Pumpkin is a nutritional food with multiple health benefits.1 In a 100g serving, pumpkin contains approximately 2mg of calcium, 340mg of potassium, and 44mg of phosphorus.2 The seeds of pumpkins are rich in nutrients such as zinc, magnesium, and phosphorus, which can help reduce and prevent inflammation and arthritis. Research indicates that eating pumpkin seeds is positively associated with a reduced risk of certain cancers, including breast, rectal, and lung cancers.1
A 2009 randomized, double-blind study conducted with 47 patients, with an average age of 53.3 years old, studied the link between pumpkin seed oil and prostate cancer. Three months later, researchers identified that the pumpkin seed oil was effective in preventing hormone-induced cell growth of the prostate. In a separate study, researchers discovered that for 20 days, an oral dose of between 20–40mg/kg of pumpkin seed oil is as equally effective in preventing testosterone-induced hyperplasia of the prostate.1
Globally, pumpkins have been used as part of traditional medicine to treat diabetes due to the fruit’s hypoglycemic properties, which benefits individuals with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Pumpkin contains pectin, a dietary fiber, which might help maintain glycemic levels and reduce the need for insulin when patients with diabetes regularly eat foods high in fiber. Consuming pumpkin as part of a regular diet has benefits for patients with diabetes due to pumpkins’ protein-bound polysaccharides which can help improve the body’s tolerance of glucose, decreasing glucose levels and increasing serum tolerance.3
Sources
- Guo J, Huang X, Dou L, et al. Aging and aging-related diseases: from molecular mechanisms to interventions and treatments. Sig Transduct Target Ther. 2022;7(1):391.
- National Institutes of Health National Human Genome Research Institute. Telomere. Accessed 27 Jul 2024. https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Telomere
- Schneider CV, Schneider KM, Teumer A, et al. Association of telomere length with risk of disease and mortality. JAMA Intern Med. 2022;182(3):291–300.
