The time of year full of holiday cheer is fast upon us. Fall is in full swing, and with Thanksgiving coming soon, there will be lots of great food to go around. One of the best and most popular fall ingredients is pumpkin. There are so many yummy things to make using pumpkin including pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread. Whatever your favorite pumpkin recipe is, or whether you like pumpkin at all, you can’t deny it is a staple of the season both in decorations and in the culinary arts.
Did you know that pumpkins can also be good for your health and specifically for your teeth? At Millennium Family Dental, we love to educate our patients on how to make great choices related to their dental health. We also like to help our patients incorporate fun, tasty foods into their diet that can help their teeth, too. Diet is such an important part of dental and overall health. Pumpkin is great for teeth because it is so nutrient-dense, and it also contains many vitamins and minerals. Also, pumpkin is low in calories, so what’s not to love?
What Makes Pumpkin Good For You?
According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, pumpkin is packed with lots of good stuff. 1/2 cup of cooked pumpkin has 40 calories and 1.8g of protein. Along with being low in calories and high in protein, 1/2 cup of pumpkin also contains 3g of fiber. This means eating pumpkin can make you feel full longer.
Pumpkin is also full of vitamins and minerals. 1/2 cup of cooked pumpkin accounts for the full daily intake of Vitamin A and 20% of the daily intake needed for Vitamin C. Also, pumpkin is rich in many other great things including potassium, manganese, copper, and more.
How Does Pumpkin Help Your Teeth?
Since pumpkin has calcium, it can be good for bones and teeth. Also, pumpkin contains magnesium which is great for tooth enamel. It works like calcium, but in some ways even better, to create tooth enamel that will resist decay.
Remember, however, that pumpkin flavoring and spices don’t have the benefits that real pumpkin does. So don’t load up on the pumpkin pie!