Pumpkins are in season right now and are so nutritious and versatile. To celebrate, here are ten interesting facts about pumpkins to impress your friends with:
1. The pumpkin is a fruit. Its flesh, seeds and even flowers are edible. It's rich in vitamins A and C as well as potassium and fibre.
2. Pumpkins are members of the cucurbita family, which also includes squashes, melons and cucumbers.
3. Pumpkins are thought to have originated in Central America. They're now grown on six of the seven continents, Antarctica being the exception.
4. The flesh of the pumpkin can be used to make pies, soups and breads, and the seeds can be roasted as a nutritious snack.
5. The practice of carving Jack O'Lanterns originated in Ireland, but they weren't made from pumpkins as they are today - the originals were carved from turnips and large potatoes.
6. The name 'pumpkin' originates from the Greek word 'pepon', meaning 'large melon'.
7. The biggest pumpkin officially recorded weighed in at 1,340 pounds. The largest pumpkin pie ever made was over five feet in diameter, weighed more than 350 lbs and took six hours to bake.
8. In early colonial times, pumpkins were used as a medicine as well as food. They were believed to remove freckles and cure snake bites.
9. Native Americans used to flatten strips of pumpkin, dry them out and weave them into mats.
10. When choosing your pumpkin, look for a sturdy, green (not brown) stem. Never lift a pumpkin by its stem - this could make the pumpkin age faster.
Bonus fact: There isn't actually any pumpkin in a Starbucks pumpkin spice latte.
Do you know any fun facts about pumpkins? Let me know in the comments!
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Oh my god this actually blew my mind!! Did not know pumpkin is a fruit! Also the Starbucks thing??? That's madness!
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of people don't realise that pumpkin is a fruit - I used to think it was a vegetable.
DeleteThis is so interesting! I had no idea about the Starbucks thing either. Thanks for sharing! X
ReplyDeleteAshleigh | https//ashleighwrites.co.uk
Loved this post, who knew there was so much to know about pumpkins.
ReplyDeletehttps://sophaarambles.blogspot.com/
This is such an interesting post Nic! Thanks for sharing all these facts, he he imagine carving turnips and potatoes instead of pumpkins! That’s interesting about the latte too. Great post <3 xx
ReplyDeleteBexa | www.hellobexa.com
That is a big Pumpkin Pie! Great post, who knew there was that many facts about Pumkins! x
ReplyDeletewww.laurenannbeauty.com
Loved this post, but now I want pumpkin pie!
ReplyDeletewww.botanicalsbykbriggs.co.uk
Mind blow by these facts especially the last one about Starbucks :O. Also didn't know it is classified as fruit, Great post, informative and quirky.
ReplyDeleteKaye - http://amalog.co
Ooh reading these facts is making me so excited for when I go to my first pumpkin patch! What interesting facts... The only one I really knew about was that Jack O'Lanterns originated from Ireland, but everything else is new to me!
ReplyDeleteI'm yet to go to a pumpkin patch!
DeleteSome fantastic facts here! A few of them I did already know, for example how to lift a pumpkin, but lots I didn’t know!
ReplyDeleteI’d love if you could check my new blog post out & leave a comment too 🍂🍁✨🧡
https://butterfliesandboundaries.wordpress.com/2018/10/07/blog-update/
This is a really grea tpost full of fun facts, I knew a few of these but not a lot! Especially how carving the pumpkins camenfrom ireland x
ReplyDeleteThis is so educational, I didn’t know half of these facts!
ReplyDeleteI didn’t know I needed this article until now! I loved the irish fact!! The more you know.
ReplyDelete|http://www.LetsGoSomewhereElse.co.uk
This was such an interesting read thankyou so much for sharing! That Starbucks fact is crazy! How can they name it something that it doesn't even contain?!
ReplyDeleteJess // foundationsandfairytales.wordpress.com
xx
This is such an interesting idea I've never seen anyone do this before, great post!
ReplyDeleteWow a pumpkin is a fruit?! Mind = blown!! I always thought they were like a vegetable or something!
ReplyDeleteCaroline | http://caroomakeupblog.com
oh my gosh. this post blew my mind! i had no clue that picking the pumpkin up by its stem could make it age quicker! that’s good to know for when I go pumpkin picking! xx
ReplyDeleteMich / simplymich.com
Omgosh! Love it!
ReplyDeleteJheeze I had no idea Pumpkins were an actual fruit. I thought they themselves may have been made from a fruit (Carrot namely because of its orange colour). Cheers for sharing the facts Nic 😊
ReplyDeleteJohnny | Johnny's Traventures
http://www.johnnystraventures.com
This is hilarious :)
DeleteI knew the one about Jack O'Lanterns originally being carved from turnips in Ireland. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd the PSL one - it's a syrup they use, just like every flavored coffee item at Starbucks!
You learn something new everyday. Though I remember carving a turnip when I was a kid instead of a pumpkin. That was hard work. Pumpkins are way easier.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid we used to carve pomegranates (not even lying - my mum thought it was easier than carving a pumpkin!)
DeleteWow, I didn't know these facts! Especially the Starbucks one!
ReplyDeleteI don't care that a pls doesn't have any pumpkin, it's still delicious!
ReplyDeleteHa! This is a really neat post! Some of these I never knew before and it was really interesting to read!
ReplyDeleteMy fav is the bonus!!! Haha I shouldn't be surprised
ReplyDeleteI loved these facts! The only one I already knew was the Starbucks one!
ReplyDeleteI’m not sure what I thought pumpkin was but when I saw the first fact I was like wait a second pumpkin is a what now haha. I love making pumpkin pies & soups - I’ve never made bread with it though!! And yes to pumpkin seeds roasted, they’re the perfect snack!
ReplyDeleteWAIT fact #5 just surprised me THE FIRST THING CARVED WERE LARGE POTATOES?! Ok but now I’m curious if people still carve large potatoes because that be really funny to see pumpkins WITH large potatoes carved chilling right next to it. OHWOW 1,340 pounds how on earth did they even weigh that, I wonder how many pies were made with it. I actually just went pumpkin picking and did not know that pulling it by the stem made it age faster, NOTED for the next time I go!
WAIT WHAT PUMPKIN SPICE LATTES DON’T HAVE PUMPKIN IN IT MY LIFE IS A LIE
Sahara
http://saharas-dreams.blogspot.com
Love this comment!
DeleteWhat an enjoyable and fascinating post! My dad had fun quessing the weight of the biggest pumpkin lol.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to a trivia quiz next week & now im really hoping there is a few questions on Pumpkins 😂😉
Loved learning all these facts, thanks for sharing 👌
Helen
www.helensjourney.com
Oh this post made me laugh - and I adore the Starbucks fact! Who would have thought you could make a mat from pumpkins? We're growing some at the moment but I don't think they'll be big enough to carve at Hallowe'en - not unless it's a baby Jack O'Lantern anyway :) x
ReplyDeleteLisa | www.lisasnotebook.com
Wait!! Whaaaaat? The pumpkin is a fruit AND no pumpkin in a Starbucks? I never knew!!
ReplyDeletePolley93
This is such an amazing post! I love putting pumpkin in soups!
ReplyDeleteLove, Amie ❤
The Curvaceous Vegan
Wow okay I definitely didn't know anything about pumpkins before this! I definitely didn't know about picking them up with their stems making them age faster and the Starbucks thing is so shady! I don't drink them anyway but that's really shocked me haha!
ReplyDeleteJenny
http://www.jennyinneverland.com
What a great poat! Unloved reading your pumpkin facts, some of them I knew like the PSL and some I didn't. I'm surprised pumpkin carving originated in Ireland.
ReplyDeleteIt's always nice to learn about fun facts. It makes sense that pumpkins is in the same family as squashes, melons, and cucumbers. They all have seeds in the middle! I made a pumpkin carving earlier this week - I should've roasted the seeds... Oh man, the largest pumpkin is HUGE!!!! Thanks for sharing these fun facts.
ReplyDeleteNancy ♥ exquisitely.me