Pumpkin Seeds - Nutritional Food Guide
Pumpkin Seeds
Nutritional Food Guide
Pumpkin Seeds and Squash
Pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seed oil offer several health benefits.
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Pumpkin seeds varieties, uses, preparations and storage tips.
Cabbage is the matriarch of the cruciferous vegetable family, whose members are named for
Pumpkins and other winter squash are native to North and Central America but have since been cultivated around the world. The seeds are used as both food and medicine.
Varieties of Pumpkin Seeds
The seeds of all varieties of pumpkins and squash are edible. Green hulled pumpkin seeds are called pepitas and are often used in southwestern and Mexican cooking.
Buying and storing tips
Pumpkin seeds can be purchased hulled or unhulled, raw or roasted. Like other nuts and seeds, pumpkin seeds can turn rancid quickly and should be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer where they will keep for several months.
Availability
Although pumpkin seeds are available year-round, the best time of year to gather and dry your own pumpkin seeds are during the autumn months.
Preparation, uses, and tips
Like most nuts and seeds, pumpkin seeds are especially delicious roasted because roasting brings out their natural flavor. Unfortunately, high temperatures are said to destroy the potency of their essential fatty acids. So, for best nutritional value, it is best to eat nuts and seeds raw. Pumpkin seeds are great tossed in salads, mixed with grains, or ground up and added to salad dressings, casseroles, soups, and baked goods. Both hulled and unhulled pumpkin seeds are enjoyed as a dry-roasted snack food.
Nutritional Highlights
Pumpkin seeds (hulled), 142 seeds (1 oz.)
Calories: 153
Protein: 6.9g
Carbohydrate: 5.05g
Total Fat: 13g
Fiber: 1.1g
*Excellent source of: Iron (4.2mg)
*Good source of: Zinc (2.1mg)
*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value, based upon United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines. Foods that are a “good source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the USDA Recommended Daily Value. Nutritional information and daily nutritional guidelines may vary in different countries. Please consult the appropriate organization in your country for specific nutritional values and the recommended daily guidelines.
Health benefits and concerns
Acrodermatitis enteropathica is a rare inherited disorder that results in the inability to absorb adequate amounts of zinc from the diet. Anyone who is severely zinc deficient can develop the symptoms of the inherited form of this disorder. Pumpkin seeds, pecans, and Brazil nuts are all high in zinc. However, people with acrodermatitis enteropathica also need to take zinc supplements.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
Pumpkin seed oil has been used in combination with saw palmetto, in two double-blind trials, to effectively reduce symptoms of BPH. Only one preliminary trial has evaluated the effectiveness of pumpkin seed oil alone for BPH. Researchers have suggested the zinc, free fatty acid, or plant sterol content of pumpkin seeds might account for their benefit in men with BPH, but this has not been confirmed. Animal studies have shown that pumpkin seed extracts can improve the function of the bladder and urethra; this might partially account for BPH symptom relief. Pumpkin seed oil extracts standardized for fatty acid content have been used in BPH studies in the amount of 160 mg three times per day with meals.
Pumpkin seeds contain L-tryptophan, and for this reason have been suggested to help remedy depression. However, research is needed before pumpkin seeds can be considered for this purpose. It is unlikely the amount of L-tryptophan in pumpkin seeds would be sufficient to relieve depression.
Two studies have found that eating pumpkin seeds as a snack can help prevent the most common type of kidney stone, called a calcium oxalate stone. Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) seeds appear to reduce levels of substances that promote stone formation in the urine and increase levels of substances that inhibit stone formation. The active constituents of pumpkin seeds responsible for this action have not been identified. Approximately 5–10 grams per day of pumpkin seeds may be needed for kidney stone prevention.
Pumpkin seeds have purported effects against tapeworms. Given their safety, they are often recommended as an addition to other, more reliable therapies. In Germany, 200–400 grams (about 6–13 ounces) are ground and taken with milk and honey, followed by castor oil two hours later. Tapeworms can cause severe illness and should be treated only with medical supervision. Human studies conducted in China have shown pumpkin seeds to be helpful for people with acute schistosomiasis, a severe parasitic disease transmitted from snails that occurs primarily in Asia and Africa. The assistance of a physician is required to help diagnose and treat any suspected intestinal parasite infections.
Health benefits and concerns for nuts and seeds
Many health benefits and concerns associated with this food are applicable to other nuts and
seeds. Read about health benefits and concerns
for nuts and seeds for a full description.
Healthy Recipes and Information On Foods
