Too Much Pumpkin?

Every October we tend to see a plethora of pumpkin inspired foods. The problem is by Halloween we're pretty much gourded out, literally, by eating and drinking everything spicy and orange-y. The problem is real pumpkin is actually quite delicious and very very healthy for us.

Pumpkin on it's own is one of the most nutrient dense foods in the world.It is extremely high in fiber and low in calories.It is one of the biggest  and best sources of betacarotene . A side of pureed pumpkin can reduce not only a variety of cancers such as breast ,colon and lung, it can also aid in creating lower heart disease.It can also decrease the risk of the eye disease macular degeneration and cataracts. Pumpkin soup Piedmontese style is pure heaven. It's a great way of not only getting a super dose of vitamins but getting a burst of pure pumpkin flavor. You could even have mashed pumpkin, drizzled with some butter on top.It's a great side for any roast chicken or turkey.

The problem is tha,t  like with gingerbread at Christmastime, pumpkin becomes , well flavor of the month.. To be honest it;s not the actual pumpkin, it;s the spices, Everyone loves the taste of pumpkin pie. Why? It's a heady mix of allspice,clove cinnamon and nutmeg. These are what are in your coffees, muffins and cookies, not pumpkin itself. Of course on their own these spices go well with coffee and even a creamy chai tea. They add bounce to any spice cake or cookie. Marketed this way they still would be best sellers. Chains from Starbucks to Mc Donald's should consider this , calling the blend Fall Medley or Autumn Mix. We shouldn't spend a whole month eating foodstuffs with fake orange coloring ,laden with too much spice.

This is the month for pumpkins. Yet try the real thing for a nutrient dense treat. Don't fall for those other muffins lattes, cupcakes cookies, smoothies or whatever that claim to be pumpkin. They're just spiced treats with fake orange coloring. Nothing natural there.Really.