“I love the flavor of pumpkins, especially in the fall,” sophomore Jenny Nguyen said.

Pumpkins are not only rich in antioxidants, but also completely packed with vitamins and nutrients that are good for your body. They contain Vitamins C and E, as well as nutrients that can prevent illnesses and boost your immune system.

That’s not even the best part. Did you know that every part of the pumpkin can be eaten? This includes the flesh and seeds, too. Pumpkin seeds are actually a very popular snack, similar to sunflower seeds.

“I always eat pumpkin and sunflower seeds, they’re such a tasty salty snack,” senior Hiba Abu-el Hawa said.

Healthy eating options that incorporate the nutritious fruit include pumpkin soup and pumpkin bread. Its seeds can be eaten alone or even tossed into a salad for flavor. This season, you should also occasionally indulge in the not so healthy pumpkin options, like a slice of pumpkin pie, or the popular pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks.

“The pumpkin spice latte is my favorite, but I only have it sometimes because it’s unhealthy and expensive,” Nguyen said.

The health benefits of pumpkins are not limited solely to the fall season. Canned pumpkin and pumpkin seeds can be found at your local grocery store, and are a perfect healthy ingredient even when pumpkins are out of season. They are also just as healthy as fresh pumpkin, making this season the perfect time to add this great fruit to your diet.