Immune & Recovery

Pumpkin

A winter squash whose deep-orange flesh signals one of the higher beta-carotene contents among common vegetables.

Vision

Immunity

Gut Health

Serving

1 cup, cooked, cubed (245g)

Calories Per Serving

Key nutrients

Beta-carotene, fiber, potassium

Nutrient density

Not officially rated

Why it’s worth eating

Pumpkin is high in beta-carotene, vitamin C, and fiber. It supports vision and immune function. Use pumpkin in soups, roasted dishes, or baked into breads and pies.

What you may notice

Visual comfort in low light
Digestive comfort

Markers worth tracking

Vitamin A / beta-carotene status
Fasting blood glucose

How to eat it

Roast rather than boil to concentrate flavor and avoid leaching the water-soluble vitamins into cooking water; the seeds are edible too and worth roasting separately.

Pairs well with

Healthy fats (butter, oil), beta-carotene is fat-soluble and absorbs poorly without it
Cinnamon and nutmeg, classic pairings with no nutritional downside

Storage

Store whole pumpkins in a cool, dry place for months; refrigerate cut or cooked pumpkin and use within a week.

The numbers, per 1 cup, cooked, cubed (245g)

Vitamin K

78%

Vitamin A

13%

Vitamin C

Calcium

Iron

Magnesium

12%

Potassium

Vitamin B12

Vitamin D

Fiber

2.7g

Pumpkin, cooked, boiled, drained (FDC 168448)

Evidence

HONEST FLAG: a rich beta-carotene source by composition, but no strong whole-food human RCT for disease endpoints. Pumpkin seeds are a separate entry.

Study dose vs. serving

No established benefit dose.

No pumpkin-flesh-specific outcome trial located.

Use caution if

You're prone to kidney stones, pumpkin contains moderate oxalates
You're managing carbohydrate intake closely, it's nutrient-dense but still a starchy vegetable

Details

Type

Fruits & Veg

Season

Autumn (Sep-Nov)

Forms

Fresh, canned puree, frozen

Price

Budget

Bioactive

Beta-carotene (provitamin A)

Heat stable