Pumpkins are native to Mexico but are now cultivated around the world. Almost all parts of a pumpkin are edible such as flowers, pulp, leaves, skin, and seeds. You can easily enjoy the benefits of pumpkin leaves by including them in your daily meals. They are edible and can be boiled or prepared in conjunction with other vegetables. Another way to have them is to juice the fresh leaves or add them to your salad. You can simply crush the leaves and extract fresh pumpkin juice from them.
Below listed are some of the many benefits of pumpkin leaves:
1. Great source of dietary fiber
Pumpkin leaves are a good source of dietary fiber, which is important for the health of the digestive system. Improved digestion leads to a reduction in health disorders such as irritable bowel movement, constipation, and those caused by indigestion problems such as ulcers and gastroparesis. Veggies with green leaves, such as pumpkin leaves, are high in dietary fiber and should be included in our daily diets in order to reap the nutritional advantages of this fiber.
2. Rich in vitamin C.
If you are looking for vitamin C, it is important to know that it is present in this vegetable. Vitamin C assists in the maintenance of healthy tissues, cells, and membranes, as well as the maintenance of the skin, as well as the treatment of wounds.
Aside from improving and maintaining bodily tissues, the protein found in fluted pumpkin leaves also helps to strengthen and maintain the connective tissues as well as the muscles and neurological systems.
3. Helps fight cancer
The benefits of pumpkin leaves are not just limited to minor ailments in fact they can be used to immune your body against major illnesses. They are high in alkaloids, resins, hydrocyanic acid, tannins, and flavonoids, all of which are strong antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory and immune-system effects, among other things. Oxidative stress and inflammation are two of the most important underlying causes of cancer and other age-related diseases. These factors may induce alterations in the DNA, which can lead to the development of cancer. Due to their capacity to counteract the damages that oxidative stress might have produced in the body, pumpkin leaves are often used as food to prevent many serious diseases like cancer.
4. Helps maintain hormonal balance.
It is essential to consume pumpkin leaves since their high protein content will aid in the improvement of body cells and the replacement of damaged ones in the body.
5. Has an anti-diabetic effect
A diabetic effect implies that it has the potential to treat type 2 diabetes by lowering the amount of glucose in the bloodstream.
It is possible because of the presence of polysaccharides and ethyl acetate, both of which have been shown to significantly decrease blood sugar levels. As well as improving glucose tolerance and blood insulin levels, they have been shown to be beneficial.
6. It increases the amount of blood produced.
Pumpkin leaves are usually suggested for patients who are suffering from anaemia caused by certain diseases, the presence of iron and other essential minerals aids in the boosting of blood in the body system and helps to avoid anaemia from occurring in the first place.
When there is a shortage in iron, which is one of the necessary elements found in red blood cells, it may produce undesirable responses such as the one described above. As a result, pumpkin leaves have been shown to be effective in raising the amount of blood in the body.
7. It strengthens the bones and teeth.
The pumpkin leaves include a significant quantity of calcium, which the body needs in order to maintain healthy bones and teeth, as well as to keep the skeletal systems in proper working order.
It also includes magnesium, which is essential in maintaining the firmness and strength of the bones. It may come as a surprise to learn that calcium is nearly completely useless in the bones when it is not combined with magnesium, which aids in the proper absorption of calcium by the bones.
It also performs the same effect on the teeth, since sufficient magnesium levels in the body aid in the formation of stronger and more durable teeth.
Pumpkin leaves also include potassium as one of the minerals it contains, which helps to maintain bone mineral density, which in turn helps to keep the calcium content in the bones intact, thus preventing the mineral from being leached out of the body.
It aids in the prevention of osteoporosis, which is a disease that damages the bones, particularly in the elderly.
8. Take care of convulsions
The use of pumpkin leaves in the treatment of convulsions in children has been shown to be helpful. After being sliced and combined with coconut water and a little quantity of salt, it takes on therapeutic properties.
Despite the fact that there is no scientific evidence to support this, it has been used for hundreds of years to cure high fever and convulsions, as well as to treat a variety of other health problems.
9 Helps in the reduction of body weight
It is advised that you eat foods that aid in weight reduction because of their efficacy in weight control. Pumpkin leaves, for example, have a high concentration of dietary fiber, which may aid in weight loss by increasing one’s feeling of fullness while simultaneously decreasing one’s hunger.
It has little or no calories, thus it reduces the likelihood of the body accumulating more calories in the form of fat. Caloric intake is beneficial to the body since it aids in the production of energy, but, if calories are not used completely, they may accumulate in the body, resulting in weight gain.
You may also like to read: Best Homemade Drinks To Lose Belly Fat: Easy & Natural Tips
 10 Helps to increase fertility
Pumpkin leaves have traditionally been utilized in the treatment of infertility problems in both men and women in the local community. Its high concentration of many essential nutrients and chemicals has been shown to be helpful in increasing/improving sperm count in males as well as the general functioning of their testicles. It increases the fertility of women and promotes post-partum health because it assists nursing mothers in providing sufficient nutrition to their infants by boosting breast milk supply.
In case you are wondering how to cook pumpkin leaves then we also have a solution for you. You can eat pumpkin leaves by preparing them in any of the following ways.
Pumpkin Leaves Recipe
 Here is a simple pumpkin leaves recipe that you can try at home.
 Ingredients
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 cups chopped pumpkin leaves & twigs (washed and cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 cup thinly sliced potatoes
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 4-5 Crushed Garlic
- 3 tsp Cooking Oil
- Salt as per taste
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1-2 Green chilies cut slit open
Method
 Heat oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds and wait till they start spluttering. Now add onions and green chilies and fry for some time. After onions are fried properly add the crushed garlic and fry for few seconds. Don’t overcook the garlic and quickly add the potatoes. Sprinkle some salt and turmeric on the potatoes then cover and let it cook for 5 mins. Keep stirring in between if needed. Once the potatoes are slightly tender add the chopped pumpkin leaves. Mix well and cook for another 6-8 minutes till the raw smell goes away. Make sure that the leaves along with the potatoes have cooked well.
Serve hot with steamed rice.
Pumpkin Leaves Juice Recipe
It’s best to drink fresh pumpkin leaf juice if you want to get the full benefits of pumpkin leaves. They are high in vitamin A, C, iron, calcium, and many such important nutrients.
 Ingredients
- Â 1 cup pumpkin leaves and twigs (washed thoroughly and cut)
- ½ cup chopped red apples
- ½ cup chopped cucumber
- ½ cup chopped green/ red grapes
- Some water
Method
 Add all the ingredients to the blender. Pour some water and blend till it’s turned smoothly. Strain the juice and serve. You can also add some lemon juice as per your taste. Drink in the morning before breakfast. Make sure to start drinking in very small amounts, in the beginning, to see how your body reacts to it. Once you are sure that there are no allergic reactions you may continue drinking it regularly.
Make sure to use fresh tender pumpkin leaves for cooking. To derive the full benefits of pumpkin leaves you to need to use fresh leaves that are washed and cleaned well before use. Also, make sure that you do not suffer from any allergies before eating them in large quantities.
References:
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20151027-pumpkins-surprising-origin
