Halloween Facts: All about Pumpkins
This time of year, it's all about pumpkins. Carving them,
decorating with them, and using them in recipes. Everyone does
it as part of the Halloween tradition, but does anyone really
know why? Let's take a look!
Carving jack-o-lanterns is
a tradition that dates back to the Celtic tradition of Samhain,
which was the night when dead souls came back to earth in search
of bodies. The jack-o-lanterns, lit from within by burning lumps
of coal, served to ward away evil spirits but welcome the
spirits of loved ones. Jack-o-lanters were originally carved
from gourds or even turnips, until the discovery of North
American pumpkins. The pumpkin that we use today to carve
jack-o-lanterns was indigenous to the western hemisphere. In
1584 a French explorer noted his discovery of "large melons" or
"ponpions"--pumpkins. Pumpkins are now grown all over the world
on six continents, except for Antarctica of course!
Pumpkins (fruits, not vegetables) are really very interesting
when you get down to it. They are related to cucumbers,
surprisingly enough, but they are orange because they contain
large amounts of beta-carotene and lutein, which the body turns
to vitamin A. They also contain potassium and fiber. Due to
their nutritional content, they were a staple to the Native
American diet. They later became a staple of the settlers as
well. It is even said that pumpkins were present at the first
Thanksgiving dinner.
We still eat pumpkins today. Who
doesn't love roasting the seeds after a particularly productive
carving session? And no Thanksgiving meal would be complete
without pumpkin pie. But pumpkins can be a tasty addition to
other recipes as well--in breads, ice creams, cheesecakes and
even soups.
But the interesting facts about pumpkins
doesn't stop at food. Pumpkins are 90% water and were first used
as the crust of pie rather than the filling. Native Americans
made mats with dried strips of the fruit, which they called
"isqoutm squash," and also used the seeds for medicines. Some
uses of pumpkins are said to have been cures for snake bites or
freckles. The largest pumpkin recorded is over 1,000 lbs--that's
a large pumpkin considering that the average pumpkin only weighs
3-4 pounds.
However you want to use your pumpkin,
either by carving it or eating it, you are sure to get your
fun's worth. Not only do they liven up your Halloween
experience, they are a part of a long standing North American
tradition that is centuries old!
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