PUMPKIN SPICE IS IN THE AIR
Ashley Svaty, Nutrition, Food Safety and Health Agent
Pumpkin spice. Two words that start to take over this time of year. Everywhere you look there is pumpkin spice flavored everything! But what exactly is pumpkin spice? Pumpkin spice is a mixture of 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice, and 1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves.
Not only do foods and beverages with pumpkin and pumpkin spice taste delicious but they can also be nutritious. A ½ cup of canned pumpkin provides 16% of the daily recommended amount of fiber, more than a day’s worth of vitamin A and is also a good source of Vitamin C.
But before you indulge in the many processed pumpkin spice items check out the Nutrition Facts Label to make sure they’re not full of sugar. It’s not uncommon for some popular pumpkin spice drinks to be loaded with 3 or more times the daily recommended amount of sugar in one drink! The American Heart Association recommends that women should consume no more than 25 grams and men no more than 36g of sugar a day.
If you are looking for nutritious and creative ways to add more pumpkin spice to your diet without the high amounts of sugar check out the recipes below or University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Perfectly Pumpkin Recipe Collection
PUMPKIN SPICE OVERNIGHT OATS
Ingredients Makes 1 serving
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or any type of milk)
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
• 2 Tbsp pumpkin puree
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
Directions: Stir together all ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add to a mason jar with a fitted lid. Refrigerate and store overnight.
Per Serving: 330 calories, 7 g fat, 50 g carbohydrate, 17 g protein, 8 g dietary fiber, 280 mg sodium
Source: American Institute for Cancer Research http://bit.ly/2w4Ma8u
SPICY PUMPKIN SHAKE
• 1/4 cup canned pumpkin
(NOT canned pumpkin pie MIX)
• 1/3 cup nonfat milk
• 1 cup low-fat frozen vanilla yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Directions: Add all ingredients to a blender. Cover and blend on high until smooth. If desired, garnish with a dash of pumpkin pie spice.
Recipe source: Alice Henneman, MS, RDN, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension
Not only do foods and beverages with pumpkin and pumpkin spice taste delicious but they can also be nutritious. A ½ cup of canned pumpkin provides 16% of the daily recommended amount of fiber, more than a day’s worth of vitamin A and is also a good source of Vitamin C.
But before you indulge in the many processed pumpkin spice items check out the Nutrition Facts Label to make sure they’re not full of sugar. It’s not uncommon for some popular pumpkin spice drinks to be loaded with 3 or more times the daily recommended amount of sugar in one drink! The American Heart Association recommends that women should consume no more than 25 grams and men no more than 36g of sugar a day.
If you are looking for nutritious and creative ways to add more pumpkin spice to your diet without the high amounts of sugar check out the recipes below or University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Perfectly Pumpkin Recipe Collection
Ingredients Makes 1 serving
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or any type of milk)
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
• 2 Tbsp pumpkin puree
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
Directions: Stir together all ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add to a mason jar with a fitted lid. Refrigerate and store overnight.
Per Serving: 330 calories, 7 g fat, 50 g carbohydrate, 17 g protein, 8 g dietary fiber, 280 mg sodium
Source: American Institute for Cancer Research http://bit.ly/2w4Ma8u
SPICY PUMPKIN SHAKE
• 1/4 cup canned pumpkin
(NOT canned pumpkin pie MIX)
• 1/3 cup nonfat milk
• 1 cup low-fat frozen vanilla yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Directions: Add all ingredients to a blender. Cover and blend on high until smooth. If desired, garnish with a dash of pumpkin pie spice.
Recipe source: Alice Henneman, MS, RDN, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension
