When ripe, the pumpkin can be boiled, baked, steamed, or
roasted. In its native North America, it is a very important,
traditional part of the autumn harvest, eaten mashed and making its
way into soups and purees. In Mexico and the U.S., the seeds are
often roasted and eaten as a snack. Often, it is made into pie,
various kinds of which are a traditional staple of the Canadian and
American Thanksgiving holiday. Pumpkins that are still small and
green may be eaten in the same way as squash or zucchini. Pumpkins
can also be mashed (similar to mashed potatoes) or incorporated
into soup.
East China Normal University research on type-1 diabetic rats,
published in July 2007, suggests that chemical compounds found in
pumpkin promote regeneration of damaged pancreatic cells, resulting
in increased bloodstream insulin levels. According to the research
team leader, pumpkin extract may be "a very good product for
pre-diabetic people, as well as those who already have diabetes,"
possibly reducing or eliminating the need for insulin injections
for some type-1 diabetics. It is unknown whether pumpkin extract
has any effect on diabetes mellitus type 2, as it was not the
subject of the study.