Appealing to palates are pumpkin donuts, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin latte – even chocolate pumpkin candy.
“If you believe the sales pitch, the pumpkin is the happiest, healthiest food ever,” said Suzy Weems, Ph.D., registered dietitian and professor of nutrition sciences in Baylor University’s College of Health and Human Sciences. But a balancing act is important, Weems said.
Pumpkin pluses:• Fiber? Check. This is a bonus dieters who want a full feeling.• Zeaxanthin? Yes. A boon as a weapon against age-related macular degeneration and impaired eyesight.• Low in cholesterol and high in Vitamin A? True, which makes for healthy skin and eyes and also an aid in fighting cancer. • Heart-healthy phytosterols? They’re in pumpkin seeds.• Magnesium, manganese, copper, phosphorus, protein, zinc and iron? “On the USDA/FDA rating schedule, pumpkins are a good source of all those,” Weems said. The combination makes a veritable "cocktail" for energy, growth and a top-notch immune system.Pumpkins and the down side: • Pumpkin snacks: “Pumpkin-laced candy is still candy,” Weems said. “Pumpkin seeds are good for making you feel full, but the fat doesn’t disappear when you roast and eat them.”• Pumpkin desserts: “Be sure to notice how much pumpkin is really is in it, that it’s not just the flavoring.” • Pumpkin in coffee or for breakfast: “A pumpkin latte is not going to mean any fewer calories if it’s made with a full-fat milk or syrup. And pumpkin doughnuts still have sugar.”
Pumpkin is "delightful -- but it's not a magic bullet," Weems cautioned. "Take a look at the total calories: If you have diabetes, you look at the sugar and total carbohydrates; if you have cardiovascular disease, look at the fat. Always be sure to read the container or the wrapper."
Suzy Weems has professional experience in wellness, weight management, diabetes care, eating disorders, cardiovascular health and sports dietetics. Her experience in sports nutrition has ranged from athletes at the pediatric level to those at NCAA Division I premiere teams to improve player performance.
Weems is a consulting dietician for hospitals and extended-care facilities across Texas, as well as a former chair of the American Dietetic Association's legislative and public policy committee and a past president of the Texas Dietetic Association.
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions. Baylor sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and is a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.
ABOUT THE COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES
The College combines Baylor’s department of communication sciences and disorders, the department of family and consumer sciences, the department of health, human performance and recreation, and the Louise Herrington School of Nursing. The College draws upon Baylor’s Christian mission and tradition in health care to prepare scholars and leaders who can promote a teach-based approach to patient care, establish interdisciplinary research, translate theory into practice and advance knowledge of health, human behavior and quality of life and form the infrastructure for future health-related graduate programs.
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