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Pumpkin is a superfood packed with nutrients, dietitian says — but there are some products to avoid
It's pumpkin season! And there are more pumpkin products available than ever before. Some just capitalize on the popularity of seasonal spices — but did you know pumpkins themselves are packed with nutritional benefits?
Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic, says pumpkin is a superfood.
"It's high in fiber, which helps with blood sugar management, helps keep you more satisfied, helps with gut health and digestion," she says. "(It) can also help lower bad levels of cholesterol, (and) it's very low in calories."
Pumpkin is also a good source of antioxidants like vitamin A and C, which protect our cells from damage.
"Pumpkin contains betacarotene, which is converted into vitamin A, which can be used in the body for multiple great benefits with skin and immunity," Zumpano says. "We also know potassium can help lower blood pressure."
It's easy to incorporate more pumpkin in your diet, Zumpano says. They can be roasted, pureed into soup, or incorporated into muffins, breads or pancakes.
"Canned pumpkin on its own, with no other added ingredients, can be added into our foods, but you want to avoid purchasing foods that may have a lot of sugar or added fats that are pumpkin flavored," she says. "They may not actually contain a significant amount of pumpkin."
Don't forget the seeds, either. Pumpkin seeds contain fiber and protein and are also a good source of vitamin E and zinc, which can also help with immune health.
You can snack on the seeds on their own, or if you want a quick and easy way to incorporate the seeds into your diet, try adding them to your salad, oatmeal or over yogurt.
注释：
cholesterol: n
表示" 胆固醇"，如：Would you expect the cholesterol to be elevated? 你考虑胆固醇会升高吗?
antioxidant: n
表示" 抗氧化剂"，如：This product also contains rich essential amino acids and antioxidant. 此产品还含有丰富的必需氨基酸和抗氧化剂。
betacarotene: n
表示"β-胡萝卜素[维生素A前体, 遮光剂]"，如：Betacarotene has been the subject of controversy because of its failure to reduce the incidence of lung cancer in smokers. B贝塔胡罗卜素一直是争论的题目，因为它没有达到降低吸烟者中肺癌发病率。
potassium: n
表示"钾"，means ""，如：What fruit vegetable contains potassium most?什么水果蔬菜含钾最多？
puree: v; n
表示" 做果泥；做浓汤"，means "rub through a strainer or process in an electric blender"，如：She fed the baby on pureed carrots. 她用胡萝卜泥喂养那婴儿。 vegetable puree 菜泥
中文简要说明：
秋天是南瓜丰收的季节，这个有着金黄色果肉的食材不仅味道鲜美，营养价值也很丰富，烹饪起来变化多端，因此受到不少养生族群青睐。不过营养师也提醒，南瓜的好处虽然不少，一些再制食品如南瓜罐头或南瓜风味的加工品却含有多余添加物，对肠胃和心血管反而有害，建议少碰为妙。
美国哥伦比亚广播公司（CBS）报导，知名的克里夫兰医学中心（Cleveland Clinic）营养师佐帕诺（Julia Zumpano）表示，南瓜的纤维质丰富，热量却很低，不仅能增加饱足感，还可帮助控制血糖、降低胆固醇，维持肠道和消化系统健康，可说是一种「超级食物」。
不仅如此，佐帕诺指出，南瓜也含有多种人体必需的营养成分，「南瓜富含β-胡萝卜素（Beta Carotene），可以转化成维生素A，增进皮肤健康与免疫力。」此外，南瓜中的矿物质「钾」也有助降低血压。
除了果肉可以吃，南瓜籽也含有丰富纤维和蛋白质，同时也是维生素E和锌的来源，可强化人体免疫系统。不过，佐帕诺也提醒民众，市面上充斥不少标榜「南瓜风味」的食品，实际上的南瓜占比并不高，还额外添加大量糖分和脂肪，营养价值相对低，应该尽量避免食用。
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