Here's Everything You Need to Know About Pumpkins Just in Time for the Fall
Welcome to pumpkin season! 'Tis the season of pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin pie, candles, decorations, and much more. For all the fall lovers who are here for anything and everything about the orange globe, there are many great things about the fruit (yes, it's a fruit. Hand me a pumpkin-flavored smoothie and I'll drink it). With the fall season comes colorful leaves and obligatory pumpkin content, but also these facts you probably didn't know about pumpkins.
1. Illinois is the "Pumpkin Capital of the World."
Pumpkins are harvested in Illinois, and the state calls itself the "Pumpkin Capital of the World.'' But Illinois isn't the only pumpkin loving place. Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and California also produce many pumpkins.
2. They’re technically fruit.
Pumpkins are members of the gourd family, including cucumbers, cantaloupe, zucchini, and melons. Who knew?!
3. Pumpkins is a great snack.
According to Good Housekeeping, pumpkin is really nutritious in any form, including in the can. But if you ask us, snacking on some pumpkin seeds is ideal.
4. No one is searching for pumpkin pie.
For Pie Day this year, Google released a chart showing the types of pie recipes most Americans are searching for daily. Sadly, pumpkin didn't make the list.
5. Pumpkins offer plenty of health benefits.
Pumpkins have plenty of antioxidants, including beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A in your body and helps fight off infections, prevent vision problems, and protects your skin.
6. Pumpkin spice lattes can be misleading.
A pumpkin spice latte do contain a bit of pumpkin puree, but the real taste comes from pumpkin spice, which includes a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to help boost the drink’s taste.
7. Indigenous Americans first grew and ate pumpkins before the Pilgrims.
Native Americans grew pumpkins long before the Pilgrims, and they even taught the Pilgrims how to grow and prepare them. Pumpkin custard was reportedly served at the first Thanksgiving feast celebrated by both Pilgrims and Native Americans in 1621.
8. They were believed to cure freckles and snakebites.
You read that correctly. The fruit was once considered a remedy for removing freckles and treating snakebites.
9. People start to grow pumpkins between May and July.
Farmers have to start growing pumpkins by the spring because it can take between 90 to 120 days to grow by October.
10. Bees pollenate pumpkin flowers.
Pumpkins need pollution to grow for the fall. According to the Center for Pollinator Research, honey bees, bumble bees, squash bees, and wild bees contribute to pollination in pumpkin flowers.
11. There's pumpkin seed oil and it's great to relieve menopause.
If you're at the age experiencing the first stages of menopause, you can try tasting or getting pumpkin seed oil supplements. According to the National Library of Medicine, this oil help to reduce hot flashes, joint pain, and headaches. Also too, you can increase your HDL levels. Just be sure to check with your doctor before giving it a try.
12. You can feed pumpkin to your beloved dogs and cats.
This is a great food for your dogs and cats. As mentioned above, pumpkins have great health benefits, and the fruit can also help with their digestion systems and remove excess water. This is another time you'll want to make sure you check with your vet before giving it to Fido.
13. The Irish used to carve Jack-o'-lanterns on turnips and potatoes.
Apparently, to scare away the evil spirits, the Irish would carve faces on turnips and potatoes. They found it easier than carving faces on pumpkins.
13. Indigenous Americans used pumpkin for decor and medicine.
Many times, pumpkins would be cut and stripped and weaved together to make mats. The seeds were also used to aid in many aliments, including intestinal issues, according to one book.
14. There's a yearly "Punkin Chunkin" championship hosted in Delaware.
In this pumpkin-launching competition, people shoot pumpkins almost 5,000 feet from an air cannon, but the event was almost canceled after a tragic accident happened in 2017.
15. Pumpkins contain a pigment called “beta-carotene.”
Ever wonder why pumpkins are the color orange? It's because they have beta-carotene in them. They also come in different colors, including red, yellow, and green.
16. There is pumpkin-flavored beer!
Have you ever tried pumpkin beer? If you’re looking to cure your sweet tooth, try the fall drink because it’s full of sugar and pumpkin spice.
17. The word "pumpkin" first appeared in Cinderella.
Before we called them pumpkins, they were referred to as "gros melons" or, rather, large melons.
18. The world's largest pumpkin pie weighed about 3,699 pounds.
There was a baking competition in New Bremen, Ohio, and New Bremen Giant Pumpkin Growers baked a pumpkin pie that weighed 3,699 lbs, according to the Guinness World Records.
19. Christopher Columbus carried pumpkin seeds with him back to Europe.
The Spanish explorer also reportedly brought corn and potatoes back with him ... among other things.
20. You can eat pumpkin leaves!
Ssam, a Korean dish, involves wrapping leafy vegetables in a piece of meat. You can use lettuce, cabbage, and pumpkin leaves, as well as other foods.
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