Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a perennial flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae cultivated as an important forage crop in the

US, Canada, Argentina, France, Australia, the Middle East, South Africa, and many other countries. The Spanish name is widely used, particularly in the US but it is also known as lucerne in the UK, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, erbamedica in Italy, meaning medical herb, luzerne in France, and lucerne grass in south Asian English. It superficially resembles clover, with clusters of small purple flowers followed by fruits spiralled in 2 to 3 turns containing 10-20 seeds. Alfalfa has been cultivated by humans since at least the 4th century CE and has some use in herbal medicine.

Alfalfa

Medicago sativa

Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Rosids Order: Fabales Family: Fabaceae Genus: Medicago Species: M. sativa Binomial name Medicago sativa
L.[1]

Subspecies Medicago sativa subsp. ambigua(Trautv.) Tutin

Medicago sativa subsp. microcarpaUrban Medicago sativa subsp. sativaL. Medicago sativa subsp. varia(T.
Martyn) Arcang.

Medical uses

Alfalfa has been used as an herbal medicine for over 1,500 years.[citation needed] Alfalfa is high in protein, calcium, plus other minerals, vitamins in the B group, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K.

In early Chinese medicines, physicians used young alfalfa leaves to treat disorders related to the digestive tract and the kidneys.[citation needed] In Ayurvedic medicine, physicians used the leaves for treating poor digestion. They made a cooling poultice from the seeds for boils. At the time, alfalfa was also believed to be beneficial to people suffering from arthritis and water retention.[citation needed] Vitamin D

The sun-dried hay of Alfalfa (also known as Lucerne) has been found as a source of vitamin D, containing 48 ng/g (1920 IU/kg) vitamin D2 and 0.63 ng/g (25 IU/kg) vitamin D3.[64] There is reference to vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 being found in the alfalfa shoot, this is awaiting verification. [65] Mushrooms are not allowed in Jain vegetarianism making alfalfa the only known source they can use to make vitamin D2 supplements from.

Aloe vera
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Aloe vera

Aloe vera plant with flower detail inset.

Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae clade: Angiosperms clade: Monocots Order: Asparagales Family: Xanthorrhoeaceae Subfamily: Asphodeloideae Genus: Aloe Species: A. vera Binomial name Aloe vera
(L.) Burm.f.

Aloe vera is a species of succulent plant that probably originated in northern Africa. The species does not have any naturally occurring populations, although closely related aloes do occur in northern Africa. The species is frequently cited as being used in herbal medicine since the beginning of the first century AD. Extracts from A. vera are widely used in the cosmetics and alternative medicine industries, being marketed as variously having rejuvenating, healing or soothing properties. There is, however, little scientific evidence of the effectiveness or safety of A. vera extracts for either cosmetic or medicinal purposes, and what positive evidence is available is frequently contradicted by other studies. Medical uses of aloe vera are being investigated as well.

Uses

Aloe vera gel being used to make a dessert. Preparations made from the plant Aloe vera are often referred to as "aloe vera".[39] Scientific evidence for the cosmetic and therapeutic effectiveness of aloe vera is limited and when present is frequently contradictory.[5][6] Despite this, the cosmetic and alternative medicine industries regularly make claims regarding the soothing, moisturizing, and healing properties of aloe vera, especially via Internet advertising.[7][3][4][2][40] Aloe vera gel is used as an ingredient in commercially available lotions, yogurt, beverages, and some desserts,[41][42][43] although at certain doses, it has toxic properties when used either for ingested or topical applications.[44]

Folk medicine
Aloe vera has a long association with herbal medicine, although it is not known when its medical applications were first suspected. Early records of Aloe vera use appear in the Ebers Papyrus from 16th century BC,[17] in both Dioscorides'De MateriaMedica and Pliny the Elder'sNatural History written in the mid-first century CE[17] along with the Juliana Anicia Codex produced in 512 AD.[41] The species is used widely in the traditional herbal medicine of China, Japan, Russia, South Africa, the United States, Jamaica, Latin America and India.[7]

Dietary supplement
Aloin, a compound found in the exudate of some Aloe species, was the common ingredient in over-the-counter (OTC) laxative products in the United States prior to 2003, when the Food and Drug Administration ruled that aloin was a class III ingredient, thereby banning its use.[45]Aloe vera has potential toxicity, with side-effects occurring at some dose levels both when ingested or applied topically.[44] Although toxicity may be less when aloin is removed by processing, aloe vera that contains aloin in excess amounts may induce side-effects.[7][8][46] A 2-year National Toxicology Program (NTP) study on oral consumption of non-decolorized whole leaf extract of aloe vera found evidence of carcinogenic activity in male and female rats. The NTP says more information is needed to determine the potential risks to humans.[47] Aloe vera juice is marketed to support the health of the digestive system, but there is neither scientific evidence nor regulatory approval to support this claim.[48] The extracts and quantities typically used for such purposes appear to be dose-dependent for toxic effects

Arnica /rnk/ is a genus with about 30 perennial, herbaceous species, belonging to the sunflower family (Asteraceae). The genus name Arnica may be derived from the Greek"lamb," in reference to the soft, hairy leaves. This circumboreal and montane (subalpine) genus occurs mostly in the temperate regions of western North America while two are native to Eurasia (A. angustifolia and A. montana).[citation
needed]

Arnica used to be included in the tribe Senecioneae because it has a flower or pappus of fine bristles. This was soon questioned and Nordenstam (1977) placed it tentatively in tribe Heliantheaes.l.[citation needed] This arrangement also became uncertain because of the sesquiterpenelactone chemistry in certain species. Lately Arnica was placed in an unresolved clade together with Madiinae, Eupatorieae, Heliantheaes.s. and Pectidinae.[citation needed] Several species, such as Arnica montana and Arnica chamissonis, contain helenalin, a sesquiterpene lactone that is a major ingredient in anti-inflammatory preparations (used mostly for bruises). Arnica species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Bucculatrixarnicella. Arnica is also known by the names Mountain Tobacco and, somewhat confusingly, Leopard's bane and Wolfsbane - two names that it shares with the entirely separate genus Aconitum.

Arnica

Arnica montanaIll.Koehler

Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Asterids Order: Asterales Family: Asteraceae Subfamily: Asteroideae Tribe: Heliantheae Subtribe: Madiinae Genus: Arnica

Arnica montana
The species Arnica montana, native to Europe, has long been used medicinally, but this use has not been substantiated.[1][2]

Medicinal uses
Arnica montana has been used medicinally for centuries, however there are no scientific studies that prove the medical effectiveness.[1] The roots contain derivatives of thymol,[3] which are used as fungicides and preservatives. Arnica is currently used in liniment and ointment preparations used for strains, sprains, and bruises. Commercial Arnica preparations are frequently used by professional athletes.[4] The thymol derivatives concentrated in the plants roots have been clinically shown to be effective vasodilators of subcutaneous blood capillaries. A study of wound-healing after surgery to treat varicose veins found no statistically significant proof of efficacy.[5]

Toxicity
Arnica contains the toxin helenalin, which can be poisonous if large amounts of the plant are eaten, and contact with the plant can also cause skin irritation.[6][7] If enough of the material is ingested, the toxin helenalin produces severe gastroenteritis, and internal bleeding of the digestive tract.[8]Homeopathic preparations of Arnica 24X dilution or more are not toxic as negligible amounts of Arnica remains.[9][10][11]

Homeopathy
Homeopathic preparations of Arnica are widely marketed and used. In the UK, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has registered the product for sprains and bruising under the National Rules for Homoeopathic Products (2006). These rules allow claims of efficacy for these conditions to be made on the packaging in the absence of similar evidence to

that required for conventional medicines under the Medicines Act 1968 and 1971.[12] A systematic review of clinical trials showed that homeopathic Arnica was no more effective than a placebo.[13] In some quarters, the fact that homeopathic Arnica has been the subject of published clinical trials at all has drawn criticism grounded on the allegation that the basic premise of the high dilutions used in homeopathy would be inherently flawed.[11]

Withaniasomnifera
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Withaniasomnifera

Ashvagandha plant at Talkatora Gardens, Delhi

Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Asterids Order: Solanales Family: Solanaceae Genus: Withania Species: W. somnifera Binomial name Withaniasomnifera
(L.) Dunal

Synonyms[1]

PhysalissomniferaL. WithaniakansuensisKuang& A. M. Lu WithaniamicrophysalisSuess.

Withaniasomnifera, also known as ashwagandha,[2]Indian ginseng,[citation needed] or winter cherry,[2] is a plant in the Solanaceae or nightshade family. Several other species in the genus Withania are morphologically similar.[3] It is used as a herb in Ayurvedic medicine.

Description
It grows as a short shrub (3575 cm) with a central stem from which branches extend radially in a star pattern (stellate) and covered with a dense matte of wooly hairs (tomentose). The flowers are small and green, while the ripe fruit is orange-red and has milk-coagulating properties. The plant's long, brown, tuberous roots are used for medicinal purposes.[4]

Etymology
Ashwagandha in Sanskrit means "horse's smell" (ashwa- horse, gandha- smell), probably originating from the odour of its root which resembles that of a sweaty horse.[citation needed] The species name somnifera means "sleep-inducing" in Latin.[

Medicinal use
The main active constituents are alkaloids and steroidallactones. These include tropine and cuscohygrine. The leaves contain the steroidal lactones, withanolides, notably withaferin A, which was the first withanolide to be isolated from W. somnifera.

Traditional medicinal uses

In Ayurveda, the berries and leaves of W. somnifera are locally applied to tumors, tubercular glands, carbuncles, and ulcers.[4] The roots of W. somnifera are used to prepare the herbal remedy ashwagandha, which has been traditionally used to treat various symptoms and conditions.[4][9][10][11][12][13][14]

Tumour growth
Recent research in mice indicates that withaferin A has anti-metastatic activity.[15][16][17][18][19]

Alzheimer's dementia

The effect of a semipurified root extract of W. somnifera containing mostly withanolides was investigated using a transgenicmouse model of Alzheimer's disease. The transgenic mice showed reversal of behavioral deficits and plaque load after treatment with the extract for 30 days.[20][21]

Side effects
In two published clinical trials of W. somnifera, the side effects were not significantly different from those experienced by placebo-treated individuals.[12][22] A case report implicated ashwaganda as the cause of thyrotoxicosis in a 32-year old female who had taken ashwaganada extract capsules for symptoms of chronic fatigue.[23]

Carica papaya
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article is about Carica papaya, the widely cultivated papaya (or papaw or pawpaw), a tropical fruit tree; "Papaya" redirects here. For the mountain papaya of South America, see Vasconcellea pubescens. For the Eastern North American tree (and fruit) called "pawpaw", see Asimina triloba. For other uses of "papaya", see Papaya (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with Chaenomeles speciosa (flowering quince) or Pseudocydonia chinensis (Chinese quince), which like Carica papaya are sometimes called mugua. Papaya

Papaya tree and fruit, from Koehler's Medicinal-Plants (1887)

Scientific classification Kingdom: (unranked): (unranked): (unranked): Order: Family: Genus: Species: Plantae Angiosperms Eudicots Rosids Brassicales Caricaceae Carica C. papaya

Binomial name Carica papaya

L.

The papaya (from Carib via Spanish), papaw, or pawpaw is the fruit of the plant Carica papaya, the sole species in the genus Carica of the plant family Caricaceae. It is native to the tropics of the Americas, and was first cultivated in Mexico[1] several centuries before the emergence of the Mesoamerican classical civilizations. The papaya is a large tree-like plant, with a single stem growing from 5 to 10 metres (16 to 33 ft) tall, with spirally arranged leaves confined to the top of the trunk. The lower trunk is conspicuously scarred where leaves and fruit were borne. The leaves are large, 5070 centimetres (2028 in) diameter, deeply palmately lobed with 7 lobes. The tree is usually unbranched, unless lopped. The flowers are similar in shape to the flowers of the Plumeria, but are much smaller and wax-like. They appear on the axils of the leaves, maturing into the large 1545 centimetres (5.918 in) long, 1030 centimetres (3.912 in) diameter fruit. The fruit is ripe when it feels soft (as soft as a ripe avocado or a bit softer) and its skin has attained an amber to orange hue. Carica papaya was the first transgenic fruit tree to have its genome deciphered.[2]

Uses
Papayas can be used as a food, a cooking aid, and in traditional medicine. The stem and bark may be used in rope production.
Nutrients, phytochemicals and culinary practices

Papaya, raw
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) Energy Carbohydrates - Sugars - Dietary fibre Fat 163 kJ (39 kcal) 9.81 g 5.90 g 1.8 g 0.14 g

Protein Vitamin A equiv. Thiamine (vit. B1) Riboflavin (vit. B2) Niacin (vit. B3) Vitamin B6 Folate (vit. B9) Vitamin C Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium

0.61 g 328 g (41%) 0.04 mg (3%) 0.05 mg (4%) 0.338 mg (2%) 0.1 mg (8%) 38 g (10%) 61.8 mg (74%) 24 mg (2%) 0.10 mg (1%) 10 mg (3%) 5 mg (1%) 257 mg (5%) 3 mg (0%)

Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults.

Papaya output in 2005, shown as a percentage of the top producer, Brazil (1.7 megatonnes)

Papaya fruit is a rich source of nutrients such as provitamin A carotenoids, vitamin C, B vitamins, dietary minerals and dietary fibre. Papaya skin, pulp and seeds also contain a variety of phytochemicals, including natural phenols. Danielone is a phytoalexin found in the papaya fruit. This compound showed high antifungal activity against Colletotrichum gloesporioides, a pathogenic fungus of papaya.[13] The ripe fruit of the papaya is usually eaten raw, with or without skin or seeds. The unripe green fruit can be eaten cooked, usually in curries, salads, and stews. Green papaya is used in Southeast Asian cooking, both raw and cooked.[14] In Thai cuisine, papaya is used to make Thai salads such as som tam and Thai curries such as kaeng som when still not fully ripe. In Indonesian cuisine, the unripe green fruits and young leaves are boiled for use as part of lalab salad, while the flower buds are sauted and stir fried with chillies and green tomatoes as Minahasan papaya flower vegetable dish. Papayas have a relatively high amount of pectin, which can be used to make jellies. The smell of ripe, fresh papaya flesh can strike some people as unpleasant. The black seeds of the papaya are edible and have a sharp, spicy taste. They are sometimes ground and used as a substitute for black pepper. In some parts of Asia, the young leaves of the papaya are steamed and eaten like spinach. In some parts of the world, papaya leaves are made into tea as a treatment for malaria.[15] Antimalarial and anti-plasmodial activity has been noted in some preparations of the plant,[15] but the mechanism is not understood and no treatment method based on these results has been scientifically proven.[15]

Meat tenderizing

Both green papaya fruit and the tree's latex are rich in papain, a protease used for tenderizing meat and other proteins. Its ability to break down tough meat fibers was used for thousands of years by indigenous Americans. It is now included as a component in powdered meat tenderizers.
Folk medicine

Papaya is marketed in tablet form to remedy digestive problems. Papain is also applied topically (in countries where it grows) for the treatment of cuts, rashes, stings and burns. Papain ointment is commonly made from fermented papaya flesh, and is applied as a gel-like paste. Harrison Ford was treated for a ruptured disc incurred during filming of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom by papain injections.[16] Women in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and other countries have long used green papaya as a folk remedy for contraception and abortion. Enslaved women in the West Indies were noted for consuming papaya to prevent pregnancies and thus preventing their children from being born into slavery.[17]
Preliminary research

Preliminary medical research in animals has confirmed the potential contraceptive and abortifacient capability of papaya, and also found that papaya seeds have contraceptive effects in adult male langur monkeys, and possibly in adult male humans.[18] Unripe papaya is especially effective in large amounts or high doses. Ripe papaya is not teratogenic and will not cause miscarriage in small amounts. Phytochemicals in papaya may suppress the effects of progesterone.[19]

Papaya. Moche Culture. Larco Museum Collection. The Moche often depicted papayas in their ceramics.[20]

Other preliminary research indicates alternate possible effects which remain to be further studied. Papaya juice has an in vitro antiproliferative effect on liver cancer cells, possibly due to lycopene[21] or immune system stimulation.[22] Papaya seeds might contain antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus or Salmonella typhi.[23] Papaya seed extract may have effects in toxicity-induced kidney failure.[24]

Allergies and side effects

A papaya seedling.

Papaya is frequently used as a hair conditioner, but should be used in small amounts. Papaya releases a latex fluid when not quite ripe, which can cause irritation and provoke allergic reaction in some people. It is speculated that the latex concentration of unripe papayas may cause uterine contractions, which may lead to a miscarriage. Papaya seed extracts in large doses have a contraceptive effect on rats and monkeys, but in small doses have no effect on the unborn animals. Excessive consumption of papaya can cause carotenemia, the yellowing of soles and palms, which is otherwise harmless. However, a very large dose would need to be consumed; papaya contains about 6% of the level of beta carotene found in carrots (the most common cause of carotenemia).

Lavender
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article is about the genus of flowering plants. For other uses, see Lavender (disambiguation). Lavender

Lavender flowers with bracts

Scientific classification Kingdom: Phylum: (unranked): (unranked): Order: Family: Subfamily: Tribe: Genus: Plantae Angiosperms Eudicots Asterids Lamiales Lamiaceae Nepetoideae Lavanduleae Lavandula
L.

Type species Lavandula spica

L.

Species

39 species, including some hybrids, see text. The lavenders (botanic name Lavandula) is a genus of 39 species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to the Old World and is found from Cape Verde and Canary

Islands, southern Europe across to northern and eastern Africa, the Mediterranean, south-west Asia to south-east India. Many members of the genus are cultivated extensively in temperate climates as ornamental plants for garden and landscape use, and also commercially for the extraction of essential oils.
Medical uses

The essential oil was used in hospitals during World War I to disinfect floors and walls. Lavender is used extensively with herbs and aromatherapy. According to folk wisdom, lavender has many uses. Infusions of lavender are believed to soothe insect bites, burns, and headaches. Bunches of lavender repel insects.[citation needed] In pillows, lavender seeds and flowers aid sleep and relaxation.[citation needed] An infusion of flowerheads added to a cup of boiling water soothes and relaxes at bedtime. Lavender oil (or extract of Lavender) heals acne when used diluted 1:10 with water, rosewater, or witch hazel; it also treats skin burns and inflammatory conditions.[citation
needed]

A recent clinical study investigated anxiolytic effects and influence on sleep quality. Lavender oil with a high percentage of linalool and linalyl acetate, in the form of capsules, was generally well tolerated. It showed meaningful efficacy in alleviating anxiety and related sleep disturbances.[16]
Health precautions

Lavender oil can be a powerful allergen, and it is also recommended that it should not be ingested during pregnancy and breastfeeding.[17] In vitro, lavender oil is cytotoxic. It increases photosensitivity as well. Lavender oil is cytotoxic to human skin cells in vitro (endothelial cells and fibroblasts) at a concentration of 0.25%. Linalool, a component of lavender oil, may be its active component.[18] Aqueous extracts reduced mitotic index, but induced chromosomal aberrations and mitotic aberrations in comparison with control, significantly. Aqueous extracts induced breaks, stickiness, pole deviations and micronuclei. These effects were related to extract concentrations.[19] However, according to a 2005 study "although it was recently reported that lavender oil, and its major constituent linalyl acetate, are toxic to human skin cells in vitro, contact dermatitis to lavender oil appears to occur at only a very low frequency. The relevance of this in vitro toxicity to dermatological application of lavender oils remains unclear."[20] In terms of phototoxicity, a 2007 investigative report from European researchers stated that, "Lavender oil and sandalwood oil did not induce photohaemolysis in our test system. However, a few reports on photosensitivity reactions due to these substances have been published, e.g. one patient with persistent light reaction and a positive photo-patch test to sandalwood oil."[21]

Controversy over possible endocrine-disrupting activity

In 2007, a study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine which indicated that studies in human cell lines indicated that both lavender oil and tea tree oil had estrogenic and antiandrogenic activities. They concluded that repeated topical exposure to lavender and tea tree oils probably caused prepubertal gynaecomastia in some boys.[22] The Aromatherapy Trade Council of the UK has issued a rebuttal, [23] and it is also disputed by the Australian Tea Tree Association, a group that promotes the interests of Australian tea tree industry.[24]
Other uses

Lavender products for sale at the San Francisco Farmers Market.

Flower spikes are used for dried flower arrangements. The fragrant, pale purple flowers and flower buds are used in potpourris. Lavender is also used extensively as herbal filler inside sachets used to freshen linens. Dried and sealed in pouches, lavender flowers are placed among stored items of clothing to give a fresh fragrance and to deter moths. Dried lavender flowers have become recently popular for wedding confetti. Lavender is also popular in scented waters and sachets.
Cultivation

Lavenders flourish best in dry, well-drained, sandy or gravelly soils in full sun.[25] All types need little or no fertilizer and good air circulation. In areas of high humidity, root rot due to fungus infection can be a problem. Organic mulches can trap moisture around the plants' bases, encouraging root rot. Gravelly materials such as crushed rocks give better results.

Pumpkin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search For other uses, see Pumpkin (disambiguation).

Several large pumpkins

A pumpkin flower attached to the vine.

Pumpkin pie is a popular way of preparing pumpkin.

A pumpkin is a gourd-like squash of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae (which also includes gourds).[1] It commonly refers to cultivars of any one of the species Cucurbita

pepo, Cucurbita mixta, Cucurbita maxima, and Cucurbita moschata, and is native to North America. They typically have a thick, orange or yellow shell, creased from the stem to the bottom, containing the seeds and pulp. Pumpkins are widely grown for commercial use, and are used both in food and recreation. Pumpkin pie, for instance, is a traditional part of Thanksgiving meals in the United States, and pumpkins are frequently carved as decorations around Halloween. A pumpkin that has a little face carved in it and hollowed out and decorated with candles inside is known as a jack o'lantern; these are often used at Halloween, for example, to decorate windows. In Australian English, the name 'pumpkin' generally refers to the broader category called winter squash in North America.

Uses
Cooking

Pumpkin, raw
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) Energy Carbohydrates - Sugars - Dietary fiber Fat - saturated - monounsaturated - polyunsaturated Protein Vitamin A equiv. - beta-carotene Thiamine (vit. B1) 109 kJ (26 kcal) 6.5 g 1.36 g 0.5 g 0.1 g 0.05 g 0.01 g 0.01 g 1.0 g 369 g (46%) 3100 g (29%) 0.05 mg (4%)

Riboflavin (vit. B2) Niacin (vit. B3) Pantothenic acid (B5) Vitamin B6 Folate (vit. B9) Vitamin C Vitamin E Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc

0.110 mg (9%) 0.6 mg (4%) 0.298 mg (6%) 0.061 mg (5%) 16 g (4%) 9 mg (11%) 1.06 mg (7%) 21 mg (2%) 0.8 mg (6%) 12 mg (3%) 44 mg (6%) 340 mg (7%) 1 mg (0%) 0.32 mg (3%)
Percentages are relative to

US recommendations for adults.

Source: USDA Nutrient Database

This article is part of the series on

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Pumpkins are very versatile in their uses for cooking. Most parts of the pumpkin are edible, including the fleshy shell, the seeds, the leaves, and even the flowers. In the United States and Canada, pumpkin is a popular Halloween and Thanksgiving staple.[18] Homemade pumpkin pure can serve the same purpose.[19]

A can of pureed pumpkin, typically used as the main ingredient in pumpkin pie.

When ripe, the pumpkin can be boiled, baked, steamed, or roasted. In its native North America, it is a very important, traditional part of the autumn harvest, eaten mashed[20] and making its way into soups and purees. Often, it is made into pie, various kinds of which are a traditional staple of the Canadian and American Thanksgiving holidays. In Canada, Mexico, the United States, Europe and China, the seeds are often roasted and eaten as a snack. Pumpkins that are still small and green may be eaten in the same way as squash or zucchini. In the Middle East, pumpkin is used for sweet dishes; a well-known sweet delicacy is called halawa yaqtin. In South Asian countries such as India, pumpkin is cooked with butter, sugar, and spices in a dish called kadu ka halwa. Pumpkin is used to make sambar in Udupi cuisine. In Guangxi province, China, the leaves of the pumpkin plant are consumed as a cooked vegetable or in soups. In Australia and New Zealand, pumpkin is often roasted in conjunction with other vegetables. In Japan, small pumpkins are served in savory dishes, including tempura. In Myanmar, pumpkins are used in both cooking and desserts (candied). The seeds are a popular sunflower seed substitute. In Thailand, small pumpkins are steamed with custard inside and served as a dessert. In Italy, it can be used with cheeses as a savory stuffing for ravioli. Also, pumpkin can be used to flavor both alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. In the southwestern United States and Mexico, pumpkin and squash flowers are a popular and widely available food item. They may be used to garnish dishes, and they may be dredged in a batter then fried in oil. Pumpkin leaves are a popular vegetable in the Western and central regions of Kenya; they are called seveve, and are an ingredient of mukimo,[21] respectively, whereas the pumpkin itself is usually boiled or steamed. The seeds are popular with children who roast them on a pan before eating them.

Extract

East China Normal University research on type-1 diabetic rats, published in July 2007, suggests that chemical compounds found in pumpkin promote regeneration of damaged pancreatic cells, resulting in increased bloodstream insulin levels. According to the research team leader, pumpkin extract may be "a very good product for pre-diabetic people, as well as those who already have diabetes," possibly reducing or eliminating the need for insulin injections for some type-1 diabetics. It is unknown whether pumpkin extract has any effect on diabetes mellitus type 2, as it was not the subject of the study.[22]
Seeds Main article: Pepita

Pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, are small, flat, green, edible seeds. Most pumpkin seeds are covered by a white husk, although some pumpkin varieties produce seeds without them. Pumpkin seeds are a popular snack that can be found hulled or semi-hulled at most grocery stores. However, roasting pumpkin seeds (usually scooped out of jack-o-lanterns) is a popular Halloween treat. Pumpkin seeds have many health benefits, as they are a good source of protein, zinc, and other vitamins, and they are even said to lower cholesterol.[23] One gram of pumpkin seed protein contains as much tryptophan as a full glass of milk.[24] Pumpkin seeds are a good source of magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and phytosterols.[citation needed]
Pumpkin seed oil

Pumpkin seed oil

Pumpkin seed oil is a thick, green-red[25][26] oil that is produced from roasted pumpkin seeds. When used for cooking or as a salad dressing, pumpkin seed oil is generally mixed with other oils because of its robust flavor.[27] It is used in cooking in central and eastern Europe. It is considered a delicacy in Austria, where a little is often added in traditional local cuisine on pumpkin soup and on potato salad. Some restaurants in Vienna even add a few drops on vanilla ice cream. Long believed to be a folk remedy for prostate problems, it has been claimed to combat benign prostatic hyperplasia.[28] Pumpkin seed oil contains essential fatty acids that help maintain healthy blood vessels, nerves and tissues.[29]

Other uses

Canned pumpkin is often recommended by veterinarians as a dietary supplement for dogs and cats that are experiencing certain digestive ailments such as constipation, diarrhea, or hairballs. The high fiber content helps to aid proper digestion.[30] Raw pumpkin can be fed to poultry, as a supplement to regular feed, during the winter to help maintain egg production, which usually drops off during the cold months.[citation needed] The medicinal properties of pumpkin include anti-diabetic, antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-inflammatory.[31]

Activities involving pumpkins

Halloween

A pumpkin carved into a jack-o'-lantern for Halloween

Pumpkins are commonly carved into decorative lanterns called jack-o'-lanterns for the Halloween season in North America. Throughout Britain and Ireland, there is a long tradition of carving lanterns from vegetables, particularly the turnip, mangelwurzel, or swede.[32] The turnip has traditionally been used in Ireland and Scotland at Halloween,[33] but immigrants to North America used the native pumpkin, which are both readily available and much larger making them easier to carve than turnips.[33] Not until 1837, does jack-o'-lantern appear as a term for a carved vegetable lantern,[34] and the carved pumpkin lantern association with Halloween is recorded in 1866.[35]

In the United States, the carved pumpkin was first associated with the harvest season in general, long before it became an emblem of Halloween.[36] In 1900, an article on Thanksgiving entertaining recommended a lit jack-o'-lantern as part of the festivities that encourage kids and families to join together to make their own jack-o-lanterns.[36]
Chucking

Pumpkin chucking is a competitive activity in which teams build various mechanical devices designed to throw a pumpkin as far as possible. Catapults, trebuchets, ballistas and air cannons are the most common mechanisms. Some pumpkin chuckers breed and grow special varieties of pumpkin under specialized conditions to improve the pumpkin's chances of surviving a throw.
Pumpkin festivals and competitions

Competitive Weight Pumpkins

Pumpkin growers often compete to see whose pumpkins are the most massive. Festivals are often dedicated to the pumpkin and these competitions. The Ohio towns of Barnesville and Circleville each hold a festival every year, the Barnesville Pumpkin Festival and the Circleville Pumpkin Show respectively. The town of Half Moon Bay, California, holds an annual Art and Pumpkin Festival, drawing over 250,000 visitors each year and including the World Champion Pumpkin Weigh-Off.[37] Farmers from all over the US compete to determine who can grow the heaviest pumpkin.[38] The winning pumpkin regularly tops the scale at more than 1500 pounds. Leonardo Urena, from Napa, California, grew the winner of the 2011 Weigh-Off with a 1,704-pound Atlantic Giant, setting a new California State record.[39] The world record pumpkin in 2009 was 1725 pounds, grown by Cristy Harp of Ohio.[40] The town of Morton, Illinois, the self-declared pumpkin capital of the world,[41] has held a Pumpkin Festival since 1966. The town, where Nestl's pumpkin packing plant is located (and where 90% of canned pumpkins eaten in the US are processed), held for several years a record for the number of carved and lit pumpkins in one place, before losing it to Boston, Massachusetts, in 2006. A large contributor of pumpkins to the Keene Pumpkin Fest in New Hampshire is local Keene State College, which hosts an event called Pumpkin Lobotomy on its

main quadrangle. Usually held the day before the festival itself, Pumpkin Lobotomy has the air of a large party, with the school providing pumpkins and carving instruments alike (though some students prefer to use their own) and music provided by college radio station WKNH. Ireland's only Pumpkin Festival takes place each year in Virginia, County Cavan to find Ireland's biggest pumpkins. This year the biggest pumpkin topped 1300 pounds. The event takes place over a holiday weekend, along with other entertainment and festive parades. The city of Elk Grove, California, has held an annual Pumpkin Festival since 1995.

GOD made the earth yield healing herbs, which the prudent man should not neglect.