When I think of pumpkins, Halloween is the first thing that pops into my mind. But you might be surprised to learn that pumpkins are good for more than just carving and putting on your porch to scare trick-or-treaters. The health benefits of pumpkin juice have been demonstrated time and time again, yet this valuable health resource often flies under the radar of even the most devoted health aficionados.

Pumpkins are a rich source of several important vitamins

Beta-carotene

Pumpkins are a rich source of several important vitamins. Beta-carotene is the orange pigment responsible for giving pumpkins their distinctive color (it also provides color for other healthy vegetables, like carrots). When you consume beta-carotene, the body converts some of it to vitamin A. Vitamin A is important to maintaining the health of many bodily functions, especially vision. Thus, it may be possible to help some vision problems through drinking pumpkin juice. The health benefits of pumpkin juice don’t stop there, however, as vitamin A is also an important component of healthy skin. Many high-end dermatology products rely primarily on the influence of vitamin A derivatives to reduce acne, but drinking pumpkin juice may allow you to achieve the same result for much less money!

Vitamin C and vitamin E

Pumpkin juice also contains high amounts of vitamin C and vitamin E. Vitamin C is involved in a multitude of functions in the human body, and is essential for maintaining a healthy immune system. It’s also a valuable antioxidant, and thus it helps to slow the natural aging process of the body. Vitamin E is an antioxidant as well, and the combined effect of both through drinking pumpkin juice has the potential to make you feel years younger.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is also found at high levels in pumpkin juice. Vitamin D is essential for healthy bone development, hormone development, and nervous system functioning. Vitamin D deficiencies have been associated with a number of negative health outcomes, including increased mortality, cancer rates, and growth deformities. Drinking pumpkin juice is a healthy way to obtain the recommended daily amount of vitamin D.

Health benefits of pumpkin juice

People have been drinking pumpkin juice for many years, and out of the practice have come a number of medicinal uses of pumpkin juice. For example, The health benefits of pumpkin juice are believed to include maintaining a healthy cholesterol level. The mechanism behind this link could involve one of the several vitamins that are packed into a glass of pumpkin juice. There are indications, for example, that Vitamin C may have a cholesterol-reducing effect. Antioxidants have also been demonstrated to help keep cholesterol levels within a healthy range, and pumpkin juice has a high antioxidant index.

The health benefits of pumpkin juice also involve its digestive-stimulating capabilities. Pumpkin juice can serve as a digestive system regulator, and can be used in instances of constipation or indigestion. Its laxative properties are very mild, however, so drinking pumpkin juice in general won’t cause an over-active bowel. Pumpkin juice can also soothe the stomach, and is a recommended treatment for ulcers.

There are many who advocate pumpkin juice as a cure for insomnia. Pumpkin juice is high in magnesium, a mineral that can play an important role in our ability to sleep. One of the many suggested functions for magnesium is its soothing action on the nervous system. There is an indication that some people who suffer from insomnia do so because they are experiencing magnesium deficiency. If only they knew to drink pumpkin juice! Often, pumpkin juice mixed with a small amount of honey is drank before lying down as a sleep aid.

Pumpkin Seeds

Some believe that pumpkin seeds offer the greatest of the health benefits of pumpkin juice. The seeds are thought to have an overall cleansing effect on the body. Nutrients in the seeds may help rid the body of impurities by stimulating the activity of the kidneys. For this reason, many people who make fresh pumpkin juice will be sure to include ground up seeds in their concoction.

Pumpkin juice is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants–all of which combine to maintain healthy functioning of the body. While many of us search for foods that will provide us with one vitamin or another, it may be that the one-shot solution to our health needs is sitting right in front of us. So next time you think of a pumpkin, think about putting it in your juicer, not carving it!