a decrease in estrogen).

Folic acid, calcium and phosphorus support the woman's body during the period of bearing a child, contribute to the full development of the fetus.

Vitamin E reduces the risk of gynecological diseases.

For kids

100 g of boiled pumpkin puree contains the daily requirement of beta-carotene for children. Vitamin is essential for maintaining visual function, bone mineralization, and enhancing immunity.

Pediatricians recommend introducing pumpkin into the diet of hyperactive children. The minerals and vitamins contained in it have a beneficial effect on sleep, calm the nervous system, increase perseverance and attentiveness.

How to prepare and how to use

You can cook boiled pumpkin in a saucepan, double boiler, multicooker, microwave oven.

To make the vegetable tasty and retain the maximum of nutrients, use our tips:

1. Wash the fruit with warm water, cut into pieces, peel off the bark and take out the fibrous core with seeds. Sunflower seeds do not throw away, but dry. There are no less useful substances in them than in the pulp.
2. Cut the pulp into pieces and cook in plain water, milk, or mix in equal proportions.
3. To maintain shape, season generously with butter.
4. Season with salt and bring the water to a boil before adding the pulp. In cold water, pumpkin takes longer to cook and boils hard.
5. The ratio of liquid and vegetable is 2: 1, otherwise the product will cook unevenly.
6. Use a fork or knife to check for readiness. If the pulp is easily pierced, then it is ready.
7. At the end of cooking, place the pumpkin in a colander. Never leave in water if you want to preserve vitamins and the shape of the pieces.
8. Add some vegetable oil to the water. This will help the pulp to cook evenly.
9. Boil the pumpkin, covered and over medium heat.
10. In the multicooker, you can cook in the "Steam" or "Soup" mode. The maximum cooking time is 30 minutes.
11. To make pumpkin for desserts, add sugar to the water instead of salt, cinnamon, vanilla, star anise.

Cooking time:

• in a saucepan - 30 minutes;
• in a slow cooker - 35 minutes;
• in a double boiler - 30 minutes;
• in the microwave - in two stages, 10 minutes each;
• in a pressure cooker - 25 minutes.

Important! For children, boil the pumpkin until it is completely softened.

Rate per day

The consumption rate of boiled pumpkin for healthy people is 500 g.

The norm for diabetics is 200-300 g per day, which must be divided into small portions.

Contraindications to use

Boiled pumpkin is recommended to be completely excluded from the diet when:

• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and in the acute stage, in a chronic form;
• an allergic reaction to the product;
• chronic diarrhea.

reference... In diabetes mellitus, boiled pumpkin is carefully introduced into the diet in small quantities only after consulting a doctor, constantly monitoring the sugar level.

Stewed and boiled pumpkin - is there a difference

Boiled and stewed pumpkin have the same calorie content and chemical composition. With such cooking methods, useful substances and taste are preserved.

Which pumpkin is healthier: raw, boiled or stewed

Pumpkin is equally useful in any form. The difference lies in the fact that the raw pulp completely retains the chemical composition and coarse fiber. Therefore, such a product can be safely consumed by people who do not have problems with the digestive and endocrine systems, extracting maximum health benefits.

Boiled or stewed pumpkin is certainly rich in vitamins and minerals. Gentle heat treatment allows you to preserve the beneficial properties of the vegetable. The cooked pulp has a softer effect on the intestines and is easier to digest. Boiled pumpkin is allowed even for diabetics and small children.

Conclusion

It is difficult to answer unequivocally which pumpkin is healthier - raw, boiled or stewed. For healthy people, there is no significant difference. It's a matter of taste: some enjoy drinking a glass of fresh juice, others like pumpkin porridge. In order not to harm the body and get only benefits, do not neglect the recommendations of experts on its use and listen to your own feelings.