by Valerie F. Reinhardt, Horticulture Manager
As a symbol of fall festivities, the pumpkin reigns supreme. The bright orange globes decorate our doorsteps and table or are carved into scary-faced jack-o-lanterns to light the way on All Hallows’ Eve. And what Thanksgiving meal is complete without a slice of pumpkin pie? But there is more to the pumpkin than meets the eye.
The pumpkin, a winter squash, is one of the many new-world foods introduced by Native Americans to the early settlers along with corn and beans. The three together were known as the three sisters and were the mainstays of Native American agriculture. The three grew well together and were crops that stored well. Both beans and corn can be dried and winter squashes like pumpkins have a long storage life, spanning the winter months. Most notable though is the nutritional value these three crops provide.
The pumpkin is often overlooked for its nutritional value and often only used for decoration and dessert. Pumpkins can be used in many other dishes with great health benefits. They come in many shapes, sizes and colors. The orange basketball-sized image we call a pumpkin is several different species of winter squash. Cucurbita pepo, the common pumpkin, includes carving pumpkins for jack-o-lanterns, small pie pumpkins, and the mini baseball-sized decorative pumpkins. Cucurbita moschata, known for its rich tasty flesh, includes butternut squash and the round Long Island cheese pumpkin. The king of pumpkins is the Cucurbita maxima. Many cultivars of Cucurbita maxima have been developed including the huge Dill’s Atlantic giant that can be more than 1,000 pounds, the much smaller but fairytale-like fancy Cinderella pumpkin, the Rouge Vif D’Etampes, Hubbard squash and the Candy Roaster squash.
Pumpkin seeds as well as the pumpkin itself pack a good punch when it comes to nutrition. Most pumpkins produce seeds with a shell-like hull that can be eaten whole, providing fiber as well as nutrition from the seed inside. Some specialty pumpkins such as the Naked Bear, produce naked seeds with no hull and are grown just for the seeds. These “pepitas” are great for snacking and roasting and can be pressed for oil. Pumpkin seeds are high in many essential vitamins and minerals like phosphorus, manganese, vitamin K, calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, vitamin B9 and vitamin B2. They contain healthy fat and vitamin E and are a source of the amino acid tryptophan which is linked to improved mood and sleep.
Though jack-o-lantern type pumpkins can be eaten, they have been bred to have a large seed cavity that can be easily hollowed out and the stringy flesh is not the best for pies or other dishes. The smaller pie pumpkins have less-watery flesh and are much better for pie making. Most canned pumpkin is butternut squash, a variety of Cucurbita moschata that is rich in flavor and smooth in texture and easier to process for canning.
Giant pumpkins are impressive for their size, but their flesh is watery and bland. They are still a good source of fiber, and the seeds are very nutritious. Many farmers grow them as a garden oddity or challenge to see who can grow the biggest one.