Squash

The pumpkin is an annual herbaceous plant of the family of pumpkins, the plant has the shape of a bush or a half cusp with large and relatively stiff leaves. Solitary flowers, of the same sex, monoecious, yellow. Pumpkin fruit - pumpkin. Depending on the variety of the plant, the shape and color of the fruit can vary significantly, for example, the shape may have the shape of a bell or dish; and the color is white, yellow, green, sometimes with spots and stripes.

The fruit of the pumpkin resembles asparagus or artichokes to taste. The native land of the Patissons, like all the plants of the Pumpkin family, is South America, where they were cultivated 5,000 years ago. In ancient Egypt, scallops and other pumpkins were also grown, but these plants arrived in Europe only after the Spaniards conquered South America. A pumpkin is grown all over the world, in the wild the plant is unknown. The pumpkin is used in the same way as zucchini.

The unusual shape of these fruits is ideal for filling, and if you cut the "cover" and enough - the base (for stability), remove the pulp, place a little filling inside (vegetables, rice, fried minced meat) and bake , it will be worse than in the pot, and the plate served in the pumpkin will decorate any table. In addition to the fruit, buds, flowers and young leaves of pumpkin can be used as food.

At an early age, scallops are the most delicious and nutritious. They contain 4 to 12% dry substances, crude proteins, pectin substances, fats, sugar. In addition, sugars are represented mainly in the form of glucose and fructose, which increases their digestibility.

Pumpkin is a valuable source of mineral salts: potassium, calcium, phosphorus. They contain sodium, iron, copper, cobalt, molybdenum, titanium, aluminum, lithium, zinc and other trace elements. There are also vitamins B1, B2, carotene and ascorbic acid present in yellow fruits. By the way, they contain more vitamin E than zucchini and squash. Due to the low caloric content and the high fiber content, the scalp is widely used in the diet. Normalize the metabolism, prevent diseases of the cardiovascular system, kidneys and liver.

Pumpkins are used to prevent and treat atherosclerosis, hypertension and anemia. In addition, scientists have discovered that orange scallops contribute to the elimination of cholesterol from the body and also contain 3 to 5 times more lutein than other varieties. Once in the blood, the lutein begins to act as an antioxidant that prevents the formation of blood clots, strengthens the immune system and also neutralizes the free radicals that cause various diseases. Antioxidants - a garment of youth and longevity.

Another useful feature of lutein is a beneficial effect on vision, which is very important for the elderly. Pumpkin seeds contain up to 50% edible oil, which is a highly nutritious product of proteins and vitamins of excellent quality. 100 ml contains 603 kcal. In addition to oil, there are many other active ingredients in the seeds, such as glycosides, resins, unsaturated fatty acids.

In terms of lecithin content (430 mg%), they are almost as good as eggs rich in this compound. When the edema, to normalize the work of the nervous and endocrine systems, the seeds are peeled and ground in a coffee grinder. Take 1 - 2 tablespoons. Spoon three to four times a day, 15 to 20 minutes before a meal, water squeezed. The easy digestibility and nutritional value make these fruits are essential to violate liver and kidney function. They contribute to the absorption of protein foods, to a better separation of bile and restore glycogen in the liver. Pumpkin juice removes excess salts from the body, improves the intestines and calms the nervous system.

The only damage that the pumpkin has is that it is contraindicated for people with intestinal disorders, since a vegetable can only aggravate the situation. Scallops in canned form should not eat children up to ten years old, as well as people with diabetes mellitus, diseases of the pancreas, kidney and gastrointestinal tract. People with low blood pressure should be careful with pumpkin dishes. Otherwise, this product no longer has any contraindication.