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What Vitamins Are in Pumpkins?

When we think pumpkins, we mainly think of Jack-O-Lanterns around the time of Halloween. Pumpkins are still a fruit and very edible, and are a key ingredient in some dishes. Pumpkin pie, donuts, soups or just cooked up, pumpkin has proves to have lots of nutritional value when closely examined, according to nutritionadata.com. The nutritional information presented here is based on a single serving of one cup of mashed pumpkin.

  1. Vitamins With a High Daily Value Percentage

    • In terms of the percentage of the daily requirement for a person over the age of four, the vitamins found in largest concentrations in pumpkins are Vitamin A, C, riboflavin, E and folate. Vitamin A, topping the list at 245 percent (more than double your daily need), is vital for growth and for support of teeth, skin, bone, vision and reproduction. Vitamin C, next at 19 percent, is key in amino acid metabolism, helps with the absorption of iron and acts as an antioxidant. Riboflavin, at 11 percent, helps with vision and skin. Vitamin E (10 percent) is an antioxidant that helps support cell membrane stabilization. Folate (six percent) helps in the formation of new cells in the body.

    Vitamins With a Low Daily Value Percentage

    • Pumpkin contains several vitamins in a concentration of five percent of daily need. These include thiamin, which helps in nerve function; niacin, also known as B3, which helps with the health of skin, the nervous system and digestive system; B6, which helps metabolize amino and fatty acids, as well as helping red blood cell production; and pantothenic acid, which supports metabolism. Vitamin K is also present at two percent of daily need, and it helps with blood clotting as well as regulating blood calcium.

    Minerals With a High Daily Value Percentage

    • Along with vitamins, many minerals are found in pumpkins, including potassium, copper, manganese, iron, phosphorus and magnesium. Potassium, at 16 percent of a person's daily value, helps maintain fluid and electrolyte balance, as well as helping to maintain cell integrity, muscle contractions and nerve impulses. Copper, at 11 percent, helps absorb and utilize iron and helps form hemoglobin and other enzymes. Manganese (11 percent) helps facilitate many cell functions. Iron, at eight percent, is a key ingredient in hemoglobin, which is found in blood cells and helps transport oxygen around the body. Phosphorus comes in at seven percent and helps in the formation of cells, bones, and teeth as well as helping maintain the body's acid-base balance. Magnesium, at six percent, helps maintain bones, proteins, muscles, nerves and the immune system.

    Minerals With a Low Daily Value Percentage

    • Minerals found in pumpkin with daily values of less than five percent are calcium, zinc, selenium and sodium. Calcium, at four percent, is the key ingredient in bone and teeth formation, as well as blood clotting. Zinc, also at four percent, is found in many enzymes in the body. Selenium (one percent) is an antioxidant that works with vitamin E and protects the body from oxidation. Sodium, while at less than one percent the daily value, helps in fluid and electrolyte balance, as well as supporting muscles and nerves.

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