Pumpkin: delicious, healthy – and also used in the cosmetics industry

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In our country, the amount of pumpkin consumption increases every year and is concentrated in the autumn and winter months. In the offer, you can find two types of pumpkins, giant pumpkins and musk pumpkins, also known as ham pumpkins. According to area-based support data, pumpkins are grown on approximately 1,464 hectares, the largest area in Csongrád-Csanád county (264 hectares), Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county (261 hectares), Bács-Kiskun, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén counties (around 200-200 hectares ) is the production area. The crop area decreased compared to the previous year’s 1,770 hectares. Domestic production ranges between 35-40 thousand tons annually; the import was insignificant, under a thousand tons in recent years.

Eating pumpkin is also important for maintaining our health

It also contains calcium, zinc, manganese, copper, iron and phosphorus. In addition to these, it also contains vitamin C, carotene, biotin, niacin and pantothenic acid, as well as vitamins A, B1, B2 and B6 – points out the European Fresh Team program. It is also worth using the seeds, as they are rich in polyunsaturated fats, iron and vitamin E. Pumpkin is rich in alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A (retinol). This is also the reason why the flesh color of winter squash (baking pumpkins) ranges from yellow to orange. The deeper the orange shade, the higher the beta-carotene content. It is interesting that due to its rich carotenoid content and antioxidant effect, the plant is also widely used in the cosmetics industry, even as a preservative and sensory enhancer (smell and coloring agents), which protect the skin against oxidative damage and the effects of aging, as well as improve the stability and shelf life of cosmetics. Pumpkins should not be confused with the pumpkins used for lanterns, the so-called ‘Halloween’ pumpkins, the decorative type of which has spread here, which is basically intended for decorative purposes and not for eating – warns the European Fresh Team, NAK’s educational campaign.