How Does This Ayurvedic Food Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Pumpkin is best shared among friends and family, as it invites feelings of contentment and relaxation. Soft yet hearty, pumpkin will satisfy your stomach on a cool autumn day. Its mildly sweet taste is undoubtedly comforting. From pumpkin soup to pumpkin pie, this versatile vegetable can be used in both sweet and savory dishes, inviting a warm orange glow to your autumnal dining table. Whether you're visiting a pumpkin patch, carving this year's jack-o-lantern, or sharing a piece of pie on Thanksgiving, pumpkin is at the core of many memorable experiences. Even seeing one conjures images of the autumn harvest and evokes the scents and smells of Halloween.

Sit Back & Relax

Pumpkins have long been utilized as a natural sedative. The earth element predominates pumpkin, making it a heavy, grounding and nutritive ingredient. This earthy quality gives pumpkin its natural relaxant effect and makes it a comforting option in times of stress. Enjoy a steamy bowl of pumpkin soup on a blustery autumn day to bring a sense of calm to a swirling mind or relieve agitated thoughts. Many clients have confirmed the comforting quality of pumpkin. One describes it as, "Very comforting [and] grounding, like a security blanket," while another shares a similar experience, and notes how it was both "physically and mentally" grounding. This mild sedative effect, supported by its magnesium and potassium content, helps reduce tension in the body and relax the muscles. After eating pumpkin, you may feel a little sleepier than normal. This is due to its tryptophan content which encourages sound sleep and balances moods by increasing serotonin. A pinch of nutmeg compliments, and further enhances, the relaxing effect of pumpkin.

Soothe & Protect

The gooey, demulcent qualities of cooked pumpkin coats the digestive tract and acts like a protective barrier to the mucus membranes. This can actually be felt as you swallow the soft pumpkin. As one client describes it, "It felt like it was coating my mouth and insides protectively." Pumpkin is particularly pacifying for Pitta dosha as it is mildly sweet, cool in energy and drying by nature. These attributes of pumpkin give it an anti-inflammatory effect for soothing ulcers, acid reflux, an irritated gut, and in cases of a hot, burning digestive tract. Another client, who regularly experiences a hot digestive tract, reaped the rewards of this Pitta pacifying vegetable and notes, "It felt soothing in my upper GI which is highly acidic and easily aggravated."

Glowing Skin

The glowing amber hues of pumpkin skin can increase the lustre and glow of your skin too. Pumpkins contain high levels of beta-carotene, a pigment that gives certain fruits and vegetables their rich orange, yellow and red colors. The body converts this beta-carotene into Vitamin A which benefits the skin, the eyes and balances Pitta dosha. This, along with pumpkin's Vitamin C and E content, plays an essential role in the health, development and maintenance of the skin by minimizing cell damage caused by free radicals and protecting the skin from premature aging, leaving it feeling soft and supple. In Ayurveda, these anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients are recognized as playing an important part of rejuvenation of the body (rasayana) as they help slow down the aging process, enhance longevity and regeneration of cells. The body can also be massaged with pumpkin oil to promote healthy skin.

Light & Satisfying Food for Weight Loss

Don't let the association with rich pumpkin pie skew your vision of this vegetable and its role in weight loss. Even though pumpkin satisfies the stomach, it is light and dry in nature. This means it can be part of a diet supporting weight loss and balancing Kapha dosha. Pumpkin's earthy quality and high fibre content leave you feeling fuller for longer. A client shared this nourishing experience, "I was full for a very long time after eating the pumpkin soup and I really didn't expect this from veggie soup." Even though it is comforting, it feels light in the stomach and has a low calorie content, benefiting weight loss. You can actually experience the lightness of pumpkin for yourself. One client summarized this sensation clearly, "Pumpkin feels heavy and dense when you pick it up... I thought it would be heavy and dense on my tongue. But when you actually eat it, it has a light airy texture."