Slows down aging and improves lung function… full of beta-carotene with anti-cancer effects
Sweet pumpkin is a Western style pumpkin that is mostly steamed and eaten as a health food. A similar thing is an old pumpkin. It is made by ripening an ordinary pumpkin, and the skin is an ocher color and the flesh is red. Compared to sweet pumpkins in size, old pumpkins are much larger and can be easily distinguished. Sweet pumpkins are sweet like chestnuts and are also known as ‘night pumpkins’. Eating it in the morning can help relieve facial swelling.
◆ Relieve swelling, release waste… Delay aging, improve lung function, etc.
Sweet pumpkin helps relieve puffiness on the face or body. The methionine component has the effect of releasing waste and toxic substances accumulated in the body. It also has many beta-carotene components that slow down aging, improve lung function, and have anti-cancer effects (National Institute of Agricultural Sciences – National Cancer Information Center). This ingredient is closely related to vitamin A, helping to maintain cell and eye health and protect the skin. However, beta-carotene is known to be bad for the lungs when smokers consume it in supplement form in excess. However, it is not easy to overeat with food.
◆ Rich in protein… Muscle maintenance, blood pressure control, cholesterol release
Sweet pumpkin has a high protein content of 1.6 to 1.9%. Eating it often helps maintain muscle mass. It is also rich in vitamins and contains many nutrients such as calcium. In particular, potassium has the effect of preventing high blood pressure by preventing the activation of the salty element (sodium) in the body and promoting its release in the blood. Dietary fiber (fiber) has the ability to directly release cholesterol.
◆ “Pumpkin seeds, don’t throw them away”… Helps with blood vessel health and brain activity
Pumpkin seeds are high in unsaturated fatty acids. It’s easy to understand if you think of it as opposed to many saturated fatty acids like meat fat. Unlike saturated fatty acids, which are bad for blood vascular health, unsaturated fatty acids help blood circulation by reducing neutral fat and cholesterol in the blood. It helps prevent vascular disease (stroke, heart disease) where blood vessels are blocked following arteriosclerosis, where blood vessels narrow. Lecithin ingredient has a good effect on improving memory and brain activity.
◆ Domestic sweet pumpkin… what to eat
To compensate for the disadvantages of growing domestic sweet pumpkins on general land, deok cultivation (tunnel cultivation) is practiced in which pipes are driven into the ground and covered with nets. The most cultivated is the ‘Danbis’ type, which weighs 1.7 to 1.9 kg and has light green spots on a dark green background. The flesh is yellow green, the flesh is slightly sticky and tastes good. ‘Super Geumbis’ is dark green on the outside, and the stripes are barely visible. It is the largest among sweet pumpkins and has an excellent taste.
◆ How to choose?… Even color, thick and hard
When buying sweet pumpkins, choose ones that are very dark in colour, hard and heavy for their size. Pumpkins whose sugar content has increased through post-ripening tend to have dry stems. If the green light remains at the top, the sugar content will only increase after a post-ripening period. When peeling sweet pumpkin, peeling it off after cooking makes it easier to remove. If you are storing for a long time, scrape out the seeds and contents, wrap in plastic paper and store in the freezer.
