Is pumpkin hot or cool in nature? The latest analysis is here

Pumpkin is called different names depending on its place of origin, with alternative names such as wheat melon, foreign melon and Japanese melon, and is the fruit of the Cucurbitaceae plant pumpkin; its nutritional components are relatively complete and its nutritional value is also relatively high. Young pumpkin is richer in vitamin C and glucose than mature pumpkin, while mature pumpkin is higher in calcium, iron and carotene. Let us take a look below at whether pumpkin is hot or cool in nature!

Is pumpkin hot or cool in nature?

Pumpkin is neither hot nor cool, but neutral. Traditional Chinese medicine holds that pumpkin is warm in nature and sweet, can warm the body and tonify the vital energy of the internal organs, but because pumpkin is a warm-natured food, eating too much can also affect health. If too much pumpkin is eaten, it can easily cause symptoms of excess internal heat in the human body, so it is not suitable for patients with excess internal heat or heat-syndrome diseases, otherwise it may be unfavorable to the condition.

What happens if you eat too much pumpkin?

1. Skin turns yellow: If pumpkin is eaten as a staple food all day long, excessive consumption will cause the β-carotene in pumpkin to deposit in the stratum corneum of the human skin epidermis, resulting in the phenomenon of yellowing skin.

2. Causes bloating: The starch, sugars, cellulose and other components rich in pumpkin can easily cause bloating. If eaten in excess, bloating is even more likely to occur or worsen.

3. Causes allergies: Pumpkin may become an allergen. When eaten in small amounts it may not show, but after excessive consumption allergic symptoms such as skin redness and swelling, diarrhea and indigestion may appear.

4. Promotes damp-heat: Pumpkin is warm in nature. If eaten in excess over the long term, it will promote damp-heat, especially for those with exuberant stomach heat, those with qi stagnation and abdominal fullness, and those with damp-heat and qi stagnation, who should eat even less.

What are the benefits of eating pumpkin?

1. Detoxifying effect: Pumpkin contains vitamins and pectin. Pectin has good adsorptivity and can bind and eliminate bacterial toxins and other harmful substances in the body, such as lead, mercury and radioactive elements among heavy metals, and can play a detoxifying role.

2. Helps digestion: The pectin contained in pumpkin can also protect the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestinal tract from irritation by rough food, promote the healing of ulcers, and is suitable for patients with stomach diseases. The components it contains can promote bile secretion, strengthen gastrointestinal peristalsis and help food digestion.

3. Lowers blood sugar: Pumpkin is rich in cobalt. Cobalt can activate human metabolism, promote hematopoietic function and participate in the synthesis of vitamin B12 in the human body, and has a special effect on preventing and treating diabetes and lowering blood sugar.

4. Anti-cancer effect: Pumpkin can eliminate the mutagenic effect of the carcinogen nitrosamine, has an anti-cancer effect, and can help the recovery of liver and kidney function and enhance the regenerative capacity of liver and kidney cells.

5. Promotes growth: Pumpkin is rich in zinc, participates in the synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins in the human body, is an inherent component of adrenal cortical hormones, and is an important substance for human growth and development.