Why is pumpkin puree soup useful, how to cook it

Eating pumpkin, not everyone knows how great the benefits and harms of pumpkin soup are for the human body. During heat treatment, many vegetables lose their beneficial properties, so it is important to be able to properly cook this seemingly unpretentious product.

The history of pumpkin soup

5 thousand years BC in South America, the Indians used pumpkin as vessels. Christopher Columbus brought her seeds to Europe to feed livestock, but then people discovered the beneficial properties of pumpkin puree soup. Since then, it has been growing almost all over the world.

This delicacy was first prepared and loved in France, and then in England and Italy. Today, without him, they do not see their holidays in Haiti and in America.

Types of pumpkin soup

Among the types of this dish are:

• classic creamy;
• dietary.

There is a cooking method that changes the pumpkin flavor to a spicy one by adding ginger. A variety of pumpkin soups is added by serving them with cheese, sour cream, nuts or boiled chicken, in which they do not lose their useful properties.

How many calories are in pumpkin soup

The product, with regular use, promotes weight loss without harm to the body, since the pulp of the fruit is 90% water. The calorie content per 100 grams of pumpkin soup is only 25 kcal, and saturation occurs due to dietary fiber. Thus, this dish can be considered one of the best for diet food.

Useful properties of pumpkin soup

In its dense pulp, pumpkin contains vitamins:

• A;
• B, B2, B5, B6, B9;
• E;
• PP;
• vitamin C.

The list of minerals is no less impressive, which includes:

• potassium;
• calcium;
• iron;
• magnesium;
• sulfur;
• phosphorus;
• manganese;
• sodium;
• zinc;
• iodine.

The beneficial properties of pumpkin strengthen the immune system due to the content of vitamin C. This vegetable is also distinguished by its long shelf life, which makes it an irreplaceable product in winter and spring.

100 g of the famous orange product contains 125% of the daily value of beta-carotene, which provides a person with color vision. Deficiency of this vitamin causes twilight blindness.

Pumpkin seeds have antiparasitic properties. Phytosterols in their composition neutralize the effects of animal cholesterol, so adding seeds to plates during serving works as a cancer prevention.

Cream and butter as additional ingredients in recipes help to normalize the endocrine system and also nourish the brain cells. In combination with ginger, the soup is indispensable for toxicosis.

Is pumpkin soup good for pregnant and lactating women?

The benefits of pumpkin puree soup for women are primarily to improve the proliferation of skin renewal, which slows down aging. During pregnancy, especially in winter, the body needs all the vitamins contained in this dish, including fats. In particular, calcium is needed for the development of the fetus, which is also found in pumpkin.

Doctors especially recommend pumpkin soup for edema, gastrointestinal problems and after childbirth. During breastfeeding, all the beneficial and harmful properties of pumpkin are transferred to the baby, therefore, with hypersensitivity to carotenes, the use of pumpkin puree soup is dangerous for the child. But this allergy is very rare.

Slimming pumpkin soup

The energetic properties of pumpkin soup are such that when the vegetable is heat-treated, the dietary fiber in its composition decreases, but the calorie content remains low. Since the dish is carbohydrate in composition, it has the property of increasing blood sugar.

The fact is that carbohydrates with an unbalanced amount tend to stimulate appetite. The combination is beneficial when one serving includes 180 g of pumpkin and up to 20 g of heavy cream: then a diet on pumpkin soup brings a feeling of fullness and gives the desired results.

How to cook pumpkin soup

The juicy color of the creamy soup whets the appetite, especially with contrasting ingredients.

The combination of some products with pumpkin juice and pulp allows food to be better absorbed or complement each other. The recipes are simple, but fun in practice, especially if you experiment with serving. It should be noted that the vegetable goes well with such spices:

• curry;
• nutmeg.

Due to the wateriness of the pumpkin, it is recommended to add water taking into account the liquid that the product itself secretes.

Classic recipe with cream

To make a tender pumpkin soup you will need:

• potatoes (2 pcs.);
• carrots (1 pc.);
• onion (1 pc.);
• garlic and herbs;
• 150 ml cream 20%;
• 1 kg of pumpkin of any kind;
• water or broth;
• spice.

Cooking procedure:

1. Cut potatoes, carrots and pumpkin into large pieces.
2. Cut the onion into half rings and fry with garlic slices in olive oil until transparent. You can do this right in the pan.
3. Add carrots, potatoes and pumpkin. Pour everything over with broth or water and leave to simmer until tender for about 20 minutes.
4. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg as desired, grind the mass with a blender.
5. Cream is added at the very end.

Pumpkin Ginger Soup Recipe

For a ginger recipe you will need:

• 1 kg pumpkin;
• 500 g carrots;
• 3 large onions;
• head of garlic;
• 100 g heavy cream;
• 40 - 50 g of ginger.

Preparation:

1. After chopping the first 4 ingredients, add 50 g of any oil to the pan and fry all the vegetables in it for 10 minutes over medium heat.
2. Meanwhile, ginger is crushed and added to the future dish along with hot water.
3. The soup is boiled for another 20 minutes over low heat, after which it is chopped into a gruel with a blender.
4. Add cream and mix.

Diet pumpkin soup

The easiest soup to prepare is dietary. It will also benefit children who are switching to regular meals.

The ingredient list includes:

• 1 - 1.5 kg of pumpkin;
• 1 onion;
• 100 g celery root;
• roasted pumpkin seeds;
• greens.

Cooking steps:

1. All vegetables are cut and placed in a saucepan.
2. Pour in water and set to cook for half an hour.
3. Grind the soup with a blender after cooking, add salt and pour into bowls.
4. Garnish with herbs and seeds. Pumpkin seed oil can be added if desired.

How to peel a pumpkin

The pumpkin peel is difficult to separate from the pulp, but the vegetable must be completely peeled. To do this, it is cut into small fragments, then the seeds are removed with a spoon.

If you try to clean larger pieces, your hands could be injured.

Possible harm to pumpkin soup and contraindications

If raw pumpkin contains a lot of vitamin C, then when cooked it breaks down, which can be considered a lack of soup.

Regular use of a dish with pumpkin is contraindicated for people:

• with peptic ulcer;
• gastritis with low acidity;
• diabetes mellitus;
• with individual intolerance to the product.

Conclusion

The benefits and harms of pumpkin soup are actively discussed by different generations. For some, taste and individual traditions are more important than the properties of the dish, but they do not remain underestimated, which is absolutely deserved. After all, pumpkin contains a huge amount of nutrients, and contraindications to its use are minimal.

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