Pumpkin is incredibly rich in vital anti-oxidants and vitamins. This humble backyard vegetable is very low in calories yet good source of vitamin A, flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants like leutin, xanthins and carotenes.  
The plant is a "vine", creeps on the surface in a similar fashion like that of other members of the cururbitaceae family such as cucumber, squash, cantaloupes...etc. It is one of the most popular vegetable that is grown as commercial field crop all over the world.
Pumpkins vary greatly in shape, size and colours.  Giant pumpkins generally weigh 4–6 kg with the largest capable of reaching a weight of over 25 kg. Golden nugget pumpkins are flat, smaller in size and have sweet creamy orange colour flesh.

Although pumpkins, in general, feature orange or yellow colour, some fruits are dark to pale green, orange-yellow, white, red and grey. Rind is smooth and usually lightly ribbed. Colour of pumpkins is due to yellow-orange pigments in their skin and pulp.

In structure, the pulp feature golden-yellow to orange colour depending up on the poly-phenolic pigments in it.  The fruit has hollow centre, with numerous small, off-white coloured seeds interspersed in the net like structure. Pumpkin seeds are great source of protein, minerals, vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids.

Health benefits

It is one of the vegetables which is very low calories;  provides just 26 Cal per 100 g and contains no saturated fats or cholesterol; but is rich a source of dietary fibre, anti-oxidants, minerals, vitamins. Recommended by dieticians in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs.

Pumpkin is a storehouse of many anti-oxidant vitamins such as vitamin-A, vitamin-C and vitamin-E.

With 7384 mg per 100 g, it is one of the vegetable in the cucurbitaceae family with highest levels of vitamin-A, providing about 246% of RDA. Vitamin A is a powerful natural anti-oxidant and is required by body for maintaining the integrity of skin and mucus membranes. It is also an essential vitamin for vision. Research studies suggest that natural foods rich in vitamin A helps body protect against lung and oral cavity cancers.

It is also an excellent source of many natural poly-phenolic flavonoid compounds such as α and ß carotenes, cryptoxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin. Carotenes convert into vitamin A inside the body.

Zeaxanthin is a natural anti-oxidant which has UV (ultra-violet) rays filtering actions in the macula lutea in retina of the eyes. Thus, it helps protect from "age related macular disease" (ARMD) in the elderly.

Rich in B-complex group of vitamins like folates, niacin, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin and pantothenic acid.

It is also rich source of minerals like copper, calcium, potassium and phosphorus.

Pumpkin seeds are good source of dietary fibre and mono-unsaturated fatty acids which are good for heart health. In addition, they are very good in protein, minerals and many health benefiting vitamins. For example 100 g of pumpkin seeds provide 559 Cal, 30 g of protein, 110% RDA of iron, 4987 mg of niacin (31% RDA), selenium (17% of RDA), zinc (71%) etc... but no cholesterol. The seeds are an excellent source of health promoting amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan is converted to GABA in the brain.

Boost Vision: A cup of cubed pumpkin contains almost twice the recommended daily intake of vitamin A, which promotes good vision, especially in dim light, according to the National Institutes of Health. It has also been found to slow the decline of retinal function in those with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease that can lead to blindness, according to researchers from Harvard. Bonus: Vitamin A also helps form and maintain healthy skin, teeth and bones.

Lower Blood Pressure: Pumpkin seed oil is full of phytoestrogens, which research shows are beneficial for preventing hypertension. When researchers fed rats a diet supplement with the oil, they found that it helped lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in just 12 weeks.

Sleep Better: Pumpkin seeds are rich in tryptophan, the amino acid that contributes to post-Thanksgiving dinner sleepiness, says Virgin. Tryptophan is also responsible for helping the body make serotonin, the feel-good neurotransmitter that helps you relax and unwind. Not only do pumpkin seeds promote better sleep, the serotonin will improve your mood, says Virgin.

Protect Your Package: Pumpkins — especially the seeds — are rich in beta-carotene and other antioxidants with cancer protective properties. Pumpkin seeds could be especially healthy for men. Researchers in Taiwan found pumpkin seed oil blocked unhealthy prostate growth in male rats. A quarter cup of the seeds also contains about 2.75 mg of zinc (about 17 percent of the recommended daily intake for adults), which contributes to male sexual health. When young men in a Wayne State University study restricted their dietary zinc intake, they had significantly lower levels of testosterone after 20 weeks.

Have a Healthier Heart: All that fibre can also help protect your ticker, research shows. One Harvard study of over 40,000 male health professionals found that those who ate a diet high in fibre had a 40 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease, compared to those who ate a diet low in fibre. A more recent study by Swedish researchers found that women who ate a diet high in fibre had a 25 percent lower risk of heart disease compared with women who ate a low fibre diet. Men benefitted less, likely because they’re more likely to get their fibre from breads, while women are more likely to get their fibre from healthier sources, like fruits and vegetables, the researchers write.

That means pumpkin-laced desserts won’t quite cut it. For a healthier way to add pumpkin into your diet, adding pumpkin chunks to a roasted vegetable medley, or sprinkling pumpkin seeds on top of your salad. Feeling even more creative? Try pumpkin puree in place of nut butters as a spread, Virgin suggests. And for an energizing morning smoothie, blend a high-quality protein powder (like vanilla Daily Burn Fuel) with coconut milk, chia seeds, pureed pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice.