Good to Know: The Tastiest, Largest, and Most Toxic Pumpkins

The tastiest, largest, and most poisonous pumpkins - Not All Pumpkins Are Safe to Eat—Some Can Make You Sick

*by **Helmut Broeg*** Come autumn, they're everywhere—stacked in supermarkets, piled on trailers by the roadside, and carved into eerie faces in front gardens. **Pumpkins** are having a moment, especially now that Halloween, with its pagan roots, has taken hold here as well. For decades, they were mostly preserved in sweet-and-sour brine, jarred and far from universally loved. But ever since the bright orange **Hokkaido pumpkin** began smiling up at us from market stalls, many have come to believe that pumpkins can be downright delicious. Some 800 varieties are cultivated worldwide, all descended from just five original species. And while they're often found in the vegetable aisle, botanically speaking, pumpkins are actually fruits.

Pumpkins: From Giant to Tiny

A word of caution, though—not all are safe to eat. Originally, pumpkins contained a host of bitter compounds designed to ward off predators. The varieties sold for consumption have had most of these bitter substances bred out of them. Ornamental pumpkins, however, still pack a potent dose. Eating them can lead to headaches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Even homegrown pumpkins can sometimes contain dangerously high levels of these bitter compounds. For instance, if insects transfer pollen from an ornamental pumpkin flower to a nearby edible one, the result can be a bitter—and toxic—fruit. Old seeds or those saved from previous harvests can also produce bitter pumpkins. The same warning applies to homegrown zucchini, cucumbers, and melons, since they're all botanically related to pumpkins. To stay safe, take a small taste of the raw vegetable first. If it's bitter, don't eat it—cooking won't destroy the toxins.

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* **Pumpkin** * **Pumpkin season** * **Hokkaido pumpkin** * **Butternut squash**