Canned pumpkin may be served heated or added to a variety of dishes such as soups or puddings. Pumpkin is also delicious in baked goods like cake, cookies, coffee cakes, breads and muffins. Canned pumpkin is particularly convenient during times of the year when fresh pumpkin is not available. Whether eaten fresh or canned, pumpkin is a highly nutritious food which is low in calories.
Nutrition Data
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's nutrition data states that per 1/2 cup serving, canned pumpkin contains 40 calories, 5 of which are from fat. The serving contains only 0.5 g total fat and no saturated fat, trans fat or cholesterol. Each serving contains 5 mg of sodium, 4 g of sugars and 1 g of protein; it also provides 10 g or 3 percent of the daily value of carbohydrates and 4 g or 16 percent daily value of dietary fiber. In addition, each serving provides 380 percent of the daily value for vitamin A, 8 percent of the daily value for vitamin C, 4 percent of daily value for calcium and 10 percent daily value for iron.
Fiber
Like many other fruits and vegetables, canned pumpkin provides you with a significant amount of dietary fiber. Fiber keeps your digestive system healthy and helps relieve constipation and hemorrhoids. Fiber has also been shown to help prevent heart disease, cancer, diabetes and diverticular disease. Because foods with fiber have bulk, they can be an aid in maintaining a healthy weight.
Vitamin A
One serving of pumpkin provides nearly three times the daily requirement for vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential to your vision and eye health and also helps fight infection and strengthen skin, bone and mucous membranes. There is also evidence that vitamin A helps prevent cancers of the lung and oral cavity, according to the website Nutrition-and-You.com.
Beta-Carotene
Pumpkin's rich orange color is evidence of its wealth of beta-carotene, a type of carotenoid -- a naturally occurring food pigment -- and a powerful antioxidant, according to the Libby's Pumpkin website. Like other antioxidants, beta-carotene serves to neutralize free radicals before they can damage cells, thus helping prevent disease.
Canned vs. Fresh
Both canned and fresh pumpkin are high in nutritional value. You can store fresh pumpkins for up to a month at room temperature and they will stay fresh for several months when refrigerated. Fresh pumpkins give you a ready source of pumpkin seeds, which you can roast to make a healthful snack. Canned pumpkin is convenient and available year-round. Be sure to check and compare nutritional data on the labels when purchasing canned pumpkin, since products may be labeled "pumpkin," "100 percent pumpkin" or "pumpkin pie mix." While 100 percent pumpkin is simply pureed pumpkin, pumpkin pie mix includes other ingredients such as spices and sugar and can have a much higher calorie count, notes the Mayo Clinic website.
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