The moment I see, taste or smell anything pumpkin, I’m transported to gray, rainy autumn days. I think of hot cider, the smokey haze from burning leaves, outdoor football and snuggling under a blanket on hayrides beneath a harvest moon. I can hear the giggles of sugar-fueled trick-or-treaters and picture glowing jack-o’-lanterns lighting up the night.

Then there’s the aroma of creamy pumpkin pie fresh out of the oven, topped with a generous dollop of real whipped cream (artificial whipped cream is an abomination).

Pumpkins—a symbol of prosperity, growth and abundance—were once a revered part of the Native American diet. Their seeds were valued more for their oil and medicinal properties than for the orange flesh we eat today. Before the Industrial Revolution, Native Americans and early settlers roasted pumpkins over campfires, using this nutrient-packed fruit for food and medicine. Settlers even hollowed out pumpkins, filled them with milk, eggs, honey, maple syrup and cinnamon and baked them in hot ashes—perhaps the original pumpkin pie?

These nutrient-dense pumpkins helped settlers endure long winters and became a staple in early New England. As a 1630 Pilgrim verse tells us:

“For pottage and puddings and custards and pies, our pumpkins and parsnips are common supplies. We have pumpkins at morning and pumpkins at noon, If it were not for pumpkins, we should be undoon.”

Pumpkin seeds, or pepitas, support prostate health (thanks to zinc), improve bladder function, prevent kidney stones and lower cholesterol. With their natural supply of L-tryptophan, they can even help treat depression. Plus, their anti-inflammatory properties may help prevent osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes and age-related macular degeneration.

Pumpkins are also packed with lutein and zeaxanthin, which nourish and protect our eyes, and they help maintain skin integrity. This fibrous orange marvel is loaded with magnesium, vitamins C and E, potassium and B-complex vitamins like folates, niacin, B6, thiamin and pantothenic acid. Clearly, pumpkins are the golden superstars of fall foods—a nutritional powerhouse with vitamins and wholesome goodness.

But here’s the catch: to reap pumpkin’s full benefits, it has to be fresh. So, ditch the canned purée and back away from the grocery shelf! Canned food is often energetically depleted, offering little nutritional value.

Use pumpkins as medicine or to create savory entrées, soups or desserts. Just steer clear of sugary, artificial pumpkin spice lattes—you deserve better! Get back into the kitchen and cook pumpkins the way our ancestors did.

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