Trick-Or-Treat Yourself To Some Pumpkin
No, we’re not joking. Pumpkin, a member of the gourd family, has become one of the most iconic symbols of Halloween. While your children, nieces, and nephews, are busy thinking up new things to carve into their pumpkins, you should be thinking up new ways to add pumpkin to your diet! After all, regular physical activity and a healthy diet improve both your overall health and your spine health. Your spine is instrumental in providing the body with strength, support, flexibility, and a range of movements. Treat your body right and reduce the chance of developing wicked back pain this holiday season.
Surprising Health Benefits of Pumpkin
Fall in love with these amazing health benefits of pumpkin:
- Pumpkin is rich in vitamins. (Like Vitamin A which helps maintain healthy skin, teeth, and bones, and promotes good vision.)
- Pumpkin is low in calories.
- Pumpkin is a great source of fiber. (Fiber helps you feel fuller, longer, and helps regulate appetite.)
- Pumpkin contains tryptophan, an amino acid that helps make serotonin. (Serotonin contributes to your wellbeing and happiness.)
- Pumpkin seeds and pulp contain beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that can help protect against heart disease and slow the aging process.
Fresh pumpkin offers the most health benefits but canned pumpkin is also good. Avoid canned pumpkin pie mix which contains added sugars and syrups.
Good-bye, Pumpkin Pie
Not all foods are created equal. Foods that contain omega-3s, calcium, fiber, vitamins, iron, and lycopene, have been shown to reduce inflammation but when you mix healthy fruits, vegetables, and lean meats with heavy dressings, creams, and other products high in sugar, trans fats, and sodium, you essentially negate those benefits. Eating an extra slice of pumpkin pie won’t do you any favors so try one of healthy, delicious recipes you and your family will love!
For Breakfast: Pumpkin Smoothie Bowl
Smoothie Bowls are all the rage and this super easy recipe combines pumpkin and banana with apples, cinnamon, and walnuts to fill you up until lunch. Click here for the full recipe by Erin at TheAlmondEater.com
For Lunch: Roasted Pumpkin Apple Soup
Nothing warms you up on a cold day like a bowl of soup. This rich and delicious soup is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and is low in calories. Click here for the full recipe by Elena at AsEasyAsApplePie.com
For Dinner: Creamy Pumpkin Pasta
Everyone loves pasta, right? This creamy concoction is “skinny” and vegetarian. Make it even more filling by adding kale and chicken (dark, leafy greens and lean meats may reduce inflammation) for something truly magnificent. Click here for the full recipe by Jen at YummyHealthyEasy.com
For A Snack: Healthy, Fudgy Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites
Pumpkin pie lovers will love these bite-sized treats that have the flavor of pumpkin pie but are sugar-free, gluten-free, vegan, and high in fiber. Click here for the full recipe by Jessica and DessertsWithBenefits.com
For Dessert: Healthy Pumpkin Cookie Dough
This recipe is sugar-free, gluten-free, vegan, paleo, and packed with fiber. Click here for the full recipe by Arman at TheBigMansWorld.com.
After you try these recipes, share a photo of your finished product at our Facebook page!
Make William Capicotto MD your first choice for surgery.
No one wants to be kept from their favorite holiday activities because of back or neck pain. If you experience chronic pain that is debilitating or worsens over time, we invite you to call our office to schedule a consultation. At William Capicotto, we restore motion to your spine so you can move on with your life and get back to doing the things you love most with the people you love most.
