It would make sense that October would be National Pumpkin Month. I honestly have never tried to eat pumpkin, not even pumpkin pie. I know, I am weird. But, in researching this post I decided I will most definitely be trying pumpkin. It is actually quite healthy, and with a hint of sweetness it could make a healthy snack option. I have had pumpkin seeds, but I don’t much care for them. I don’t care for seeds in general, though they are wonderfully good for you. Make sure you go for unsalted or lightly salted varieties if you have High Blood Pressure, or CKD. I would probably go for canned pumpkin, as it is quite a job if you just buy a pumpkin and do all that.
Here is some nutrition facts about pumpkin per 1 cup:
Calories: 30
Sodium: 1 mg
Potassium: 394 mg If you are on potassium restricted diet reduce amount to 1/2 cup serving size.
Carbs: 8 g this makes it a great low carb option but be careful how you prepare it.
Fiber: less than 1 g this is kind of disappointing , but another website said it had 3 g, go figure that one out.
Protein: 1.2 g another great snack option if you have CKD
Vitamin A: 197% DV Vitamin A is great for healthy eyes.
Vitamin C: 17% Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant
Iron: 4% this is great for Anemia
Vitamin B-6: 5%
Magnesium: 3%
Pumpkin is also great to add to dog food if your dog needs a little fiber or Vitamin C for skin.
So, what to do with pumpkin once you have some? Well, for me I will probably just throw it in a smoothie. That is how I eat a lot of fruits and veggies. But, with cooler weather coming I don’t enjoy smoothies as much. I might try it in soup, or make a cookie or bar treat.
Below there is a video showing 5 different recipes using pumpkin. The pumpkin mac n cheese looks fabulous, but that is a lot of cheese, and cheese means a lot of phosphorus. If you have CKD you may wish to cut back on the cheese in that recipe.
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Is squash a fruit or vegetable? Tell me in the comments.
Living Life With CKD 