In addition to being tasty, autumn’s pumpkin pie may also help prevent cancer. Two studies have confirmed the ability of certain nutrients in pumpkins to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Researchers from the Italian Institute of Food Science found that carotenoid compounds from pumpkins delayed the growth of human colorectal cancer and bone cancer cells by an average of 40 percent. In China, Harbin Medical University researchers found that a polysaccharide compound from pumpkins halted the growth of human liver cancer cells.