from the washington post's health section (11/25/97):
The study found that half a cup of canned pumpkin contained
540 percent of the recommended dietary intake (RDI) for beta
carotene, a substance that is converted to vitamin A in the
body. One half cup of fresh, cooked pumpkin, by comparison,
contained about 27 percent of the RDI for beta carotene.
Canned pumpkin is richer in beta carotene for two reasons,
said Klein, who presented the study's findings last month at the
annual meeting of the American Dietetic Association in Boston.
Food manufacturers choose the richest, most orange pumpkins
for canning because they are more visually appealing to
consumers, Klein said. Beta carotene is what gives the
pumpkins their deep orange hue. In preparing the pumpkin puree for
canning, food
manufacturers also remove some of the moisture by
evaporation. "That results in concentration of the beta
carotene," Klein said. Fresh pumpkin that is cooked is more
watery unless consumers go to the trouble of draining it
thoroughly, Klein said. "Few recipes tell you to do that."
you learn something new every day!
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