Load up on this antioxidant-rich fruit

Fall is in full swing and with Halloween behind us and Thanksgiving just a few days away pumpkins are everywhere. I love it for so many reasons, but mostly because of its high water content and vitamins. I feel like whether you eat it or apply it onto your skin it’s incredibly refreshing. In fact, I even bought a facial serum with a pumpkin base which I apply right before bed and adds lots of moisture to my skin. 

Beside its sweet flavor, soft texture and bright color, pumpkin, which is technically a fruit and not a vegetable, has a wide variety of benefits. A member of the Cucurbitaceae family (which includes zucchini, watermelon, and cucumbers), it's loaded with vitamin A. In fact, just 250 grams of pumpkin contain around 254% of the recommended daily intake and we all know how important Vitamin A (retinol) is for our skin. It also contains carotenoids, which also transform into Vitamin A. The presence of both vitamin A and carotenoids makes pumpkin one of the best foods to consume to protect the skin from harmful UV rays. 

Pumpkin is 94% water and can protect your skin from harmful UVB rays.

Excess free radicals are responsible for oxidative stress, which are not only closely tied to chronic illnesses, but they are also linked to skin damage and wrinkles. Pumpkins contain powerful antioxidants like alpha and beta-carotene (hence the orange color), but also beta-cryptoxanthin, a very important antioxidant which is critical for skin health. Furthermore, as the body turns beta-carotene into Vitamin A, it not only protects the skin, but keeps the immune system strong and helps fight infections.  

This fruit is also perfect for those who are watching their weight as it is nutrient-dense with only 50 calories per cup, and rich in fiber, making you feel full without impacting your calories intake. Lastly, because it’s 94% of water it has a healthy diuretic effect. So yes, you can indulge a bit more than you think.

The skin is hard to break, but once you cut through it you can simply roast it to retain most of the benefits and eat it in a variety of ways. Studies have shown that because of its high potassium content it regulates the fluid balance, preventing kidney stones and urinary tract infections.

Lastly, don’t throw away the seeds, just roast them, add a pinch of salt and they become a very healthy snack loaded with zinc and vitamin K.

To keep us UTIs free and prevent bacteria Semaine Health has come up with a supplement just for that!

Try it and let us know what you think!