Pumpkins are native to North America and are now cultivated worldwide in temperate regions. They belong to the Cucurbitaceae family, along with squash plants. Squashes have long been valued for their nutritional and medicinal properties.
In the West, pumpkins are valued for their delicious flavor and high nutritional value. They are recognized as supporting the immune system and helping to regulate digestive function.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), pumpkins and their seeds are enjoyed both as food and as medicine. They are noted for Eliminating Damp, Alleviating intestinal worms, and helping to Calm the Fetus and Promote Lactation.
Pumpkins are known for treating hemorrhoids, improving vision, countering anemia, and increasing sperm count and motility.
It is the Irish who are credited with actually carving pumpkins to celebrate All Souls Day, also called Halloween. As Irish immigrants came to America and discovered pumpkins, it was an easy transition from carving the much smaller squashes (such as turnips or rutabagas) that they had traditionally used to represent the now-famous “Jack-O-Lantern.”
Enjoy pumpkins as food, medicine, and protection against spooky spirits that gather over the Halloween and All Souls’ Day holidays!
