Blood pressure
Eating pumpkin is good for the heart. The fiber, potassium, and vitamin C content in pumpkin all support heart health.
Consuming adequate potassium is almost as important as decreasing sodium intake for the treatment of hypertension (high-blood pressure). Other foods that are high in potassium include cantaloupe, avocado, pineapple, tomatoes, oranges, spinach, and bananas.
Increased potassium intake is also associated with a reduced risk of stroke, protection against loss of muscle mass, preservation of bone mineral density, and reduction in the formation of kidney stones.
Cancer
Research has demonstrated a positive relationship between a diet rich in beta-carotene and a reduction in the occurrence of prostate cancer; this is according to a study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health's Department of Nutrition.
Beta-carotene has also been shown to have an inverse association with the development of colon cancer in the Japanese population.
The authors of the study concluded:
"We found a statistically significant inverse association between higher plasma lycopene [a type of beta-carotene] concentrations and lower risk of prostate cancer, which was restricted to older participants and those without a family history of prostate cancer."
Eye Health
The antioxidants vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene (all of which are found in pumpkin) have been shown to support eye health and prevent degenerative damage.
A higher intake of all fruits (3 or more servings per day) has been shown to decrease the risk of and progression of age-related macular degeneration.
A study, involving more than 100,000 participants, investigated the effect of antioxidant vitamins and beta-carotene on age-related maculopathy (ARM) - damage to the part of the eye that provides our central vision.
They concluded that "These data suggest a protective role for fruit intake on the risk of neovascular ARM."
Fertility
For women of child-bearing age, consuming more iron from plant sources such as spinach, beans, pumpkin, tomatoes, and beets appear to promote fertility, according to Harvard Medical School's Harvard Health Publications.
The vitamin A in pumpkin (consumed as beta-carotene then converted to vitamin A in the body) is also essential during pregnancy and lactation for hormone synthesis.
Immunity
Plant foods like pumpkins that are high in both vitamin C and beta-carotene offer an immunity boost from their powerful combination of nutrients.