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Pumpkin varieties


Order: Cucurbitales;
Family: Cucurbitaceae;
Genus: Cucurbita;
Species and synonyms: Pumpkin, Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo).

GBIF: Cucurbita pepo L.

Pumpkin (lat. Cucurbita pepo) is an annual herbaceous plant from the family Cucurbitaceae, order Cucurbitales. The fruit is a large smooth fleshy pepo (spherical or oval in shape) with a hard rind and numerous seeds; the color, size, and shape vary greatly depending on the variety. Ripens in August–September. Its homeland is Mexico (according to archaeologists, it was grown in the Oaxaca Valley for at least 8,000 years, mainly for its nutritious seeds). Even before our era, pumpkin spread northward into the Mississippi and Missouri river valleys. It was brought to Europe by the Spanish in the 16th century. The top three pumpkin producers are China, India, and Russia (in the latter, it is cultivated everywhere in areas with temperate and warm climates).

In cooking, pumpkin is boiled, baked, stewed, fried, and used for soups (puree, cream soup), porridges (millet, rice, corn, semolina), side dishes, purees, casseroles, fritters, pancakes, cutlets, fillings (for pies, dumplings, pelmeni, pancakes), sauces, jam, fruit butter, preserves, confiture, candied fruit, fruit leather, marmalade, juices, compotes, kissels, fruit drinks, and beverages. Pumpkin seeds are eaten raw (shelled) and roasted, and added to salads, baked goods (bread, buns, cookies), granola, and muesli. Pumpkin seed oil is used as a salad dressing and as an addition to dishes. Pumpkin pairs well with honey, nuts, raisins, dried apricots, prunes, apples, pears, citrus fruits, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, cardamom, clove, garlic, onion, carrots, potatoes, meat (pork, chicken), rice, and millet.

Pumpkin is rich in carotenoids (β-carotene, α-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin), vitamins (C, A, E, K, B vitamins), folic acid, vitamin T, fiber, pectins, sugars, and minerals (potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium). Pumpkin seeds are rich in fatty oils, protein, zinc, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and vitamins (E, K, B vitamins). In folk medicine, pumpkin is used as a choleretic, diuretic, laxative, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, hypotensive, and calming agent for gastritis, colitis, constipation, atherosclerosis, hypertension, gout, rheumatism, insomnia, and for strengthening the immune system. Pumpkin seeds are used as an anthelmintic (especially against pinworms and tapeworms), as well as for cystitis, prostatitis, and kidney diseases.