Tasty and healthy pumpkin is known to everyone. There are many options for its use in everyday life: from foodstuffs to gorgeous Halloween carvings. From August to December, white, yellow and green fruits bring variety to our diet in the form of casseroles, cereals, soups, pies and desserts.
The history of the pumpkin
It is believed that the pumpkin came from North America. Its seeds are found during excavations of Indian cities, and images can be seen in abundance on steles and bas-reliefs. The large yellow fruit was widely known to the indigenous people of America. 
The Indians used it both as dishes and as food.
New inhabitants of America, it also came to taste. The colonists ate it as a side dish, soup or dessert, dried and fried. In early colonial times, pumpkin was used as an ingredient for the crust of pies, but was not used for filling.
Learn about the rules of growing pumpkins in the open field, about the beneficial properties of pumpkins, about the popular varieties of pumpkins, about the variety of large-fruited pumpkins.
And only much later did the new Americans discover the wonderful taste of pumpkin pulp. Irish colonists found bright orange fruit their use: pumpkin turned out great lanterns Jack-lantern.
In America, its fruits were so many and they were so cheap that the Irish people replaced them with turnips, and from that moment on, the pumpkin is a symbol of the celebration of Halloween. 
Did you know? Jack - character of the Irish Legend of Miserful Jack. Greedy and cunning, he deceived the Devil into abandoning claims to his soul. But he was not allowed to go to heaven because of dubious actions and stinginess. The cunning blacksmith had to return to the world of the living. To Jack was something to light his way, the Devil handed him the ember. Jack put a coal in the turnip, which illuminates his path on long winter nights.
Why confusion?
If one object is interpreted through the definitions of different sciences and activities, then confusion arises. This does not mean that any of the definitions is wrong, just a few.
Different definitions may refer to different epochs or different countries. As for the pumpkin, someone considers it a vegetable, and someone a berry.
Definition in terms of botany
A herbaceous plant of the pumpkin family in terms of botanists is a berry.
The pumpkin family includes zucchini, luffa, lagenaria, momordiku, angurias, tladiant, beninkazu, felines.
In the household sense, berry is a juicy, fleshy fruit of a shrub or herb: currants, gooseberries, etc.Botanical berry is one of the types of fruit of the plant, which has a juicy pulp and a lot of small seeds. A botanical vegetable is a plant that uses root vegetables for food. But the botanical point of view is not the only one.
Definition in terms of cooking
Culinary tradition considers vegetables all the plants used in the preparation of first courses and side dishes, savory or sweet to taste.
According to I.V. Dalu, vegetables - this garden fruit.
The term vegetable originated a long time ago - in the era of the ancient Slavs, and meant all edible types of vegetation. 
But the word "fruit" came to our lexicon in 1705 from the Polish language. From that moment on, everything that grows on the ground was considered a vegetable, and the fruits of trees were the fruits.
So what is the result: fruit, berry or vegetable?
In botanical terminology, a fruit is a reproductive organ, formed from a flower, which gives a new seed.
There are a huge variety of fruits, for example:
- a box of poppy;
- pea pod;
- Walnut;
- an Apple;
- berry;
- pumpkin;
- orange;
- juicy drupe.
Did you know? In antiquity, pumpkin seeds were part of the love potions, as it was believed that they have a beneficial effect on male sexuality.Therefore, the correct interpretation will depend on what industry we are talking about.
Where else use pumpkin?
Throughout its history, its fruits have been with dishes and a mat, food and decorative decoration, a musical instrument and medicine. Its pulp is used in food, and oil is made from seeds.
In medicine
Pumpkin is rich in carotene, sucrose, vitamins C, B1, B2, PP. Her flesh is a good diuretic and is recommended for chronic constipation.
For chronic constipation, pearl barley, aspen bark, viburnum, beetroot, persimmon, sloe, whitehead, quince are also recommended.Potassium contained in pumpkin improves heart function, strengthens blood vessels and eliminates swelling.
Seeds have a pronounced anthelmintic effect. Pumpkin juice is useful for liver diseases. The oil extract is used to heal wounds and burns, as well as lesions of the mucous membranes.Vitamins A, E, contained in it, slow down the aging process in the body.
Important!Care should be taken to pumpkin dishes for people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and diabetes. Pumpkin juice can cause irritation of the gastric mucosa and provoke an exacerbation of chronic diseases of the stomach and pancreas.
Cosmetic properties
Pumpkin oil in cosmetology is used for skin care: softening, cleansing and regeneration of the skin, as well as for protection from external irritants. In aromatherapy it is the basic element for the main aromatic oil. 
For hair loss, it is recommended to rub pumpkin oil into the roots 30 minutes before washing 2-3 times a week.
For hair loss, it is recommended to use zizifus, aloe vera, nasturtium, red onion, pine oil, bergamot, willow.
Decorative properties
In addition to the traditional and familiar round shape of pumpkin, there are also small fruits of various forms:
- similar to oranges;
- pear shaped;
- white ribbed pumpkins;
- turbid variations.
The ornamental variety of the plant attracts attention with amazing fruits, it is easy to grow and grow quickly. Its compact forms form a bush that feels great in a container and will become an ornament for a summer arbor. 
Fruits of ornamental varieties are most often inedible, but they are successfully used for the manufacture of decorative caskets or vases.
The finished product can be decorated with painting and varnished. Bright garlands, vases or other interesting crafts will keep you smell and the warmth of the summer sun for a long time.
Important! The fruits of this plant are low-allergenic products. But each organism is individual, and carotene contained in a pumpkin can provoke an allergic reaction. If you have itching or swelling, consult an allergist.
Exceptionally rich in trace elements composition provides many ways to use pumpkin in cooking, medicine and cosmetology. 
The shape and color inspire the creation of decorative masterpieces, and the size will always be the source for the practical realization of the boundless imagination of man.
