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Oh, my gourd!

The humble white pumpkin is rapidly pushing its way up the popularity charts with its weight-loss attributes

The humble white pumpkin is rapidly pushing its way up the popularity charts with its weight-loss attributes
Admit it. The first time the pumpkin gained glamorous dimensions was when Cinderella’s swanky carriage emerged from its rotund shape in the fairytale. Cut to 2022. With the white gourd coconut stew you have grown up on elbowed aside by roast pumpkin tarts, now the spicy pumpkin latte is making inroads in your beverage list along with herbed versions in a modern format. Of the 45-odd varieties of the vegetable, the white pumpkin trumps the lot with its nutrient density and low-calorie powers.

The first ingestion

The pale pumpkin sip in the morning on an empty stomach is a favoured start to the day. Mini white pumpkins are tender and sweet with nutty flavours reminiscent of acorn squash, says general physician Dr Anshul Maheshwari. “Drinking white pumpkin juice every morning on an empty stomach has numerous health benefits. It betters the functioning of the digestive system, improving your metabolic rate and hence helping in the efficient burning of deposited fat layers, resulting in weight loss. Packed with dietary fibre, it regularises bowel movements too,” adds Dr Anshul. If you are looking at editing that belly fat out of your frame, white gourd is your calling. The vitamin cocktail the white pumpkin juice brings with it spells overall health. Replete with vitamins A, C, and E, the sip packs in potassium and calcium, together with a rich dose of antioxidants that give you a glowing complexion.

“Vitamin A softens and soothes your skin, whereas Vitamin C fights free radical damage. This makes the white pumpkin a must-have, especially for women who are dealing with hair loss. It is also beneficial for expecting mothers, providing essential nutrition required for the growth of a healthy baby,” believes Dr Anshul. “As white pumpkin is rich in phytosterols, it can substitute and normalise cholesterol to a balanced level,” adds Dr Anshul.

Seed it

White pumpkin seeds are a good source of much-needed magnesium….


Shilpi Madan for Sunday Herald

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