The fruit is considered a vegetable of longevity, the world’s longest living people eat it regularly. In Vietnam, it turns out that there is no shortage of superfoods for skin beauty.
If you want to live a long, healthy life, the Blue Zones of the world are a great place to start. The 5 green zones around the globe have the highest density of centenarians and some places have the lowest rates of cardiovascular disease and dementia in the world.
One of the common points of people living in green areas is that they eat a lot of fruits and vegetables every day from growing and harvesting themselves. They also only eat a lot of locally available, unprocessed agricultural products and combine natural exercise every day.
But do you know what vegetables they eat the most in their daily diet?
That’s the pumpkin!
Although your mind may immediately think of pumpkins in Vietnam, actually each green region has its own local varieties of pumpkin to provide its own benefits to the people in the community.
1. Japanese Pumpkin
One of the popular squashes in Okinawa is kabocha squash, also known by some as Japanese squash.
According to Blue Zone researchers, this squash contains useful vitamins, iron and fiber. That’s why it’s known to help flush out toxins and reduce inflammation.
2. Secret Art of Ikaria, Greece
Many people on the Greek island of Ikaria who dine in the winter are very fond of turmeric. Turmeric can come in many forms, but most of them have similar ingredients and health benefits.
They are a good source of vitamins C and A, as well as useful fiber and antioxidants. Many squashes like squash also contain a pigment called beta carotene, which your body can convert into more vitamin A.
Research has found that consuming beta carotene helps reduce inflammation, prevent dementia or prevent brain aging.
3. Pumpkin in Nicoya, Costa Rica
In Nicoya, people also consume a lot of squash. Most of the squash there are similar to a type of winter squash and are commonly referred to as zucchini. According to Blue Zone researchers, Nicoyans regularly eat squash as part of the “3 sisters” food.
The “3 sisters” is a nickname for the food group that includes squash, corn, and beans. These are the 3 types of foods commonly grown and consumed in Nicoya, Costa Rica. These 3 dishes are known to provide the perfect amount of nutrients including fiber, fat and vitamins from squash, fiber and protein from beans, and carbohydrates from corn.
As you can see, squash comes in many varieties but always provides high levels of important nutrients and vitamins. That is why it is an integral part of the daily diet of the world’s longest living people.
Why eating pumpkin is both good for your health and helps you beautify your skin?
1. Rich in vitamin A and vitamin C
According to Webmd, the abundant vitamin A and vitamin C in pumpkin can help slow the progression of macular degeneration, reducing the risk of vision loss. Foods rich in vitamin C can also help prevent cataracts.
Worth mentioning, these are two very important vitamins for collagen production for smooth skin, supple bones and joints. That’s why eating pumpkin regularly helps you have shiny skin.
And yet, pumpkin is also rich in beta carotene. Beta carotene is a precursor to vitamin A. While not as effective as topical sunscreens, beta-carotene can play a role in sun protection, and reducing UV exposure can improve the appearance of skin. outside of the skin. This is also the reason why women who want to have shiny skin should not ignore this food.
2. Reduce the risk of depression
Some types of pumpkin are rich in vitamin B6. People with a vitamin B6 deficiency may be at increased risk of mental health-related illnesses such as depression. Adding pumpkin regularly in your daily diet is very good to prevent depression.
3. Cancer prevention
According to Healthline, pumpkin is rich in the antioxidants carotenoids and vitamin C, which may reduce the risk of certain cancers.
Studies have demonstrated that a diet higher in beta-carotene and vitamin C can reduce the risk of lung cancer. A review of 18 studies found that people with the highest intake of beta-carotene had a 24% lower risk of lung cancer than those with the lowest intake.
Another review of 21 studies found a 7% reduction in lung cancer risk with a daily supplement of 100mg of vitamin C.
Furthermore, a review of 13 studies indicated that higher blood levels of beta-carotene were associated with a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality, including death from cancer.
4. Improves Heart Health
Yellow and orange vegetables and fruits – including pumpkin – have been shown to be particularly effective at protecting against cardiovascular disease.
The antioxidants found in these brightly colored vegetables have a powerful impact on heart health. Specifically, a study in 2,445 people demonstrated that the risk of heart disease was reduced by 23% for each additional daily serving of yellow-orange vegetables such as pumpkin.
5. Increase memory capacity, anti-aging brain
A 13-year study in 2,983 people found that a diet rich in carotenoids like pumpkin improved memory and fluency.
Pumpkin is also rich in vitamin E, which has a protective effect against Alzheimer’s disease. An 8-year study in 140 older adults found that those with high blood levels of vitamin E were lower than those with low levels of the vitamin.
6. Supports weight loss
205g of cooked pumpkin has only 83 calories but has up to 7g of fiber. This is a great choice if you want to lose weight and excess body fat.
Pumpkin contains both insoluble and soluble fiber. In particular, soluble fiber has been linked to fat loss and has been shown to reduce appetite. This is very important when you are trying to control your calorie intake.
at Blogtuan.info – Source: Kenh14.Vn – Read the original article here
