Are pumpkin and squash the same? What's the difference?

Pumpkins and pumpkins are different. The difference between the two mainly lies in their external shape, origin distribution and nutritional value.

1. External form

The outside of the pumpkin is cylindrical, about 20 cm long and 13 cm in diameter. Its skin is light yellow in color, and there are irregular protruding longitudinal ridges on the surface of the melon, usually eight in number. The pumpkin stalk is very thick, with ridges and grooves, about six centimeters long. The stem will expand into a trumpet shape, and its appearance is an irregular gourd shape. Due to differences in varieties, some melons have several longitudinal grooves on their surfaces or none at all, and their colors are generally green or orange.

2. Origin distribution

Pumpkins are native to the area from Mexico to Central America and are now widely grown all over the world, but the pumpkin subspecies has the largest planting area, followed by Europe and South America. The origin of pumpkin is southern Asia, southern China and Central America, and it is currently widely cultivated in the five continents of the world.

3. Nutritional Value

Pumpkin is rich in polysaccharides, β-carotene, mineral elements, amino acids and active proteins. Its seeds are also rich in amino acids, which have the effects of clearing heat and dampness and repelling insects. Pumpkin is rich in citrulline, arginine, asparagic acid, trigonelline, adenine, carotene, glucose, mannitol, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin E, various unsaturated fatty acids, as well as copper, zinc and iron. It contains trace elements such as magnesium and is very rich in nutritional value.