Pancreas

Say: pan-kree-us

The pancreas is a long, flat gland in your belly. It sits behind the stomach and produces enzymes that are important for digestion. Insulin and glucagon, which help control the level of glucose (a type of sugar) in the blood, are also made in the pancreas.

White Blood Cells

Say: wite blud sels     White blood cells are part of the germ-fighting immune system. They are like little warriors floating around in your blood waiting to attack invaders, like viruses and bacteria. You have several types of white blood cells and each has its own special role in fighting off the different kinds of germs that make people sick.

Urticaria

Say: ur-tuh-kair-ee-uh

Urticaria is the fancy name for hives. No, not bee hives! Hives are those itchy, red bumps people get on their skin when they're allergic to something, like certain foods or medicines. Allergies are not the only reason someone might get hives. Some infections, hot or cold temperatures, or even stress can make those bumps appear. Your doctor can give you some medicine that can help stop all your scratching.

Scoliosis

Say: sko-lee-oh-sis

Scoliosis is an abnormal curve of the spine, also known as the backbone. Most scoliosis is mild, but for those who need it, back braces and special surgery can help many kids stand up to scoliosis.

Sphenopalatineganglioneuralgia

Say: sfee-noh-pal-uh-teen-gan-glee-oh-new-ral-juh

This huge word means an ice cream headache. You know, the feeling you get when you eat something really cold and your head goes "Yow!"

Hypoglycemia

Say: hi-po-gly-see-me-uh

Glucose (a type of sugar) is the body's main energy source. Hormones, such as insulin, control the level of glucose in the blood. It's unhealthy if a person's glucose levels get too high, or too low. Hypoglycemia occurs when the levels get too low. This can happen to people who have diabetes. It can occur if the person doesn't eat enough or if the person takes too much insulin, which lowers glucose levels. A person with hypoglycemia may feel hungry, shaky, sweaty, weak, drowsy, or dizzy. If left untreated, hypoglycemia may even make someone faint or pass out.

Hyperglycemia

Say: hi-per-gly-see-me-uh

Glucose (a type of sugar) is the body's main energy source. Hormones, such as insulin, control the level of glucose in the blood. It's unhealthy if a person's glucose levels get too high or too low. Hyperglycemia occurs when the levels get too high. This can happen to someone who has diabetes but doesn't know it yet. It also can happen to someone whose diabetes is not under control. Signs of hyperglycemia include increased urination (peeing), extreme thirst, and unexplained weight loss.

Constipation

Say: kon-stuh-pay-shun

Sometimes your bowel movements - you know, the stuff inside your intestines we call poop - might be hard and dry. Yeah, it's kind of gross, but it can also be bad for you if this happens too much. One way to fight constipation is to eat more fiber (found in fruits and vegetables and other stuff), and drink more water and juice. Tell your parent if your bowel movements are hard and dry, difficult to push out, or if you don't have bowel movements very often. Your parent can take you to a doctor who can help you.

Conjunctivitis

Say: kon-jung-tih-vy-tis

Is your eye looking pink and not so pretty? Sounds like conjunctivitis, sometimes called pinkeye. This can happen when the conjunctiva, the covering of your eye and inside your eyelids, gets infected. Your eye may feel itchy and like you have a grain of sand caught in it. Your eye may be teary or gunky, especially when you wake up in the morning. Although sometimes pinkeye will get better on its own, some kids will need special eye drops to make their conjunctivitis disappear.

Cochlea

Say: ko-klee-uh

The cochlea looks like a spiral-shaped snail shell deep in your ear. And it plays an important part in helping you hear: it changes sounds into nerve messages and sends them to your brain. After the eardrum takes in a sound, the sound gets turned into a vibration that travels to the cochlea. There, the tiny hairs that line the cochlea move and shake, sending messages to your brain that you hear a sound. And this all happens in a split second!

Congestion

Say: kun-jes-chun

Need to blow your nose? Congestion happens when your nose gets stuffy and makes it hard to breathe. Usually, you have congestion when you have a cold or allergies and your nose gets plugged up with mucus (you know, the slimy stuff that comes out of your nose, otherwise known as snot). Being congested is no fun, but you'll feel better with rest, lots of fluids, and the right kind of medicine.

Cancer

Cancer

Say: kan-ser

Cancer is a disease that happens when the body makes cells that are not normal. These cells grow very quickly to take over the normal cells and can spread to different parts of the body if a doctor doesn't treat it. People can get very sick from cancer and even die. There are many different types of cancer, but you can't get any of them from being near someone who has it. But you can get some kinds of cancer from smoking, so that's another good reason to say no to cigarettes!

Cough

Say: kof

You cough, but why? A cough is a reflex that helps your body clear your throat and lungs. A cough is a common symptom in people who have asthma, although it can occur for many other reasons, like when you have a cold. Someone who has asthma may cough because the airways are irritated (narrow, swollen, and filled with mucus). For some kids, coughing may be the only clue that they have asthma. The coughing may happen only at night or while exercising.

Kidney

Say: kid-nee

The kidneys are a pair of organs that filter waste materials out of the blood. The waste is passed out out of the body as urine. Kidneys produce important hormones and regulate blood pressure and the levels of water, salts, and minerals in the body. Kidney damage can occur in someone who has had diabetes for many years, especially if the diabetes isn't controlled. You'll find your kidneys on either side of your spine, just

Blood Type

Say: blud type

Every person has a blood type. There are four major types, each with a different chemical marker that's attached to a person's red blood cells. These markers determine if someone has type A blood, type B blood, type O blood, or type AB blood. Each blood type can also be positive (+) or negative (-), just to make things a little more complicated! It's important that doctors know which blood type you have if you're going to have surgery, just in case you need some extra blood. But in an emergency, anyone can safely receive O-negative blood, regardless of his or her blood type.

Bronchial Tubes

Say: brong-kee-ul toobz

When a person breathes, air comes in through the nose or mouth and then goes into the trachea (windpipe). From there, it passes through the bronchial tubes, which are in the lungs. These tubes, or airways, let air in and out of your lungs, so you can breathe. You can call them by their nickname: bronchi (say: brong-kye). The bronchial tubes branch into smaller tubes called bronchioles (say: brong-kee-ohlz).

Bone Marrow

Say: bone mair-oh

Bone marrow is a thick, spongy kind of jelly inside your bones. Bone marrow makes all kinds of blood cells: red blood cells that carry oxygen, white blood cells that fight infections, and platelets that help blood clot.

Airway Obstruction

Say: air-way ub-struk-shun

When something keeps the air from moving in and out of the airways in your lungs, it's called an airway obstruction. When someone has asthma, the airways may become obstructed, or blocked, because the airways are swollen, narrow, and clogged with thick mucus. Obstructed airways can cause coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.

Arthritis

Say: ar-thry-tis

This is what happens when joints — the places where bones meet — get painful, swollen, and stiff. Someone with arthritis may find it painful to move his joints. Arthritis may occur when a person has lost some of the flexible cushion between the bones called cartilage. You may know some older people with the condition. Kids who have arthritis may have an infection, Lyme disease, lupus, or juvenile rheumatoid arthri

Asthma

Say: az-muh

Someone with asthma can have trouble breathing because of problems with the airways, the tubes that carry air into the lungs. The airways can get irritated, swollen (puffed up), and narrow (like a pinched straw), which makes it difficult to breathe. Many things can trigger an asthma attack, like viruses, allergies, smoke, and even exercise. Of course, breathing is really important, so someone who has asthma may need to see a doctor regularly and carry special medicine to make it easier to breathe.

Allergy

Say: al-ur-jee

Achoo! Many things can trigger allergies, like pollen, certain animals, foods, or a bee sting. Allergies can make your eyes water and your nose run, make your skin itchy and bumpy, make your throat and ears sore, and make your tummy ache. They can even give you diarrhea . . . gross! But don't worry. If you have an allergy, you can go to a special doctor called an allergist who will make sure you feel better again.

Anemia

Say: uh-nee-mee-uh

Red blood cells carry oxygen all over our bodies. People who have anemia have fewer red blood cells than normal, which can make them feel tired because not enough oxygen is getting to their bodies' cells. There are a lot of reasons why a person may have anemia, but a common reason why some kids get anemia is because they don't get enough iron in the foods they eat. Iron is needed for red blood cells to work.

Chart of Colored Vegetables and Fruit

(See bottom of page for printable chart)

Green Artichokes Arugula Asparagus Avocados Broccoflower Broccoli Broccoli rabe Brussel sprouts Celery Chayote  squash Chinese cabbage Cucumbers Endive Green apples Green beans Green cabbage Green grapes Green onion Green pears Green peppers Honeydew Kiwifruit Leafy greens Leeks Lettuce Limes Okra Peas Sno Peas Spinach Sugar snap peas Watercress Zucchini

White Bananas Brown pears Cauliflower Dates Garlic Ginger Jerusalem artickoke Jicama Kohlrabi Mushrooms Onions Parsnips Potatoes Shallots Turnips White Corn White nectarines White peaches

Red Beets Blood oranges Cherries Cranberries Guava PapayaPink grapefruit Pink/Red grapefruit Pomegranates Radicchio Radishes Raspberries Red apples Red bell peppers Red chili peppers Red grapes Red onions Red pears Red peppers Red potatoes Rhubarb Strawberries Tomatoes Watermelon

Yellow/Orange Apricots Butternut squash Cantaloupe Cape Gooseberries Carrots Golden kiwifruit Grapefruit Lemon Mangoes Nectarines Oranges Papayas Peaches Persimmons Pineapples Pumpkin Rutabagas Sweet corn Sweet potatoes Tangerines Yellow apples Yellow beets Yellow figs Yellow pears Yellow peppers Yellow potatoes Yellow summer squash Yellow tomatoes Yellow watermelon Yellow winter squash

Blue/Purple Black currants Black salsify Blackberries Blueberries Dried plums Eggplant Elderberries Grapes Plums Pomegranates Prunes Purple Belgian endive Purple Potatoes Purple asparagus Purple cabbage Purple carrots Purple figs Purple grapes Purple peppers Raisins

 

Disabled World - Disability News for all the Family: http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/fruits-vegetables.shtml#ixzz2jN6CFyDY

Cholesterol Level Chart

Cholesterol is defined as a waxy alcohol, fat-like substance that occurs naturally in all areas of the human body. Your body needs some cholesterol to help it work properly and is required to establish proper membrane permeability and fluidity.

To see your ideal level of cholesterol in the blood see the cholesterol level chart below.
If you have an excess of cholesterol in your blood according to the chart, it can stick to the walls of the arteries. When cholesterol adheres to the artery walls it is called plaque. Plaque will gradually narrow your arteries and can even block them completely.

If an artery that supplies blood to the muscles in your heart becomes blocked, a heart attack can occur.

If an artery that supplies blood to your brain becomes blocked, a stroke can occur.

More that a million Americans die of heart disease each year. One of the major causes is high cholesterol levels in the blood.

The National Cholesterol Education Program suggests that total blood cholesterol level should be:

< 200 mg/dL normal blood cholesterol

200-239 mg/dL borderline-high

> 240 mg/dL high cholesterol.

Cholesterol Level Chart (See below for printable cholesterol level chart)

This blood cholesterol chart shows what your blood cholesterol levels should be and includes low and high cholesterol level measurements

Blood Cholesterol Level Chart	Desirable	Borderline (high)	High Risk
Total Cholesterol	< 200	200-240	> 240
Triglycerides	< 150	150-500	> 500
Low Density Cholesterol	< 130	130-160	> 240
High Density Cholesterol	> 50	50-35	< 35

Eighty-percent of the cholesterol in your body is produced by your liver, and the rest comes from foods like meats, eggs and dairy products.

The biggest influence on blood cholesterol level is fats in your diet, not the amount of cholesterol you eat from food. Narrowing it down further what really matters is the "type" of fat you eat.

Their are two types of fats, "good fat" which are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, lower your risk of disease such as heart disease and atherosclerosis.

"Bad fats" being saturated and trans fats will increase the risk for certain diseases. The key to healthy eating is to substitute the bad fats for good fats avoiding the trans fats. See: Guide to Good and Bad Cholesterol

Major dietary sources containing high cholesterol include cheese, egg yolks, beef, pork, poultry, and shrimp. See: Foods to Reduce Bad Cholesterol.
Cholesterol is insoluble in blood and is transported in the body's circulatory system within lipoproteins.
There is a large range of lipoproteins within blood, generally called, from larger to smaller size: chylomicrons, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), intermediate density lipoprotein (IDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL). The actual cholesterol within all the various lipoproteins is identical.
LDL = bad cholesterol and HDL = good cholesterol
How is Cholesterol Measured?
The measurement of your blood cholesterol level and other blood fats is obtained with a simple blood test by your doctor
You will be advised to fast (not eat) for 12 hours before the blood test is performed. Blood is then taken and sent to a laboratory, where the number of milligrams of cholesterol in the blood is determined. Your doctor will then provide you with the test results in accordance with their medical cholesterol level chart..
The American Heart Association recommends that adults aim for a total cholesterol level below 200 milligrams per 100 milliliters of blood serum.
Testing Cholesterol Levels in the Blood - How often Should you be Tested?
It is recommended by the American Heart Association to test cholesterol every 5 years for people aged 20 years or older.

Cholesterol level testing should be more frequent if a person: is a man over age 45 or a woman over age 50, has total cholesterol of 200 mg/dL or more, has HDL (good) cholesterol less than 40 mg/dL, or is at risk of heart disease and stroke.

Reducing your Cholesterol Chart Levels

If you have had your cholesterol level tested and according to the doctors cholesterol chart you are told you have high blood cholesterol you should look at ways of lowering your cholesterol levels including jogging, walking and any activity that concerns exercising more, eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, and cholesterol lowering medication. It has been said that Yoga may reduce the effect of cholesterol in your body.

Research has also shown that flaxseed and niacin have been proven to lower cholesterol. Red rice extract has also shown that it has cholesterol lowering properties.

Lately a new natural product on the market called red marine algae has been claimed to be an effective means of reducing the cholesterol levels in the blood.

Printable Cholesterol Level Chart:

The nutrients found in the above fruits and vegetables have a significant impact on our health.

Quercetin, which is found in apples, onions and other citrus fruits, not only prevents LDL cholesterol oxidation, but also helps the body cope with allergens and other lung and breathing problems.
Ellagic acid, which is mainly found in raspberries, strawberries, pomegranates, and walnuts, has been proven in many clinical studies to act as an antioxidant and anticarcinogens in the gastrointestinal tract. This nutrient also has been proven to have an anti-proliferative effect on cancer cells, because it decreases their ATP production.

The best-known of the carotenoids, beta-carotene, is converted into vitamin A upon entering the liver. Although being known for its positive effects on eyesight, it has also been proven to decrease cholesterol levels in the liver.

Clinical studies have proven that lycopene, mainly found in tomatoes, may decrease the risk of prostate cancer, as well as protect against heart disease. Lutein, which is found in blueberries and members of the squash family, is important for healthy eyes. However, it does support your heart too, helping to prevent against coronary artery disease.

Along with the above stated nutrients, there are even more nutrients found in fruits and vegetables that provide a great deal of support to our body. Almost everyone has heard of vitamin C, which keeps our immune system strong; speeds wound healing, and promote strong muscles and joints. This nutrient is scattered throughout the spectrum of fruits, but commonly associated with oranges and other citrus fruits. Potassium, which is the nutrient most Americans are deficient in, does great things for our hearts, and lowers blood pressure.

Another good food component many people don't get enough of if fiber, found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Flavonoids, which include anthocyanins, flavones, isoflavones, proantocyanidins, quercetin and more, are found almost everywhere. They are responsible for the colors in the skins of fruits and vegetables and help to stop the growth of tumor cells and potent antioxidants. They also can reduce inflammation.
Beta-glucan, found in mushrooms, stabilizes and balances the body's immune system by supporting white blood cells. EGCG is found in tea and has been shown to reduce the risk of colon and breast cancer. It boosts the immune system and encourages T-cell formation, which defends our body against sickness and disease.
Bioflavonoids, which are found in citrus fruits, are considered a companion to vitamin C because they extend the value of it in the body. These nutrients have the capabilities to lower cholesterol levels and support joint collagen in arthritis cases.

The number one excuse for not eating the required five servings of fruits and vegetables each day is they are too expensive. However, as compared to the amount of money spent on prepackaged, processed, and fast foods, most fruits and vegetables (with the exception of those that are not in season) are not all that expensive.

Because frozen fruits and vegetables retain the majority of their nutritional value, they can be an excellent alternative when certain foods are out of season.

Someone who is not able to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables each day can also drink fruit and vegetable drinks in their place. Although this shouldn't become a habit, fruit and vegetable drink mixes can be an excellent substitute when you're rushed or traveling.
The need for fruits and vegetables in our diet is growing rapidly with the type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol, hypertension that result from the "Typical American Diet" of fatty meats, processed sugars, and refined grains.

Color Wheel of Fruits and Vegetables

Red Fruits and Vegetables

Contain nutrients such as lycopene, ellagic acid, Quercetin, and Hesperidin, to name a few. These nutrients reduce the risk of prostate cancer, lower blood pressure, reduce tumor growth and LDL cholesterol levels, scavenge harmful free-radicals, and support join tissue in arthritis cases.

  

Orange and Yellow fruits and vegetables

Contain beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, flavonoids, lycopene, potassium, and vitamin C. These nutrients reduce age-related macula degeneration and the risk of prostate cancer, lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure, promote collagen formation and healthy joints, fight harmful free radicals, encourage alkaline balance, and work with magnesium and calcium to build healthy bones.

 

Green vegetables and Fruit

Green vegetables contain chlorophyll, fiber, lutein, zeaxanthin, calcium, folate, vitamin C, calcium, and Beta-carotene. The nutrients found in these vegetables reduce cancer risks, lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels, normalize digestion time, support retinal health and vision, fight harmful free-radicals, and boost immune system activity.

Blue and purple fruits and vegetables

Contain nutrients which include lutein, zeaxanthin, resveratrol, vitamin C, fiber, flavonoids, ellagic acid, and quercetin. Similar to the previous nutrients, these nutrients support retinal health, lower LDL cholesterol, boost immune system activity, support healthy digestion, improve calcium and other mineral absorption, fight inflammation, reduce tumor growth, act as an anticarcinogens in the digestive tract, and limit the activity of cancer cells.

White fruits and vegetables

Contain nutrients such as beta-glucans, EGCG, SDG, and lignans that provide powerful immune boosting activity. These nutrients also activate natural killer B and T cells, reduce the risk of colon, breast, and prostate cancers, and balance hormone levels, reducing the risk of hormone-related cancers.

Fruits & Vegetables for Kids

Sweet Fruits

Children tend to like fruit. When researchers from Wageningen University in the Netherlands asked children ranging from four to 12 years of age what foods they most liked and disliked, every group mentioned sweet fruits as favorite foods. Offer your kids sweet fruits in the form of grapes, strawberries, apple slices and orange segments. Be careful if you are feeding young children, because toddlers can choke on whole grapes, large chunks of apples and cherries with pits, according to pediatricians William and Martha Sears, creators of the Ask Dr. Sears website. Always cut these fruits into small pieces.

Fruit-Based Treats

You can use whole fruits to make treats for your kids. Fruit smoothies are better than fruit juice, because they contain fiber. According to the Fat Secret nutritional information database, one cup of a fruit smoothie has 2 g of fiber, while the same amount of orange juice has only .5 g of fiber. During the warm months, you can use almost any smoothie recipe to make popsicles.

Kid-Friendly Veggies

Children often resist eating vegetables, usually because of bitter, bland or sour flavors, according to the "International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity." Focus on vegetables with a high sugar content, such as carrots, beets, parsnips and sweet potatoes, when feeding your kids. However, for the sake of balanced nutrition, don't neglect other vegetables entirely. You can often get your kids to eat a variety of foods by letting them help pick items when you're grocery shopping, offering foods many times and being patient.

How to lose 8 kg in 30 days

ThThe advantage of low carb and low GI diets is that it uses medical intelligence to promote fat loss. Glucose in the blood is the first source of energy utilized by the human body for its energy needs.When glucose level drops in our blood subsequent to the low carb and low GI diet automatically blood glucose level drops.Fat ,the satellite of energy source for human body comes out from its stores,enters the cells to fulfill the energy needs of human body as second line of energy source.Luckily it does not require insulin to open the gates of the cells.Hence this diet also works very well with the patients with insulin resistance or family history of diabetes mellitus. Initially the weight loss is faster due to water loss which is around 2-3 kgs, then subsequently the fat loss happens. The good protein intake in this diet improves muscle mass, hence metabolic rate improves.This is how one can lose 8 kg or more in 30 days.

The-benefits-of-fruits-vegetables-for-kids

Vitamins and Minerals

Children's growing bodies require significant amounts of vitamins and minerals. Fruits like oranges and apples are rich in immunity-boosting vitamin C. Green vegetables like green beans and broccoli are high in magnesium, which the body needs for muscle function and bone growth. Green leafy vegetables like spinach are rich in iron, required for healthy blood cells to form. Opt for colorful vegetables like eggplant and oranges, which tend to be more nutrient-rich than pale produce like iceberg lettuce.

Intestinal Health

The dietary fiber in fruits and veggies promotes the health of children's intestines. Regular consumption of produce reduces the incidence of irritable bowel syndrome flare-ups, constipation and diarrhea. Eating insoluble fiber-rich produce like carrots and blueberries can reduce risk for diverticulosis, a painful intestinal disease common in children.

School Performance

Children who regularly consume fruits and vegetables do better in school than children with poor dietary habits, according to a report in the April 2008 "Journal of School Health." This research study linked the diets of more than 5,000 5th-graders to performance on a standardized test. Children with the highest fruit and vegetable consumption performed best on the test.

what-are-the-benefits-of-fruits-vegetables-for-kidsI

Parents often have to beg, plead and even bribe their children to eat their fruits and vegetables. Health-conscious parents recognize the important benefits fruits and vegetables provide to their children. From reducing obesity risk to boosting vitamin and mineral intake, fruits and vegetables are a must on any kid's dinner plate.

Obesity

More than 15 percent of children are overweight or obese. Obese children are significantly more likely to suffer from heart disease and diabetes later in life. Sedentary lifestyle, poor eating habits and genetics are contributors to childhood obesity. Providing your children with fresh fruits and vegetables can reduce their risk of obesity. Children who eat fresh fruit are less likely to become obese, according to the Winter 2002 "Food Review." Fruit and vegetables have fewer calories than commonly consumed foods like soda, chips or candy.

Health benefits of Sweet potato

• Nutritious sweet potatoes are low in calories (provide just 90 cal/100 g, on comparison with starch rich cereals) and contains no saturated fats and cholesterol; but are rich source of dietary fiber, anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals.
  
• They are storehouse of starch, a complex carbohydrate, which raises the blood sugar levels slowly on comparison to simple sugars; therefore, recommended as a healthy food supplement even in diabetes.
  
• They are excellent source of flavonoids like beta-carotene and vitamin A (provides 14187 IU of vitamin A and 8509 mcg of β-carotene). The value is one of the highest among root vegetables category. These compounds are powerful natural antioxidants. Vitamin A is also required by the body to maintain integrity of healthy mucus membranes and skin. It is also vital nutrient for vision. Consumption of natural vegetables and fruits rich in flavonoids helps to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
  
• The tubers are packed with many essential vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) and thiamin (vitamin B-1), niacin, and riboflavin. These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish. These vitamins function as co-factors for various enzymes during metabolism.
  
• They also contain good amounts of minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium that are very essential for body metabolism.
  

Sweet potato nutrition facts

Sweet potato, not only is just sweet to your taste buds but also good for your cardiovascular health. This starchy root vegetable is rich source of flavonoid anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber that are essential for optimal health.

Botanically, this tuber belongs to the family of Convolvulaceae, and named botanically as Ipomoea batatas.

It is grown throughout the tropical and warm temperate regions. The crop requires just sufficient water and attention for their cultivation. The tuberous root has oblong/elongated shape with tapering ends and has smooth outer skin whose color ranges from red, purple, brown, and white, depending up on the variety. 

Sweet potatoes should not be confused with yams, another starchy root commonly grown in Western Africa. Yams are indeed larger in size that can grow up to 120 pounds in weight and up to 2 meters in length. Yams are the tropical crops and never grow where the temperature dips below 68 degrees F. Important differentiating features that distinguish sweet potatoes from yams are:

• Sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are dicotyledonous, relatively smaller and possess very thin peel.
  
• Whereas, yams are monocotyledons, larger, features thick, rough, dark brown to pink skin depending up on cultivar type.
  

Internally, it has starchy flesh which, depending upon the pigments concentration, ranges from white through yellow, orange, and purple.

Boniatos, also known as Cuban sweet potatoes, feature dry, starchy flesh underneath the reddish brown skin. They have mildly sweet flavor and coked in a similar way like potatoes.

Sweet potato leaves (top greens) are also edible; in fact, the greens contain more nutrients and dietary fiber than some green leafy vegetables like spinach (for example, 100 g sweet potato leaves provide 1028 IU of vitamin A).

Health benefits of Pumpkin

• 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 fiber, 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.
  
• Zea-xanthin is a natural anti-oxidant which has UV (ultra-violet) rays filtering actions in the macula lutea in reitina 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 fiber 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.
  

Pumpkin nutrition facts

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 including in the USA.

Pumpkins vary greatly in shape, size and colors.  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 color flesh.

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

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