It's Orange and it Fights Cancer!

No it is not just for Fall decoration or pie. 
Yes you know what it  is already...pumpkin! 

Pumpkins sit on our front steps or porch in the Fall, get carved with funny faces and are made into pies about once a years.   f After that, they are pushed aside and we do not seek them out until next year. 

But maybe this info will bring new insight into how much you desire this in your diet. 

Researchers Discover New Way Pumpkin Fights Cancer

Pumpkin has already been known to be a powerful food.  It is a rich source of some powerful anticancer nutrients like beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, potassium, fibre, cucurbitacins and curcumosin.

Now there is a new finding.   Researchers found that there is a complex sugar (polysaccharide) in pumpkin that fights cancer too... and it hates liver cancer cells.  This natural polysaccharide is VERY toxic to liver cancer cells that it killed off 65% of them in a lab study.  It  destabilized the cancer cell’s mitochondria and triggered programmed cell death.

Now multiple population studies have linked eating pumpkin to reduced cancer risk in people.
Amazing!  This fact should have us eager to include pumpkin in more of our recipes. 

The studies showed:
34% less breast cancer risk
41% less lung cancer
29% less stomach cancer
55% less prostate cancer

All this with just about 3  servings of pumpkin weekly.  Amazing!   Spread the word. 
It's not just for Thanksgiving anymore! 

And don’t throw away the pumpkin seeds.  
​Diets rich in pumpkin seeds have been associated with lower levels of stomach, breast, lung, prostate and colon cancers.  Simply wash, dry and season them with a little olive oil, paprika and kosher salt.  Then roast them at 300 degrees for 30-40 minutes to make a delicious, crunchy snack.

• Simple Pumpkin Soup with Garlic Kale Sesame Topping    Adapted from The Minimalist Baker
  
  INGREDIENTSSOUP
  2 sugar pumpkins (yields approximately 2 1/4 cups pumpkin puree)
  2 shallots, diced
  3 cloves garlic, minced
  2 cups vegetable broth
  1 cup light coconut milk
  2 Tbsp maple syrup or agave nectar
  1/4 tsp each sea salt, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg
  GARLIC KALE SESAME TOPPING (optional- but it’s super delicious & also contains cancer-fighting foods like garlic & kale)
  1 cup roughly chopped kale (to learn more about the cancer-fighting power of kale, click here)
  1 large garlic clove, minced
  2 Tbsp raw sesame seeds
  1 Tbsp olive oil
  pinch of salt
  DIRECTIONS
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Using a sharp knife, cut off the tops of two sugar pumpkins and then halve them. Use a sharp spoon to scrape out all of the seeds and strings.
• Brush the flesh with oil and place face down on the baking sheet. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the skin. Remove from the oven, let cool for 10 minutes, then peel away skin and set pumpkin aside.
• To a large saucepan over medium heat add 1 Tbsp olive oil, shallot and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until slightly browned and translucent. Turn down heat if cooking too quickly.
• Add remaining ingredients, including the pumpkin, and bring to a simmer.
• Transfer soup mixture to a blender or use an emulsion blender to puree the soup. If using a blender, place a towel over the top of the lid before mixing to avoid any accidents.  Pour mixture back into pot.
• Continue cooking over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes and taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve as is or with Kale-Sesame topping.
• 
  
  For the Kale-Sesame topping:
• In a small skillet over medium heat, dry toast sesame seeds for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until slightly golden brown. Be careful as they can burn quickly.  Remove from pan and set aside.
• To the still hot pan, add olive oil and garlic and sauté until golden brown – about 2 minutes. Add kale and toss, then add a pinch of salt and cover to steam.  Cook for another few minutes until kale is wilted and then add sesame seeds back in.  Toss to coat and set aside for topping soup. Recipe serves 3-4. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to a few days, and in the freezer for up to a month or more.

​Resources: National Foundation for Cancer Research