Which Pie Is Healthier: Apple or Pumpkin? (2024)

FAQs

Which Pie Is Healthier: Apple or Pumpkin? ›

The pumpkin pie wins on calories, saturated fat, protein and calcium. But the apple pie takes the cake when it comes to fiber, sugar (both total and added) and sodium. So what's a pie aficionado to do? Well, if you're watching calories go for the pumpkin-it almost always has fewer because of the single crust.

When in doubt, choose pumpkin pie. In competition with those mentioned above, it offers the fewest calories, and least fat and added sugar.

According to the USDA's Dietary Guidelines for Americans, we should all be eating 2 cups of orange veggies each week. Pumpkin pie can help meet these recommendations plus that brilliant orange color provides the antioxidants vitamin A and lutein.

Between the two pies, most of the other ingredients are the same. Pumpkin pie has slightly lower calories, while sweet potato pie has more nutrients.

Pecan pie contains more calories but offers you plenty of nutrients that you can't find in any other pie. On the other hand, pumpkin pies have a lower calorie content. But pumpkins contain fewer nutrients compared to pecans. Hence, both of these pies are healthy in their own way.

It's also lower in calories and fat compared to apple pie. Pumpkin pie contains more dietary fiber than apple pie, thanks to the pumpkin puree. Fiber is essential for digestive health and can help regulate blood sugar levels, making pumpkin pie a better choice for those watching their sugar intake," Afzal states.

Pumpkin provides calcium, potassium, and magnesium, which can help keep your heartbeat regular and your blood pressure low. The fiber in pumpkin can also play a part in lowering blood pressure as well as cholesterol.

While apples are healthy—they're loaded with fiber (about 4 grams in one medium apple, per the USDA), vitamin C and antioxidants—coating them with sugar and dumping them in a buttery crust does change things a bit. Plus, apple pies normally come with double crusts, which means more calories.

One cup of canned pumpkin, for example, contains 137 calories but provides more than 200 percent of the daily value for vitamin A, 36 percent of vitamin K, 25 percent of fiber and 22 percent of vitamin E. It's also a good source of vitamin B6, vitamin C, magnesium, riboflavin, iron and potassium.

All the spices that are added to the pumpkin contain a wealth of health during a time when we can potentially overeat. For the most part, the pie spices all aid in digestion, relief of flatulence and bloating.

Which sweet potato is the healthiest? ›

Sweet potatoes with orange flesh are richest in beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes with purple flesh are richer in anthocyanins. Beta-carotene and anthocyanins are naturally occurring plant “phyto” chemicals that give vegetables their bright colors.

For cooking, you'll want to use sugar pumpkins (also called pie or sweet pumpkins), which are small and round. Long Island Cheese pumpkins, which are more oblong and can look like a wheel of cheese, are also good to eat. Field pumpkin types are larger, have watery, stringy flesh, and are best for decorating.

The least popular types of pies were salted caramel, gooseberry, blueberry and peach, all being the most popular in only one state each.

With an astounding 620 calories per slice, pecan pie dominates the contest from a caloric standpoint. Pecans themselves provide a wide variety of vitamins and minerals and are thought to be healthy for the heart.

Here are a couple of things to consider: Canned pumpkin is more convenient, helps save time, and isn't as messy as breaking down and de-seeding a large pumpkin. Fresh pumpkin is more fresh-tasting. It can be less expensive (depending on how much pumpkin you're using) and definitely doesn't contain fillers.

Chicken or turkey pot pie likely has the fewest calories per slice. Egg custard is prolly a lowish calorie sweetish pie as is a tart peach and plum pie. Screw the calories, eat a small piece of whatever your favorite pie happens to be and be satisfied without guilt.

Which pastry is healthier? Pastries made with whole wheat flour and minimal added sugar are the healthiest pastries. You can find whole wheat pastry dough options for both puff pastry and filo pastry, two of the most common pastry dough types.

1. Pumpkin Pie: “This is going to be the healthiest, especially if you make it yourself with half of the sugar required in the recipe,” Hunnes says.