Science and nutrition of pumpkin varieties

Pumpkins belong to the Cucurbita family and exhibit diverse forms, sizes, and colors due to human selection. While the orange field pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) is the most popular for Halloween, white varieties exist with nearly identical genetics; the primary difference is simply pigmentation caused by a single genetic variation.

Nutritionally, pumpkins are a source of vitamin A, providing approximately 288 µg of retinol activity equivalent (RAE) per half-cup of cooked pumpkin. However, several plant and animal-based foods contain significantly higher concentrations of vitamin A. Vitamin A is categorized into two forms: preformed retinol from animal sources, which is immediately usable, and provitamin A (such as beta-carotene) from plants, which the body must convert into retinol.