How Kerry Condon prepped for the Oscars, according to her red carpet team
How Kerry Condon prepped for the Oscars, according to her red carpet team

Holly O'Neill

This bespoke five-bedroom home with sea views and mature gardens is on the market for €1.4 million
This bespoke five-bedroom home with sea views and mature gardens is on the market for...

Sarah Gill

Has being a mum changed me? Yes.
Has being a mum changed me? Yes.

Dominique McMullan

5 stylish ways to wear your summer wardrobe in winter (and still stay warm)
5 stylish ways to wear your summer wardrobe in winter (and still stay warm)

Erin Lindsay

Irish abroad: Working and living in a post-pandemic New York city
Irish abroad: Working and living in a post-pandemic New York city

IMAGE

Social Pictures: Jameson Connects gig in The Camden
Social Pictures: Jameson Connects gig in The Camden

Sarah Gill

Thinking of upskilling or changing your career? A business professor shares her advice
Thinking of upskilling or changing your career? A business professor shares her advice

Megan Burns

Inside this incredible Georgian basement rental in the heart of Dublin
Inside this incredible Georgian basement rental in the heart of Dublin

Lauren Heskin

This charming Enniskerry farmhouse with gorgeous grounds is on the market for €2.5 million
This charming Enniskerry farmhouse with gorgeous grounds is on the market for €2.5 million

Sarah Finnan

Utility room ideas: How to make it a calm space you won’t want to shut the door on
Utility room ideas: How to make it a calm space you won’t want to shut...

Lauren Heskin

Image / Living / Food & Drink

5 reasons to eat more pumpkins before Halloween


By Jennifer McShane
12th Oct 2022
5 reasons to eat more pumpkins before Halloween

We are now in peak pumpkin season, and we don't just mean the spiced kind.

For many, the pumpkin is the symbol of Halloween, while others may primarily associate it with pumpkin-spiced lattes (guilty). The truth is, the humble pumpkin is much better for you than you might think. Included amongst your diet (and before you go topping up your Starbucks card, pumpkin-flavoured treats sadly don’t carry the same benefits) there are many ways in which it can increase your physical and mental health – it just means, much like carving your prized pumpkin, you have to get creative. Here are five main ways eating more of it will improve your health.

It helps fight off illnesses

Flu season is fast approaching, but the pumpkin contains big doses of Vitamins A and C to boost your immune system and ward off colds and viruses.

It gives you sharper vision 

Move over carrots; pumpkins are as equal a power food when it comes to helping you improve your vision. Beta carotene, the antioxidant which gives pumpkins their bright orange colour, converts to vitamin A in your body. Just 100g of pumpkin can provide you with an astonishing 170% of your vitamin A requirement. Pumpkins also have long-term benefits for your eyes, as they contain two very important antioxidants; Lutein and Zeaxanthin. These antioxidants help prevent cataracts, and can possibly slow macular degeneration.

It can help protect your heart

When carving those Halloween pumpkins, rather than throwing out those seeds, collect them! Pumpkin seeds contain phytosterols which are said to reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) in your body, and can benefit you – and your heart – long-term if incorporated into a healthy, low-fat diet.

Eating pumpkin can boost your mood

Not only are pumpkin seeds good for your heart, but they can also boost your mood. They are rich in tryptophan, an amino acid that helps create the mood-boosting chemical serotonin. Serotonin is also important in the regulation of sleep, so pumpkins can also help you get a good night’s rest. Load up on the pumpkin and just maybe, getting up for work on a Monday morning may seem less of a chore (we can’t promise this though!).

And it’s great for your skin 

And if all that hasn’t done enough to convince you, pumpkins are really good for skin protection. The antioxidant in pumpkins, Beta-carotene, which helps with your eyes also protects your skin from harmful UV rays.

So instead of having that second slice of pumpkin pie or drowning yourself in Pumpkin flavoured coffee. Try being more adventurous with pumpkin; add chunks of it to soup, roast it for dinner or blending it into a delicious smoothie. You could even sprinkle pumpkin seeds over your morning cereal, or munch on them as a healthy snack throughout the day.