Pumpkin Trivia

Fun Facts, Trivia, and Interesting Information About Pumpkins

Here is a collection of pumpkin trivia and pumpkin fun facts:

Pumpkins originated in Central America.
They are a winter squash and a member of the Cucurbitacae family. This includes cucumbers, melons, and watermelons. And it includes gourds, too.
A pumpkin is a fruit. Most people think of it as a vegetable.
Pumpkins are 90% water.
The largest pumpkin ever grown is over one ton. See it
The largest pumpkin pie weighed 3,699 pounds and is 20 feet in diameter. More information and a picture
Pumpkins are grown all over the world on six of the seven continents, with Antarctica being the sole exception. They are even grown in Alaska.
A pumpkin is not a Jack O’ Lantern until it is carved.
In 1584 upon seeing it for the first time, a French explorer called them “gros melons. This translates into Latin as “pepon”, or a large melon. It wasn’t until the 17th century that American colonists first referred to them as pumpkins.
Pumpkins were once recommended as a cure for freckles.
They were used as a remedy for snake bites.
Pumpkin seeds help avoid prostate cancer in men.
Halloween evolved, in part, from the Celtic tradition of All Hallow’s Eve.
Native Americans fed pumpkins to their horses.
Adding pumpkin seeds to the diet of domestic animals aids in weight gain and better overall health of the animal.
Millions of people practice home canning of fruits, vegetables, and even meats. It is a great way to save money. Home canning extends your enjoyment of the fruits of your garden well into the winter. After all, there is no better taste, than that of a fruit or vegetable that you grew.
An estimated 50 million pumpkin pies are consumed on Thanksgiving.

Even More Pumpkin Fun Facts and Trivia

Pumpkin flour can be used in place of wheat flour. It has many health and medicinal benefits.
Pumpkins are gluten-free.
At the first Thanksgiving feast in 1621, the pilgrims did not serve pumpkin pie, Rather, they made a stewed pumpkin.
Pumpkin seeds are proven to promote hair growth in men experiencing moderate hair loss.
If you are having trouble falling asleep, try eating some pumpkin seeds before bedtime. They contain tryptophan. Your body converts this amino acid to serotonin which then turns into melatonin. Then, you’ll sleep like a baby.
Farmers in the United States harvest over 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins per year. Now, that’s a lot of pumpkin pie. And, this figure doesn’t include home gardeners.
About 13% of Americans say pumpkin pie is their favorite. This is second to apple pie, the favorite of 19% of us.
The top pumpkin-producing states are California, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
Eating pumpkins is also known to slow the decline of retinal function in people who suffer from retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease.
Food manufacturers use tan-colored pumpkins to make pumpkin puree.

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