• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Dianne's Vegan Kitchen

Vegan Health & Lifestyle Coach

  • Home
  • Meet Dianne
  • Health Coaching
    • Testimonials
  • Cooking Classes
  • Events
  • Recipes
  • Healthy Living
  • Cookbooks
    • The Big Book of Vegan Cooking
    • Eating Vegan
    • The Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook
  • Work with Me
    • Coaching and Classes
    • Partner with Me

Health Benefits of Pumpkin + Vegan Recipes!

September 16, 2020 By Dianne 2 Comments

  • Share
  • Tweet
Health Benefits of Pumpkin + Vegan Recipes! collage

Health Benefits of Pumpkin + Vegan Recipes! - pumpkins with text overlay

There are so many health benefits of pumpkin! Go ahead and indulge in your favorite autumnal treat, because it’s choc-full of full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. It’s only in season for a short while, so get it while you can!

multicolored pumpkins

Pumpkin Everything 

For many years, pumpkin seemed to be relegated to the ranks of Halloween decorations and the occasional pie, but lately it’s moved on to the dinner table.  It seems that every time I log onto to Facebook or Twitter, someone somewhere is talking about consuming some sort of pumpkin something-or-other. And Pinterest is completely chock full of pictures of pumpkin porn – pumpkin soup, pumpkin cinnamon rolls, pumpkin bread and even pumpkin chai smoothies. I’m totally guilty of hopping on the pumpkin hayride, too, with recipes such as Tempeh and Pumpkin Noodle Bowl and Harvest Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette.

 

squirrel and pumpkin I’m not sure how and when this pumpkin trend started, but I’m quite fine with it. There are many health benefits of pumpkin, so I hope it’s here to stay. Even the little critters in my yard are fond of it, as this big, bright orange pumpkin was on my front porch no less than an hour when I found it covered in nibble marks with one big gapping wound towards the bottom. Those squirrels know what foods are good for them!

Although fresh pumpkins are only available for a short time in autumn, we can enjoy it year-round thanks to the miracle of canning.

pumpkins in barrel

Pumpkin Nutrition

Pumpkins are packed with all kinds of good stuff!

Beta Carotine

This carotenoid is converted to Vitamin A in the body.

Fiber

One cut of pumpkin contains almost 3 grams of fiber. 

Vitamin C

This vitamin can help keep your immune system going through cold and flu season.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is known to prevent disease as well as improve skin and eyesight. 

Potassium 

An important mineral, potassium is known to reduce blood pressure, protect against stroke, and prevent kidney stones

Pumpkin also contains smaller amounts of copper, manganese, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and folate.

mini pumpkins

6 Health Benefits of Pumpkin

They can boost your immunity

The antioxidants found in pumpkin, along with Vitamins A, C, and E, can help strengthen the immune system and ward off disease. 

They can help protect your eye-sight

Pumpkin’s bright orange color ensures that they’re packed with Vitamin A, which has been linked to strong eyesight. They also contain lutein and zeaxanthin, which can lower the risks of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

They’re great for your skin

The high vitamin and mineral content in pumpkin are great of healthy, glowing skin. The nutrients found in pumpkin seeds can prevent wrinkles and keep your skin hydrated and nourished, so don’t throw the seeds away when you’re scooping out that jack o’lantern!

They have an anti-inflammatory affect

Regular consumption of pumpkin as been showing to protect against joint inflammation and arthritis, thanks to it’s high beta carotene content.

They can make you happy!

Pumpkins contain L-triptophan, which is known for alleviating depressing and triggering feelings of happiness and well-being.

They’re good for your belly

Pumpkins are high in fiber and are very effective at treating such tummy upsets as constipation, indigestion and gas. (And I’ve heard pumpkin is good for doggies’ tummy troubles too!) The high fiber means they’re also good at lowering LDL cholesterol and regulating blood sugar.

Health Benefits of Pumpkin + Vegan Recipes! collage

My Favorite Pumpkin Recipes Include:

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal in casserole dish from above

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

You may be tempted to sleep in on chilly autumn mornings, but a warm and cozy bowl of Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal will make getting out of bed a little easier.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Pumpkin MuffinsChocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

Put the kettle on and enjoy a cup of tea along with a couple vegan Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins. They make a terrific afternoon snack, and they’re great for breakfast, too.

pumpkin banana muffinsPumpkin Banana Muffins

With fall comes days dedicated to baking, and these Gluten-Free Pumpkin Banana Muffins are amongst my favorite autumnal baked goods.

two bowls of Harvest Salad

 

Harvest Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette

This salad full of apples, walnuts, pecans, and pumpkin – all of the foods I love the most in the autumn months.

 

Curried Pumpkin Peanut Soup with spoon

Easy Curried Pumpkin Peanut Soup

This easy to make recipe is always crowd-pleaser! It makes a terrific lunch or light dinner. 

 

two bowls of pumpkin chili overheadPumpkin White Bean Chili

This chili is a hearty and warming dish that will help beat the wintertime blues.

 

close up of pumpkin curry

Pumpkin Curry

This savory curry is made with diced pumpkin, carrots, onions, and spinach, and it’s the perfect comfort food meal for chilly autumn days.

Chili Roasted Pumpkin NachosChili Roasted Pumpkin Nachos

Nachos are the perfect treat for Halloween parties and fall get-togethers!

Vegan Stuffed Mini PumpkinsStuffed Mini Pumpkins

Filled with black rice, these Stuffed Mini Pumpkins are sure to be a hit at Halloween parties!

Vegan Pumpkin Pasta CarbonaraPumpkin Pasta Carbonara

This healthy cream sauce is actually made with cauliflower and pumpkin, but no one will guess that’s it’s dairy-free and full of hidden veggies!

plate of Pumpkin Baked Ziti

 

Pumpkin Baked Ziti

This is a fun twist on traditional tomato-based baked ziti, and it’s a great way to get in your daily does of autumn pumpkin.

Tempeh and Pumpkin Noodle BowlTempeh and Pumpkin Noodle Bowl

Full of fall flavors, this Tempeh and Pumpkin Noodle Bowl will keep you warm and cozy on chilly evenings.

Pumpkin Pie SmoothiePumpkin Pie Smoothie

Get your autumn pumpkin spice fix with this healthy drink!

Vegan Pumpkin Swirl CheesecakeNo-Bake Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

Your Thanksgiving guests will never guess that there’s no dairy is in this delicious vegan treat!

 

What’s your favorite pumpkin recipe?

 

 

 

Filed Under: Health and Nutrition Tagged With: pumpkin

About Dianne

Dianne Wenz is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Vegan Lifestyle Coach, Plant-Based Diet Nutrition Specialist, and Plant-Based Chef, as well as the author of Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook.

Previous Post: « Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Next Post: Curry Noodles »

Reader Interactions

   

Comments

  1. Rachel @ My Naturally Frugal Family says

    October 2, 2012 at 8:46 AM

    Very cool pic of Archie, I can’t imagine though that that was a terribly comfortable position (but who knows what goes through a cat’s mind).

    I think those are 5 VERY good reasons to consume more pumpkin.

    Thanks so much for sharing, now I need to stock up on even more of the good stuff.

    Reply
  2. Cara says

    October 2, 2012 at 4:47 PM

    What a cute cat 🙂
    Thank you for giving me some reasons to cover my pumpkin addiction 😉

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Search Site

About Me

Dianne Wenz

Hi! I'm Dianne Wenz and I am a Holistic Health Coach, Vegan Lifestyle Coach, Plant-Based Diet Nutrition Specialist, Plant-Based Chef, and cookbook author. I offer group and individual nutrition and lifestyle coaching programs to people across the U.S., and I teach cooking classes in Northern New Jersey. Contact me today to learn more and to schedule a complimentary breakthrough session!

Follow Me

Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on InstagramFollow Us on PinterestFollow Us on RSSFollow Us on E-mail

Available for Preorder!

The Big Book of Vegan Cooking

Now Available!

Eating Vegan

Now Available!

FOLLOW ME FOR UPDATES

* indicates required



Footer

Disclaimer

Information on this website should not be interpreted as medical advice. Consult your physician for any medical conditions you may need assistance with.

Privacy Policy

See the Dianne's Vegan Kitchen privacy policy.

Note

Blog posts may contain affiliate links. Purchases made through my affiliate programs help me keep this website running. Products may have been given to me free for review, but the opinions expressed on this website are my own.

Copyright

All content Copyright © Dianne Wenz. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission is strictly prohibited.

Subscribe to My Newsletter

* indicates required

© Dianne Wenz. All rights reserved.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkRead more