Pumpkin characteristics

• Source of beta-carotene
• Excellent source of vitamin A
• Source of phosphorus and magnesium
• Source of vitamin B2
• Source of vitamin C

Nutritional and calorific value of pumpkin

For 100g of pumpkin:

• Energy: 26 calories
• Water: 91.6g
• Protein: 1g
• Carbohydrates: 6g
• Lipids: 0.1g
• Fibre: 0.5g
• Calcium: 21mg
• Copper: 0.13mg
• Iron: 0.8mg
• Magnesium: 12mg
• Manganese: 0.13mg
• Phosphorus: 44 mg
• Potassium: 340mg
• Sodium: 1mg
• Zinc: 0.32mg
• Beta-carotene: 3100mcg
• Vitamin E: 1.06mg
• Vitamin K1: 1.1 mcg
• Vitamin C: 9mg
• Vitamin B1 or thiamine 0.05mg
• Vitamin B2 or riboflavin: 0.11mg
• Vitamin B3 or PP or niacin: 0.6 mg
• Vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid: 0.3mg
• Vitamin B6: 0.061mg
• Vitamin B9 or total folate 16mcg

Pumpkin is low in calories (26 cal/100g), has an excellent beta-carotene content and is a good source of minerals and trace elements.

The benefits of pumpkin: why eat it?

• Rich in antioxidants
• Source of minerals (phosphorus, magnesium, potassium)
• Source of vitamins (E, B2, C, E)

Choosing the right pumpkin

The pumpkin has an orange skin and is round in shape. The average weight is 5 kg.

The pumpkin should be firm, heavy in the hand, with a hard rind, without spots or cracks.

The seeds: Unless vacuum packed, seeds lose their freshness quickly and become rancid. The best time to buy them is in autumn, just after the harvest.

Oil: Look for 100% pure pumpkin oil (cheap products may contain other types of oil), cold-pressed and labelled with an expiry date.

Contraindications and allergies

Although allergy to foods in the Cucurbitaceae family (including the many varieties of pumpkin, courgette, squash, etc.) is quite common, few cases of allergy to pumpkin or pumpkin seed have been reported. Pumpkins, watermelons, cucumbers and courgettes form a food group to which allergies are strongly linked, so a person allergic to one of these foods is more likely to be allergic to the other three.