September 3rd, 2013. Does this date ring any
bells? If you are a diehard Starbucks fan or a super aficionado of autumnal
caffeinated beverages, you would know that September 3rd marks the
first day of the year that the Pumpkin Spiced Latte became available on almost
every major intersection in America! What is it with this drink? I had never
had one until last year when a friend insisted that I MUST try this seasonal
decadence. She hand delivered a tall Pumpkin Spiced Latte to my house. Now that
is what I call dedication. It was good. Creamy and rich, caffeinated and
tasting like the holidays. But, honestly I just don’t get it. What is the
American obsession with pumpkin?
Pumpkin Spiced Lattes, pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup, pumpkin
bread, pumpkin stuffed ravioli, pumpkin beer??
I guess the joke is on me. Did you know that not only can
pumpkins make a delicious pie, they can help improve vision and heart health?
Apparently our favorite ubiquitous fall squash is packed with more than 200% of
the daily recommend intake of Vitamin A and is rich in carotenoids (giving the
bright orange color in pumpkins, carrots and squash) and aid in the conversion
of beta-carotene into Vitamin A.
Pumpkin is also loaded with fiber, keeping you feeling
fuller longer, helping shed extra pounds from overeating, especially during the
holiday season. I will have to check, but I don’t think this includes copious
quantities of pumpkin pie, but again, I am no expert…
Nuts and seeds are also great for the body, including
pumpkin seeds, to help lower LDL cholesterol (that’s the bad kind). After a
couple meals of dark meat turkey and gravy and mashed potatoes, I bet we could
all stand to snack on a couple handfuls of seeds.
Do you get those “holiday blues”? I do. I am just not a
holiday person, although maybe a couple more autumn-inspired granola bars would
do the trick! Apparently pumpkin seeds are rich in tryptophan and aid in the
production of serotonin- the happy hormone, helping to keep my holidays very
merry!
Please excuse me while I bake a pie, roast some seeds, drink
a beer and run by Starbucks…well, maybe not in that order.
Happy Holidays!
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