October’s food of the month is: pumpkin!
October is the month for Halloween and the one fruit that is on everyone’s mind this month is the pumpkin. While it is fun to carve and decorate, did you know that it is very good for your mental health?
Pumpkins are very high in beta-carotene, an anti-oxidant that converts into Vitamin A when digested. Beta-carotene is necessary to keep a sharp memory especially as we age. It has been shown recently to protect against the decline of specific thought processes that tend to precede Alzheimer’s disease.
Also in abundance in pumpkins is Vitamin C. When our minds and bodies are stressed, our adrenal glands secrete a significant amount of a stress hormone called cortisol. This hormone can wreak havoc and permanently damage our mental and physical health if the stress is chronic. Our adrenal glands become weak and overworked, often exhibited by feeling exhausted or sighing often. Vitamin C has been shown to repair the damage to the adrenal glands from chronic stress. Vitamin C is also necessary to help us feel alert, energetic and improve our concentration as well as improve low mood.
Pumpkins are also a very good source of potassium. Diets low in potassium have been strongly linked to living with depression. Although causality is still unknown, increasing potassium in your diet has been shown to protect against or lessen existing depressing symptoms such as tearfulness, weakness and fatigue. High potassium diets have also shown to reduce the risk of stroke. In addition, this mineral helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates the body’s water-balance system, all of which are significantly altered when we are stressed.
A good source of fiber, diets that include pumpkins and other fiber-rich foods have been shown to improve mood and reduce depressive symptoms such as sadness, listlessness and apathy. Diets with high fiber are also related to improving clarity in thinking.
Last but not least, pumpkins are a decent source of magnesium. This mineral is necessary to protect against fatigue, moodiness, anxiety and insomnia which are all common results of a magnesium deficiency. Diets high in magnesium are also recommended for people who experience recurrent irritability and stress.
So while you’re carving up your jack-o-lantern this month, try to incorporate this healthy ingredient in your diet as well. You will be doing a great thing to take care of your mental and physical health by trying our healthy pumpkin recipes.