The diabetes exchange system categorizes foods according to their nutrient content and their impact on blood sugar. This system places pumpkin and other starchy vegetables in the starches group rather than the vegetables group, because the body processes them more like carbohydrates.
Starches
Pumpkin and other foods in the starches group, including breads, grains, pasta, corn and potatoes, provide carbohydrates, fiber and important vitamins and minerals. Pumpkin and other starchy vegetables, such as parsnips, plantains, butternut squash and sweet potatoes, provide healthy alternatives to high-fat starches such as biscuits, pastries and French fries, notes the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse.
Serving Size
Diabetes exchange lists tell you how much of each food within a group you can eat for the same amount of calories, carbohydrates, fat and protein. A single serving, or "exchange," of starch should contain about 80 calories, about 15 g of carbohydrates, up to 3 g of protein and up to 1 g of fat, according to MayoClinic.com. A 1-cup serving of canned pumpkin provides one exchange of starch.
Servings Per Day
The number of servings of starches a diabetic can eat each day varies according to calorie needs. For example, diabetics who follow a 1,200- to 1,600-calorie diet should eat six servings of starches per day, and diabetics who follow a 1,600- to 2,000-calorie diet should eat eight servings of starches per day, according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. Diabetics following a 2,000- to 2,400-calorie diet should eat 10 servings of starches per day.
Nutrients
Pumpkin provides a good source of a variety of nutrients. A 1-cup serving of cooked pumpkin provides 3 g of dietary fiber, 37 mg of calcium, 1.4 mg of iron, 22 mg of magnesium, 564 mg of potassium, 12 mg of vitamin C, 21 mcg of folate and 2,650 IU of vitamin A, according to the University of Illinois Extension.
