Pumpkins are good for more than just carving up on Halloween. They can be tasty and nutritious. OK, maybe not after sitting out on your porch for a week, but you get the point.
Take our non-spooky quiz:
1. How many fewer calories does a cup of boiled pumpkin, without salt, contain compared with a similar amount of boiled carrots?
a) None; same amount
b) 6
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c) 17
2. Which of the following contains the highest percentage of fiber per cup?
a) Carrots
b) Butternut squash
c) Pumpkins
3. Which of the following contains the most beta-carotene, which is converted in the body to vitamin A?
a) Pumpkins
b) Carrot juice
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c) Sweet potatoes
4. What was the total production of pumpkins by major pumpkin-producing states in 2008?
a) 3.7 million pounds
b) 1.1 billion pounds
c) 1 trillion pounds
5. Officially, pumpkins are classified as what?
a) Squashes
b) Gourds
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c) Legumes
6. Which U.S. city claims to be the pumpkin capital of the world?
a) Athens, Ga.
b) Ithaca, N.Y.
c) Morton, Ill.
ANSWERS: 1: b; 2: c (pumpkins, 11 percent; carrots, 9 percent; squash, 0 percent); 3: b (carrot juice, 22 milligrams; pumpkins, 17 mg; sweet potatoes, 13.1); 4: b; 5: a; 6: c
Sources: lpi.oregonstate.edu; www.nutritiondata.com; urbanext.illinois.edu; www.pumpkin-patch.com
