Starbucks and other coffee shops have released their pumpkin spice line up, which means fall is (basically) here!
Over the past few years, you may have noticed that pumpkin spice products have taken over menus and shelves. Pumpkin Oreos, pumpkin yogurt, pumpkin beer, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin nutrition bars, pumpkin hummus…the list goes on and on (and gets stranger every year)! This pumpkin obsession all started in 2003 when Starbucks introduced their Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL). The trend has brought a pumpkin to the forefront of fall-based foods, which, from a health perspective, has turned into mixed results from a nutritional standpoint.
Pumpkin Health Benefits
Calorie-friendly
One serving of pumpkin puree contains 50 calories, 7 grams of carbohydrates, and 3 grams of fiber. On the other hand, pumpkin pie filling provides an additional 100 calories from SUGAR.
Dietitian Tip: Unless your recipe calls for pumpkin pie filling, look for 100% pure pumpkin…the only ingredient should be pumpkin!
