Whether you’re carving pumpkins to celebrate Halloween or baking pumpkin pie, chances are you’ve wondered: are pumpkins a fruit or a vegetable? For more info, we consulted Mark Hodges, co-owner of Mike’s Country Market and Greenhouses in Roanoke, VA.

What Is Pumpkin?

Pumpkins are a type of winter squash with hard skins and edible flesh and seeds. Pumpkins can be used for decoration or in cooking. Pumpkin flesh is typically baked, steamed or sauteed and is rarely used raw in culinary applications.

“Pumpkins are gourds that are seasonally available in the fall. They are native to North America and have become a beacon of fall,” Hodges says. “Pumpkins are a delicious [staple] of many recipes, both savory and sweet.”

Is Pumpkin a Fruit or Vegetable?

Pumpkins are a fruit belonging to the squash family. “This is due to the fact that they produce large yellow flowers as well as their signature gourds,” Hodges says. “However, they are commonly known and used as a vegetable, further illustrating the versatility of this popular gourd.”

Health Benefits of Pumpkin

“Health benefits of pumpkin include skin health as it contains beta-carotene which is the pre-form of vitamin A and helps reduce inflammation. In addition, adequate consumption of vitamin A is necessary for the maintenance of healthy skin and hair,” says Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN award winning nutrition expert and Wall Street Journal bestselling cookbook author of Up Your Veggies: Flexitarian Recipes for the Whole Family. “Pumpkin also provides fiber, which can indirectly help with weight loss as when you incorporate it into a balanced, varied diet the fiber can help make you feel fuller longer.”

Types of Pumpkin

There are many types of pumpkins, some of which are used for decoration and others that are popular in cooking or baking. Hodges shares more details about the different types of pumpkin varieties available at his market and greenhouse every fall.

Pie Pumpkin

Medium-sized orange pumpkins. “They easily fit into fall displays, and if you are so inclined, they live up to their name and can be cooked for pie as well,” Hodges says.

Gladiator Pumpkin

A large, orange variety that grows well over 20 pounds and stays true to a round shape.

Jack O’ Lantern Pumpkin

Another dependable orange pumpkin that is slightly taller and as the name suggests, is the best for carving.

Wolf Pumpkin

This pumpkin is also a larger specimen and stays true to the orange color. “These are always customer favorites when we have them available since they sport impressive stems!” Hodges shares.

French Red Pumpkin

This pumpkin’s official name is Rouge Vif D’Etampes but it is also known as a Cinderella pumpkin. It is more disc shaped, red in color and often used for decoration. “But we have a handful of customers who come in every fall looking for this particular type of heirloom pumpkins since apparently it makes the best soup!” Hodges says.

Turban Pumpkin

Turban squash is a medium to large sized pumpkin named for its distinctive shape, which looks like one squash is growing out of another. It has a sweet, nutty flavor but you’ll need to peel them before steaming, roasting or pureeing them.

“Littles” Pumpkins

This category of pumpkins refers to different varieties of little pumpkins, including:

Jack-Be-Little: miniature, palm-size orange pumpkin that is used for decoration but is also edible, boasting a slightly stringy, sweet flesh.

Black Futsu: a miniature Japanese heirloom pumpkin that is muted beige-ish in color with a ribbed rind and textured feel. The flesh has a nutty flavor.

Sweet Dumpling: striped pumpkin with an edible, scalloped rind that is good for roasting, cooking and stuffing.

Baby Boo: miniature white pumpkin that is both decorative and edible.

Heirloom and Stacking Pumpkins

This category includes a variety of different pumpkins including:

Jarrahdale: an Australian heirloom pumpkin with a blue hue, blocky shape and edible sweet orange flesh.

Flat Boer: white, disc-shaped pumpkin that originated in South Africa. As an ornamental gourd they are good for stacking, but their sweet flesh also makes them a good choice for pumpkin pie and baking.

Porcelain Doll: pink in color with a sweet flesh that lends itself to soups and baking.

Fairytale: also known as Musquee de Provence, fairytale pumpkins have a tan color and squat shape. They have a creamy sweet flavor and Hodges says his customers seek them out for cooking.

Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are edible (though some may be tougher to eat than others) and contain health benefits. “Pumpkin seeds have protein, healthy fats, minerals (like magnesium which can help with heart and bone health) and a small amount of omega-3 fats,” Amidor says.

Roasted pumpkin seeds can be eaten with or without their shell. “Eating the shells increases the fiber. A diet high in fiber has been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and obesity,” Amidor says. “With shells, roasted pumpkin seeds provide 5.2g fiber per serving, while shelled they provide 1.8g fiber per serving. It should be noted that some folks who eat large amounts of pumpkin seeds with the shells may experience some GI discomfort like stomach aches.”

Related Links:

62 Pumpkin Recipes That Are Perfect in Every Way

24 Pumpkin Pie Recipes You’ll Want to Make Every Thanksgiving

Healthy Pumpkin Recipes