The benefits and harms of pumpkin puree soup

A few decades ago, many perceived pumpkin as a melon crop, from which delicious porridges and pies could be made, and it was used to feed livestock. Research in recent years has shown that the pot-bellied vegetable is a storehouse of useful substances, and eating it brings enormous benefits.

But can everyone eat pumpkin dishes? Is its use allowed for one-year-old babies, women during pregnancy and people with health problems? Can those who are going through a difficult process of losing weight include pumpkin in their diet?

Pumpkin puree soup

Pumpkin is a vitamin-packed vegetable that was previously only grown in Central America. But today it can be grown on almost all continents (except Antarctica). The benefits and harms of pumpkin soup are individual for each person, so if you have any doubts, it is better to consult an allergist before such a diet.

pumpkin soup

The history of pumpkin soup

The classic recipe will be relevant for those who want to cook something special for their loved ones and friends. Mexican pumpkin has been grown in South American lands for 5 thousand years. Historians have found evidence that this vegetable, beneficial in its properties, began to be added to food long before the appearance of cereals.

Indian tribes used the ripe, bright pulp for food, and made dishes from the peel. People in ancient times often cooked pumpkin, as it was widespread everywhere. The benefits of aromatic pumpkin cream soup are high, because this vegetable is rich in valuable vitamins and minerals.

Wild pumpkin varieties were found in 1926 in North Africa. Vavilov's expedition made this important world discovery. Pumpkin first appeared on Russian lands in the 16th century. Due to its unpretentiousness, it took root well and began to produce large harvests. Climatic conditions in Russia and the CIS countries allow the vegetable to be grown in almost all regions. This melon crop has taken root well in Canada, Asia, Russia, Europe and the Mediterranean.

For a long time, pumpkin was prepared in one way - baked, while preserving all the vitamins and beneficial properties of the vegetable. When the first cooking utensils appeared, they began to make soup from the vegetable. The French “casse” appeared in Russia in the 18th century. Each country used its own spices and additional ingredients to highlight the taste and aroma of pumpkin.

Types of pumpkin soup

There are many variations of this dish with the addition of various additional ingredients.

The most popular types of pumpkin cream soup:

• meat with smoked meats;

• cheese;

• mushroom;

• with mussels and shrimp;

• with cracklings.

The Vietnamese make a unique healthy version by adding coconut milk and green curry paste. In Uzbekistan, it is customary to cook pumpkin soup with milk. Portuguese soup is traditionally served with egg. In Mexico, bell pepper and coriander. In Britain, pumpkin soup is supplemented with leeks and hot garlic. French restaurants are famous for their creamy parmesan soup.

Health benefits of pumpkin soup

The benefits of eating ripe pumpkin cream soup are high, because this vegetable is rich in mineral components and vitamins. Pumpkin is saturated with beta carotene, vitamins B1, B2, C, E, PP. Among the valuable substances in the composition one can note the presence of potassium, calcium and iron.

Nutritionists recommend consuming pumpkin soup for people with heart disease, liver and kidney diseases. Frequent consumption of pumpkin helps improve vision, strengthen blood vessels, and calm the nervous system. The benefits of adding pumpkin puree soup to your weekly diet don’t end there. Pumpkin dish has valuable properties for strengthening the immune system, helping to speed up metabolism and even lose weight.

Benefit

You can write a lot about the benefits of pumpkin, and it will all be true. Its qualities have been proven by scientists and tested by every stomach.

Pumpkin is usually not allegorical , which explains its presence on children's menus. It is also a complex of vitamins B, E, A, C, D and microelements such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron. Eating this vegetable helps replenish the lack of nutrients in the body.
beta-carotene in pumpkin than in carrots, which is very useful for preventing vision.
Potassium is a unique microelement that helps the cardiovascular system. Gently reduces blood pressure and gives a slight diuretic effect.
Fiber is good for the gastrointestinal tract. It helps digest food and remove waste and toxins from the body.
Pumpkin soup is considered a low-calorie dish . Vitamin T, which is present in it, helps speed up metabolism and maintain a slim figure.
Pumpkin seeds are rich in protein . They are well absorbed by the body and help normalize blood sugar. They have anthelmintic effect.

The choice of pumpkin largely determines the future dish. Too unripe or, conversely, overripe fruit can give an unpleasant bitterness and even poisoning. Pumpkin is chosen like watermelon. The pumpkin tail should be dry. When you tap the fruit, the sound will be dull, this is a sign of a ripe pumpkin.

The surface of the vegetable should be intact, without dents or signs of rotting. The characteristic pattern should be clearly visible. The stripes on the surface should go without bends, that is, they should be straight. Otherwise, this may indicate a high content of harmful substances. There is no need to choose pumpkins that are too large, unless, of course, it grows on your own plot. The large fruit has fibrous and watery flesh.

To prepare soup, it is best to take baked vegetable pulp . In this case, the heat treatment of the pumpkin is more gentle. To preserve all the vitamins, you need to consume freshly squeezed juice and raw pulp, adding it to a salad, for example. For a beautiful figure, it is not recommended to combine this product with more high-calorie ones.

The use of pumpkin for food may have contraindications for people experiencing certain health problems. Food intolerances and stomach problems may be aggravated by consuming this product. You should use it with caution in your diet in the following cases:

Unprocessed pumpkin juice is considered quite aggressive for the gastrointestinal tract. Abuse of it can worsen the situation with stomach problems and exacerbation of gastritis.
Low stomach acidity is also a contraindication; an alkaline product can worsen your health.
Roasted pumpkin seeds can lead to salt deposits in the joints.
The calorie content of pumpkin soup increases several times if you add a lot of cream, butter and other fatty foods. This will have an unpleasant effect on your figure. Also, roasted pumpkin seeds can interfere with slimming.
The use of vegetables in your diet is contraindicated in severe diabetes mellitus.

Is pumpkin soup good for pregnant and lactating women?

pumpkin soup for nursing

Expectant mothers should eat a balanced, healthy diet such as vegetables and fruits. The benefits of aromatic pumpkin cream soup for the human body are high because this vegetable, when consumed frequently, helps regulate the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys, and quickly remove excess fluid during edema. In the third trimester, it is important to eat puree soup to speed up metabolism.

The benefit of aromatic pumpkin soup for pregnant women is to prevent toxicosis. Thanks to the storehouse of vitamins and minerals, the heart and blood vessels of the expectant mother can be strengthened. Phosphorus and calcium in the vegetable contribute to the proper development of the baby's musculoskeletal system. Pumpkin puree soup consumed by a mother is beneficial for the intrauterine development of her child.

Why do people lose weight on pumpkin soup?

Nutritionists have a positive attitude towards pumpkin and dishes made from it. There is even a special pumpkin diet, during which you are allowed to eat porridge with the addition of pumpkin, juice and seeds of this vegetable.

How can pumpkin soup help you lose weight? The thing is that it contains carnitine and beta-carotene. These substances help break down fats through fatty acids. This releases quite a lot of energy, and it turns out that a person who regularly consumes pumpkin becomes more energetic and resilient, and this happens due to the breakdown of excess fat.

Dietary fiber, which is quite abundant in the pulp, also helps you lose weight. They help cleanse the intestines, remove toxins and speed up metabolic processes.

How much do they lose on this soup? Quite a lot if you include it in your diet on a daily basis.

Chemical composition of pumpkin puree soup

Pumpkin puree soup, whose calorie content is in the range of 33-60 kcal per 100 g, is distinguished by a high content of nutrients.

The table shows the analysis of the chemical elements of a 100 g serving, with the following ingredients in the composition:

400 g pumpkin;
60 g onions;
80 g carrots;
25 g butter;
250 ml cow's milk;
parsley, salt.

Amount per 100 g, mg	% of daily value
Vitamins
A	0.299	44%
Carotene	2.3	46%
IN 1	0.045	3%
AT 2	0.094	5%
AT 4	15.19	3%
AT 5	0.357	7%
AT 6	0.097	4.9%
AT 9	10.68 mcg	2.7%
AT 12	0.148 mcg	4.9%
WITH	9	10%
D	0.047 mcg	0.5%
E	0.377	2.5%
N	1.51 mcg	3%
TO	0.073	61%
RR	0.86	4.3%
Minerals
Potassium	231	9%
Calcium	72	7%
Silicon	19	64%
Magnesium	21	5.3%
Sodium	25.5	2%
Phosphorus	60	7.5%
Chlorine	65.5	2.9%
Iron	0.46	2.6%
Iodine	3.49 mcg	2%
Cobalt	1.53 mcg	15%
Manganese	0.06	3%
Copper	0.121	12%
Molybdenum	6.56 mcg	9.4%
Strong	0.87 mcg	1.6%
Fluorine	69.13 mcg	1.7%
Chromium	2.41 mcg	4.8%
Zinc	0.42	3.5%

Benefits of pumpkin soup for weight loss

Pumpkin is an exceptional product containing almost all the beneficial substances necessary for humans. Therefore, most nutritionists advise regularly including it in your diet not only for people who are losing weight, but also for those who monitor their health.

It contains the “right” sugar, which eliminates the possibility of gaining excess weight and promotes the health of the entire body. Its pulp is rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Consumption of this melon helps normalize blood glucose levels and has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin, hair and nails. It is recommended for many diseases of the endocrine system. Pumpkin dishes prepared in the form of puree are often recommended for various pathologies and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.

In addition, this product has a unique taste. It is loved by many people with a sweet tooth who find it difficult to give up desserts while on a diet. At the same time, pumpkin has low calorie content and can be eaten in unlimited quantities, even before bed.

Ingredients of pumpkin

Is pumpkin soup good for pregnant and lactating women?

The benefits of pumpkin puree soup for women primarily include improving the proliferation of skin renewal, which slows down aging. During pregnancy, especially in winter, the body needs all the vitamins contained in this dish, including fats. In particular, calcium is necessary for fetal development, which is also found in pumpkin.

Doctors especially recommend pumpkin soup for edema, gastrointestinal problems and after childbirth. During breastfeeding, all the beneficial and harmful properties of pumpkin are transferred to the baby, so if you are hypersensitive to carotenes, consuming pumpkin puree soup is dangerous for the baby. But such allergies are very rare.

Harm of pumpkin soup

Despite the fact that pumpkin soup is an extremely healthy dish, it has a number of contraindications. These soups should be avoided if:

ulcer;
gastritis;
low acidity of gastric juice;
diabetes mellitus;
tendency to edema;
flatulence and bloating;
dysbacteriosis.

In limited quantities, pumpkin cream soups are included in the diet for cystitis, hepatitis, and kidney stones.

When eating pumpkin, not everyone knows how great the benefits and harms of pumpkin soup are for the human body. When cooked, many vegetables lose their beneficial properties, so it is important to be able to properly prepare this seemingly unpretentious product.

Calorie content of pumpkin cream soup for weight loss

Despite the fact that the calorie content of pumpkin cream soup per 100 grams is quite low and does not exceed 65 kcal with the classic recipe, you should not abuse such dishes during a diet and weight loss.

Salt is added to pumpkin soups, which tends to retain fluid in the body. Because of the salt, the process of losing kilos will be much slower, and swelling may also occur.

The ingredients of the dish are butter, Parmesan, and cream, which contain a fairly large amount of fat. The amount of such foods eaten should be strictly limited during the diet.

What determines the calorie content of pumpkin puree soup?

Pumpkin puree soup, the calorie content of which is determined not only by the set of products in the composition, becomes more nutritious if you include the frying stage.

To make the dish dietary, you should bake, stew or boil vegetables.

Glycemic index

The glycemic index of pumpkin (an indicator reflecting the rate of increase in sugar when consuming a product) depends on the variety. On average, the indicators are as follows: raw fruit – 25 units, boiled – 75 units, baked – 75-85 units.

If you have type 2 diabetes, you should consume pumpkin soup, following the amount prescribed by your doctor.

Pumpkin soup for weight loss

By replacing your usual dinner of fatty delicacies with pumpkin soup, you can lose several kilograms in 1 month. This vegetable is rich in beneficial properties and vitamins (the right sugars), which help not to gain weight. Pumpkin puree soup is suitable for those who love sweets and eat a lot before bed.

Thanks to its pleasant taste, this dish will appeal to those who want to lose weight. The harm from soup is minimal if you eat it alternating with other dietary dishes. It is important to note that creamy pumpkin soup can be eaten after 18:00 in the evening due to the low calorie content of the vegetable. A diet based on low-calorie pumpkin cream soup will soon give good results - safe weight loss.

Diet pumpkin soup with zucchini and lentils

A low-calorie dish can be filling.
I have written about such recipes more than once. It should be hot and have many ingredients, then the feeling of fullness comes faster. This is my option. Learn how to make dietary pumpkin puree soup. It is excellent proof that you can lose weight without starving. It’s true what they say: if there are a lot of flavors in one hot dish, then the body is quickly and well sated. The soup is also vegetarian and meatless.

Ingredients:

Pumpkin – 300 grams
Red lentils – 100 grams
Hard cheese – 200 grams
Olive oil – 50 Milliliters
Carrots – 1 piece
Zucchini – 1 piece
Potatoes - 1-2 pieces
Onions - 0.5 pieces
Garlic – 3 cloves
Bread – 5 Slices
Rosemary - To taste
Sage - To taste
Bay leaf - To taste
Salt - To taste
Ground black pepper - To taste

Number of servings: 4-5

Cooking method

Peel and wash all vegetables.

Finely chop the onion and garlic. Fry them in oil until soft. Take a deep frying pan or cauldron. Chop carrots, zucchini and potatoes as desired. Add vegetables to the cauldron.

Add sage, rosemary and bay leaf to vegetables. Fry them until lightly browned. Then add lentils to the cauldron and remove the herbs.

Then pour in the water, filling the ingredients completely. Salt the ingredients. Cook them for 25 minutes after boiling. After this, puree the soup using a blender.

Make croutons. Fry the sliced bread in a little oil. Add salt and herbs to it. Serve the soup with croutons and grated cheese. Bon appetit!

Best pumpkin variety for pumpkin soup

The taste of pumpkin soup depends directly on the type of pumpkin used for its preparation. Through trial and error, sooner or later you can find the best pumpkin for your soup. It’s easy to skip the experimentation stage by immediately choosing a vegetable of the “Miracle Yudo” variety for the soup.

This variety of pumpkin has an elongated shape with bright orange flesh. It is covered with a dark green skin with spots randomly scattered over the entire surface. Pumpkin belongs to the group of nutmeg varieties, but when grown in the middle zone it is not particularly sweet. The vegetable gives the soup a special nutmeg taste and an unusually bright color.

A medium sized pumpkin is enough to make a pot of soup. A large vegetable can be divided into two halves. Cut up pumpkin will keep well in the refrigerator.

In addition to preparing the first dish, the “Miracle-Yudo” variety, due to its juicy pulp, is suitable for making juice. In addition, this variety of pumpkin makes delicious candied fruits.

The variety has an average ripening period, which is about 120 days from the moment of germination. It is easy to speed up the ripening process by growing vegetables in seedlings.

The vegetable is characterized by high yield and resistance to various diseases. The variety is suitable for long-term storage. For cultivation, well-fertilized soil is recommended, in the sunniest place, protected from cold winds.

The bush of this pumpkin is spreading, the vines grow up to 5 meters long. For this reason, there is no need to plant plants too densely. When grown by seedlings, it is possible to collect the maximum harvest from each bush.

Which pumpkin to choose for cream soup?

Pumpkin is chosen based on taste preferences. The larger the fruit, the less sugar it contains. The most commonly used for puree soup is butternut squash. It is distinguished by dense pulp, sweetish taste, and thin skin. The shelf life of the fruit is 9 months.

If storage rules are followed, pumpkin can be stored for up to 2 years. But over time, its beneficial properties decrease. Therefore, you should choose young fruits.

How to make pumpkin soup

how to cook pumpkin soup

This healthy dish can be prepared quickly without spending a lot of time and effort. Due to its properties, pumpkin lends itself perfectly to cooking and grinding in a blender. To preserve all the beneficial properties of this bright aromatic crop you need:

1. Peel the root vegetable and remove the seeds from it. Cut into cubes as desired.

2. Add a little oil and pumpkin to a deep saucepan and lightly fry the vegetable. Then add salt and pepper.

3. The vegetable is filled with water. After the pumpkin boils, it is cooked for an additional 10 minutes.

4. Then beat the soup using a blender and simmer for a couple more minutes over medium heat.

Important! It is recommended to add any additional ingredients as desired to the pumpkin puree soup, such as cream, hard cheese, herbs or cooked meat.

The above tips will help you prepare the right pumpkin soup, which will benefit the body. In the future, you can experiment and add smoked meats, crackers, seafood and spices to the dish.

Why soup?

You can find many wonderful pumpkin recipes in dietary nutrition. First courses, porridges, vegetable side dishes, salads and casseroles are prepared from this melon crop. The bright pulp is used as a filling for baked goods. Pies, pies and even lasagna are incredibly tasty. Pumpkin juice can be combined with many vegetable and fruit juices, increasing the taste and beneficial qualities of the drink.

Pumpkin is prepared baked, boiled, stewed or steamed. It has an amazing property - it absorbs the aromas of the products involved in the preparation of the dish. It’s easy to experiment with it, creating new flavor combinations.

But if we talk about the useful side of the issue, pumpkin soup will easily win the palm over other dishes, because:

easily digestible, without requiring additional effort from the digestive system;
causes a long-lasting feeling of fullness when consuming even small portions;
does not lead to weight gain and effectively burns fat.

At the end of cooking, add cream or a small amount of butter - these products will help in the absorption of valuable beta-carotene from pumpkin soup.

Pumpkin Cheese Soup Recipe

pumpkin soup with cheese and croutons

To prepare three servings of soup, you need to use:

pumpkin (or part thereof) weighing 500 grams;
4 medium potatoes;
a head of white onion;
50 grams of butter;
a couple of garlic cloves.

The technology for cooking pumpkin puree soup involves two ways to prepare pumpkin. Vegetable pieces need to be baked in the oven. However, some reputable chefs do not peel the vegetable.

Instead of baking the pumpkin pieces, you can cook them in a saucepan.

Preparation procedure:

The pumpkin needs to be cut into small cubes and boiled in water with a bay leaf for at least 10 minutes.
Add small potato cubes to the pan. Bring to a boil, cook for at least 10 minutes.
To make the pumpkin soup even more beneficial, you need to add garlic and onion to it. You can use a blender for grinding.
To give the soup a special taste, the garlic and onion mass must be fried with the addition of pepper, butter and spices (if desired).
Transfer the mixture into a saucepan. Turn off once the soup begins to boil.
The soup must be beaten with a blender or chopped vegetables in it using a masher.
Then cut the processed cheese into small cubes and place it in the pan.
After the pieces of cheese melt in the hot mixture, the dish is ready. It just needs to be stirred.

When serving, the soup can be supplemented with parsley or dill. Due to the addition of cheese, the calorie content of the pumpkin soup will be approximately 250 calories.

Types of healthy soups

On broth. Traditionally, chicken is used to prepare the broth. Baked or cooked pumpkin in a frying pan is thoroughly chopped with a blender. All that remains is to combine the puree with the broth, add salt to taste, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for several minutes. Place cream or sour cream in portioned bowls of soup. One-ingredient pumpkin soup is ready.
In vegetable broth. The range of products is limited only by your imagination. For example, in Italy, everything that can be found in the garden is added to the soup. Vegetables are cut into small pieces and placed in a pan with the pumpkin. In a small amount of vegetable oil, you can lightly fry onions, garlic, ginger, bell peppers or tomatoes. At the second stage, all components are mixed and crushed with a blender. A few minutes of low simmering and the dish can be served by adding cream to the plate. The “highlight” can be grated Parmesan cheese, crispy croutons, roasted pumpkin seeds and fragrant Mediterranean greens.
Puree soups are distinguished by a variety of components. They are prepared in vegetable broths, meat and fish broths. Experiments are welcome!
Cream soups owe their delicate consistency to bechamel sauce, and their creamy taste to the presence of 33% cream. They are prepared from one vegetable (pumpkin itself) in a small amount of liquid and thoroughly ground before serving.

Pumpkin soup with mushrooms recipe

pumpkin soup with mushrooms

When planning to cook such a puree soup, you need to prepare:

small pumpkin;
5 medium-sized potatoes;
a head of white onion;
carrots;
250 grams of mushrooms (white or champignons);
bell pepper (1-2 pieces);
salt and ground black pepper;
bay tree leaf.

The quantities of all ingredients are indicated for a four-liter pan.

Preparation procedure:

Mushrooms need to be washed, cut and fried.
Peel the pumpkin, cut into small cubes, add water so that it slightly covers the cubes. The volume should be approximately two-thirds of the pan. You need to cook for at least 10 minutes. The pieces should be easy to knead with a spoon.
Peel cooked vegetables. Chop the potatoes and place them in a saucepan, adding a little water if necessary.
Chop the onion very finely, grate the carrots on a fine grater, add to the pan. Vegetables will increase the benefits of pumpkin soup.
Chop the bell pepper into small strips.
Grind the vegetables until pureed. You can use a regular puree masher or blender for this.
Add bell peppers and stored mushrooms to the dish.
Pepper and salt.
It is necessary to stir on the fire for about 7 minutes.
Add bay leaf.

After the pumpkin soup is cooked, you need to keep it covered for 20 minutes. This will give the soup a richer taste and aroma. If desired, you can add chopped herbs. The calorie content of pumpkin soup will be small - about 150 calories.

Recipe for pumpkin soup with mussels

pumpkin soup with mussels

To prepare 4 servings you need to take:

pumpkin (or part thereof) weighing 700 grams;
1 kg fresh mussels (in shells);
large lemon;
dry white wine 300 grams;
a tablespoon of olive oil;
Bay leaf;
a head of white onion;
garlic clove;
vegetable broth 900 grams;
salt and ground black pepper;
dill.

Preparation procedure:

Sort the mussels, peel them, place them in a saucepan and pour dry wine. It is important to note that damaged and open shells are unsuitable for cooking.
Remove the lemon zest and cover the mussels with it. Squeeze lemon juice there and put on fire. Add bay leaf. After boiling, simmer for 5 minutes, shaking occasionally. The shells should open.
After cooking, transfer the mussels to a sieve (without lemon or bay leaf). Leave the pan with the broth and discard any unopened shells.
After the mussels have cooled, you need to remove the meat. The broth must be carefully strained; it is recommended to use gauze folded in several layers.
Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan, add chopped garlic and onion mixture. Cook for about 5 minutes. It is necessary to stir constantly.
Peel the pumpkin, cut into small cubes, place in a saucepan. Pour in the broth in which the mussels were cooked and simmer, covered, for about 7 minutes.
Then pour the pre-cooked vegetable broth into the pan. Cook the soup for about half an hour.
Then you need to grind the dish until smooth.
Season with pepper and salt and place the mussel meat into the pan. Bring the dish to a boil and turn off the stove.

The finished pumpkin soup can be decorated with lemon slices or sprinkled with finely chopped fresh dill.

Possible harm of pumpkin soup and contraindications

In addition to the valuable benefits for the body from delicious ripe pumpkin puree soup, there is possible harm from its frequent consumption. Since the product is alkalizing, some diseases, such as ulcers or gastritis, may worsen. If taken in moderation, pumpkin soup will not harm your health.

The benefits and harms of pumpkin soup depend on the individual characteristics of the person. Among the many options for pumpkin soup, everyone can find the perfect recipe for themselves. Pumpkin has excellent properties: when boiled, it reveals wonderful flavors and aromas.