Why pumpkin juice is useful

Pumpkin is a delicious and healthy vegetable that can be eaten in many different forms. One of the most interesting pumpkin products is its juice. The benefits and harms of pumpkin juice are due to its constituent substances and microelements.

Composition and calorie content of pumpkin juice

Pumpkin juice has the following composition:

• various types of sugars - up to 11%;
• starch - up to 13%;
• fiber - up to 2%.

Water makes up 80 to 90% of the pumpkin juice.

The vitamin composition of the drink (per 100 g) is as follows:

• vitamin C (ascorbic acid) - up to 8 mg;
• beta-carotene (provitamin A) - 1.5 mg;
• vitamins B3 and E - 0.4 mg each;
• vitamins B1, B2 and B6 - a total of about 0.3 mg.

In addition, it contains relatively little vitamin B9, pectin and nicotinic acid.

Among the trace elements, potassium (more than 200 mg per 100 g) and calcium (25 mg) should be distinguished as having the highest concentration. The drink also contains a relatively large amount of phosphorus, magnesium, fluorine and zinc.

The calorie content of pumpkin juice is low and is about 38 kcal per 100 g. But it should be remembered that this is about 1.5 times more than in pumpkin pulp.

Useful properties of pumpkin juice

Pumpkin, due to its composition, is one of the most versatile vegetables in terms of medicine. On the fingers of one hand, you can count vegetables or fruits that can compete with it in terms of the spectrum of positive effects it has on the body. Let's try to figure out why pumpkin juice is useful with or without pulp.

Thanks to the vitamin C it contains, it helps in strengthening the body's immune system. The substances and trace elements in its composition make this drink useful as an adjuvant therapy for anemia, and are also recommended for its prevention.

Due to its high activity, it is able to remove toxins and toxins from the body. It not only binds them in the body, but also speeds up the functioning of the kidneys, being a diuretic.

The drink is able to normalize the work of the lower intestines. With a mild laxative effect, it helps relieve constipation.

The normalization of metabolism in the body due to the pectin contained in pumpkin juice makes it possible to use it for the prevention of diabetes.

A relatively large amount of potassium normalizes heart function.

The active substances contained in pumpkin also normalize the secretion of bile and its constant renewal in the gallbladder, preventing the appearance of cholecystitis in its various forms. In addition, the significant benefits of freshly squeezed pumpkin juice are noted by many people who got rid of obesity thanks to it.

Recent studies show that pumpkin juice has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the nervous system. The drink calms the nerves and increases performance.

For men

Pumpkin juice will be useful for men of mature age, since it can significantly reduce the unpleasant consequences of inflammation of the prostate gland, as well as normalize the functioning of the genitourinary system as a whole. It is recommended to use it as a supportive agent, as well as for the prevention of prostatitis.

For women

Most often, women find benefits in pumpkin juice due to its ability to maintain their beauty and figure. The drink is used not only as a means for losing weight or as a component of cosmetic preparations, but also as a product that can normalize the functioning of many body systems. After all, beauty and health, especially in women, are very strongly interconnected.

In addition, many of the beneficial properties of pumpkin nectar are used during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

It is also important to use pumpkin juice for the endometrium - the inner mucous layer of the uterus. It is believed that its use accelerates the growth of the endometrium, thereby contributing to the creation of the necessary conditions in the uterus for the formation and development of the fetus.

During pregnancy

The benefits of pumpkin nectar during pregnancy are primarily in a significant reduction in toxicosis. This is not just a matter of symptoms: the substances contained in the nectar help to neutralize endogenous toxins. This is especially true in the first trimester of pregnancy.

In addition, the diuretic effect of the juice, which is the removal of excess water from the body, helps to reduce swelling throughout the entire period of pregnancy.

Slimming

The drink has a complex effect on the body, in particular on its excretory and digestive systems, which makes it possible to use it for weight loss. It uses the following product features:

1. It is a diuretic that promotes the release of excess water from the body. When the water entering the body from the outside ends, it begins to be released from the reserves, that is, fats.
2. Fiber prevents much of your food from being converted to fat.
3. The cleansing action stimulates bowel function and the destruction of fecal stones.
4. Low calorie content does not lead to excess fat, and its appetite-suppressing functions help to reduce the amount of "excess" food entering the body.

At the same time, the body will receive almost the entire range of necessary trace elements and vitamins directly from the product, and it will not experience any problems in the lack of one or another component.

Is pumpkin juice possible for a nursing mother

Pumpkin juice during breastfeeding is strongly recommended for use by nursing mothers, as it has an excellent set of vitamins and minerals, has a decongestant, diuretic and mild laxative effect. But at the same time, one should not forget about the possible allergic reaction in the baby.

To avoid negative consequences, you must use the following recommendations:

• do not take a drink in the first two months after giving birth;
• the first application should include no more than 10-15 g of the product dissolved in 100 ml of water;
• if, 48 hours after that, the child did not have an allergic reaction, you can increase the volumes at a small pace (add 10-15 g every two days);
• Do not take more than 500 ml per week, and no more than 200 ml at a time.

Another pleasant bonus for nursing mothers is the antipyretic effect of the juice, which makes it an alternative to raspberries, which has a much higher allergenicity.

How and at what age to give pumpkin juice to children

The set of nutrients contained in the juice is extremely useful for the developing organism, so its inclusion in the baby's diet should be carried out as early as possible. Naturally, this does not mean that the introduction of complementary foods should be started immediately from the moment of birth; the first months, the child's body simply will not be able to digest it. But already from five months, pumpkin juice is recommended for use by babies.

However, there are several contraindications:

• manifestation of allergies;
• diseases of the digestive tract;
• colic.

How to drink pumpkin juice for medicinal purposes

The application should take into account the nature of the disease and the characteristics of the patient's body. Let's consider the most common use cases.

With diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

Most gastrointestinal diseases require periodic use of the drink. Most often it is recommended to use it 4-5 times a day - every 4 hours, 100 ml. Naturally, in this case, you should monitor the state of the body in order to avoid negative effects.

For the liver and gallbladder

Recommended daily intake on an empty stomach (early in the morning, about an hour before the first meal) 200 ml of fresh juice. In some cases, it is recommended to dilute it with water in a 1 to 1 ratio.

For insomnia

Just before going to bed, you should drink 100 ml with one tablespoon of honey.

With diseases of the heart and kidneys

With heart disease, as well as kidney disease and associated edema, it is recommended to use 100 ml three times a day half an hour before meals.

With pancreatitis

During an exacerbation of pancreatitis, pumpkin juice cannot be used. It is allowed to use it during remission in an amount of not more than 500 ml per day in equal portions during each meal.

For constipation

Every morning, you should consume 200 ml of the drink and during the day no more than three times, 150-200 ml, half an hour before meals.

Pumpkin cough juice

It is used before bedtime. In this case, it is necessary to make a drink according to the following recipe:

• pumpkin juice - 150 ml;
• from carrots - 50 ml;
• from aloe - 5 ml;
• honey - 5 ml.

If the patient has asthma, honey is not included in the recipe.

With diabetes mellitus

The drink can be used for type 2 diabetes mellitus, but only after consulting a doctor and in small quantities - 20-30 ml three times a day with meals.

Pumpkin juice for endometrial growth

For this purpose, only fresh pumpkin should be used. It is best to purchase a fresh pumpkin weighing about 1 kg every day (or every two days). Grate the pumpkin on a fine grater and squeeze the juice out of it, or use a juicer.

The product should be consumed 2-3 times a day before meals. The daily consumption rate should not exceed 200-250 g. The course lasts two weeks. After its completion, the thickness of the endometrium will be from 9 to 12 mm.

It is also recommended to eat pineapples and raspberries.

Pumpkin juice face masks

There are many recipes for using squeezed pumpkin pulp in cosmetology. For example, you can make a rejuvenating face mask based on it. To do this, you need the following ingredients:

• pumpkin juice - 50-60 ml;
• oat flour - 30 ml;
• honey - 10 ml.

The components are mixed, whipped with a mixer and applied to the skin of the face. The mask is washed off after 15 minutes. plain water.

An anti-inflammation cleansing mask is made with the following ingredients:

• pumpkin juice - 70 ml;
• kefir 2.5% - 30 ml;
• honey - 10 ml.

Kefir and honey are mixed in a water bath, then juice is added to them. The mask is applied to the face and washed off after 15 minutes. The repeated procedure is allowed in 2-3 days.

How to make pumpkin juice at home

The easiest way is to get freshly squeezed juice using a juicer.To improve the taste, it is recommended to add sugar and lemon to taste.

You can prepare a drink by boiling it. To do this, take 0.5 kg of peeled pumpkin, 100 g of sugar and a lemon weighing 50 g. Sugar is diluted in a liter of water and brought to a boil. Then pumpkin grated on a fine grater is added to it and lemon is squeezed out. The composition is brought to a boil again and cooled. Then the resulting mass is whipped with a blender.

Pumpkin juice for the winter

The shelf life of a fresh drink is no more than one day. In order to prepare it for use in winter, you can use some kind of conservation method.

A drink without pasteurization is prepared as follows: the pulp is squeezed out with a juicer and poured into a saucepan, sugar is added to it (5 tablespoons per liter). After that, the composition is brought to a temperature of +90 ° C and cooked for 5 minutes. Then it is poured into cans and rolled up.

Pasteurized juice is made like this: it is squeezed out, brought to a boil and poured into a sterilized container. Then pasteurization is carried out (half-liter cans for 10 minutes, liter cans - 15) at a temperature of +90 ° C. Then the banks are rolled up.

In both cases, the preservation can be eaten throughout the year.

An alternative is to use store-bought pumpkin juice. Despite its seeming bias, a drink made to standards is just as good as homemade juice.

Harm of pumpkin juice and contraindications

The harm to the product may occur as a result of violation of contraindications. These include:

• decreased acidity of the stomach;
• advanced forms of stomach diseases;
• disorders of the digestive tract;
• a tendency to diarrhea.

As a rule, the negative effect of the juice manifests itself in complications and exacerbations of the listed chronic diseases, as well as in significant intestinal upset.

Conclusion

The benefits and harms of pumpkin juice have long been known in folk and traditional medicine. Pumpkin juice is an excellent versatile drink that helps with many ailments, primarily those related to the gastrointestinal tract. Low allergenicity allows you to combine it with a large number of other products. The main contraindications for use are stomach diseases, mainly gastritis or ulcers, as well as complicated forms of diabetes mellitus.

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