More than 80% of the pumpkin is edible. It has thin skin and thick flesh with a sweet taste. It can be eaten as a vegetable and can also be stored long-term as a substitute for grain, making it an excellent food for times of famine. In recent years, its therapeutic and medicinal value has been recognized, with nearly every part of the plant being usable for medicinal purposes.
Dried and ground pumpkin flowers, mixed with sesame oil, can be applied to treat sores and carbuncles. For unruptured sores, mix with liquor and apply to reduce swelling and alleviate pain. Washed, roasted, and ground pumpkin seeds, mixed with honey and taken with warm water, can expel roundworms, flukes, and tapeworms. Researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that eating a handful of roasted pumpkin seeds daily can reduce urine volume in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia and significantly alleviate symptoms of frequent and urgent urination.
The flesh of the pumpkin is rich in cobalt, which can increase the body's release of insulin, helping diabetic patients to normalize insulin secretion and lower blood sugar.
The pulp of the pumpkin has the effects of clearing heat, promoting urination to dampness, and detoxifying, making it suitable for surgical injuries such as burns, scalds, and embedded shrapnel or foreign objects. A legend serves as a testament to this: once, General Xu Shiyou led his troops in hand-to-hand combat with Japanese invaders and was bayoneted in the arm, causing a large wound. After the battle, with no doctor available, he took some pumpkin pulp, packed it into the wound, and bandaged it up.
Salted Egg Pumpkin Sauce Baked Rice