Pumpkin seeds may be small, but
they’re packed full of valuable
nutrients. Eating only a small amount
of them can provide you with a
substantial quantity of healthy fats,
magnesium and zinc.
Because of this, pumpkin seeds have
been associated with several health
benefits. These include improved
heart health, prostate health and
protection against certain cancers.
What’s more, these seeds can be
easily incorporated into your diet.
Here are the top 11 health benefits
of pumpkin seeds that are supported
by science:
1. Full of Valuable Nutrients
Pumpkin seeds are the edible seeds
of a pumpkin. They are also known
as “pepita”—a Mexican Spanish
term.
Unlike the hard white seeds from a
carving pumpkin, most pumpkin
seeds bought from the supermarket
do not have a shell.
These shell-free seeds are flat and
oval in shape and have a green
color.
There are roughly 151 calories in an
ounce (28 grams) of shell-free
pumpkin seeds, mainly from fat and
protein.
They also contain lots of
antioxidants and a decent amount
of polyunsaturated fatty acids,
potassium, vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
and folate.
Pumpkin seeds and seed oil also
contain many other nutrients that
have been shown to provide health
benefits (2, 3).
Bottom Line: Pumpkin seeds are rich
in antioxidants, iron, zinc,
magnesium and many other
nutrients. An ounce (28 grams)
contains about 151 calories.
2. High in Antioxidants
Pumpkin seeds contain antioxidants
like carotenoids and vitamin E (4, 5,
6).
Antioxidants can reduce
inflammation and protect your cells
from harmful free radicals. Because
of this, consuming foods rich in
antioxidants can help protect
against many different diseases (7).
It is thought that the high levels of
antioxidants in pumpkins seeds are
partly responsible for their positive
effects on health.
In one study, inflammation was
reduced when rats with arthritis
were given pumpkin seed oil. Rats
given an anti-inflammatory drug
experienced negative side effects,
whereas rats given pumpkin seed oil
had no side effects (8).
Bottom Line: Pumpkin seeds are full
of antioxidants that may help
protect against disease and reduce
inflammation.
3. Linked to a Reduced Risk of
Certain Cancers
Diets rich in pumpkin seeds have
been associated with lower levels of
stomach, breast, lung, prostate and
colon cancers (5).
A large observational study found
that eating them was associated
with a reduced risk of breast cancer
in postmenopausal women (9).
Others studies suggest that the
lignans in pumpkin seeds may play
a key role in the prevention and
treatment of breast cancer (10).
Further test-tube studies found that
a supplement containing pumpkin
seeds had the potential to slow
down the growth of prostate cancer
cells (11, 12).
Bottom Line: Some evidence suggests
that pumpkin seeds may help to
prevent certain cancers.
4. Improve Prostate and Bladder
Health
Pumpkin seeds may help relieve
symptoms of benign prostatic
hyperplasia (BPH), a condition
where the prostate gland enlarges
and can cause problems with
urination.
Several studies in humans found
that eating these seeds reduced
symptoms that are associated with
BPH (13).
A study of over 1,400 men looked at
the effects of consuming pumpkin
seeds on BPH. After one year, men
receiving them reported reduced
symptoms and a better quality of
life (14).
There is also research to suggest that
taking pumpkin seeds or their
products as supplements can help
treat symptoms of an overactive
bladder.
One study found that taking a
supplement of 10 grams of pumpkin
seed extract daily improved urinary
function in 45 men and women
with overactive bladders (15).
Bottom Line: Pumpkin seeds may
reduce symptoms of benign prostate
enlargement and an overactive
bladder.
5. Very High in Magnesium
Pumpkin seeds are one of the best
natural sources of magnesium. This
is important, since magnesium
deficiency is common in many
Western countries.
In the US, around 79 percent of
adults had a magnesium intake
below the recommended daily
amount (16).
Magnesium is necessary for more
than 600 chemical reactions in the
body. Adequate levels of magnesium
are important for:
Controlling blood pressure
(17).
Reducing heart disease risk
(18).
Forming and maintaining
healthy bones (19).
Regulating blood sugar levels
(20, 21).
Bottom Line: Pumpkin seeds are a
rich source of magnesium. Healthy
magnesium levels are important for
your blood pressure, heart health,
bone health and blood sugar levels.
6. May Improve Heart Health
Pumpkin seeds are a good source of
antioxidants, magnesium, zinc and
fatty acids, all of which may help
keep your heart healthy (22).
Animal studies have also shown that
pumpkin seed oil can help reduce
high blood pressure and high
cholesterol levels.
These are two important risk factors
for heart disease (23, 24).
A study involving 35
postmenopausal women found that
pumpkin seed oil supplements
reduced diastolic blood pressure by
7 percent and increased the “good”
HDL cholesterol by 16 percent over
a 12-week period (25).
Other studies suggest that it may be
the nitric oxide enzymes contained
in pumpkin seed oil that are
responsible for its positive effects
on heart health (26).
Nitric oxide helps expand blood
vessels, improving blood flow and
reducing the risk of plaque growth
in the arteries.
Bottom Line: Nutrients in pumpkin
seeds may help keep your heart
healthy by reducing blood pressure
and increasing good cholesterol.
7. Can Lower Blood Sugar Levels
Animal studies have shown that
pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin
seed powder and pumpkin juice can
reduce blood sugar (27, 28).
This is especially important for
people with diabetes, who may
struggle to control their blood sugar
levels.
Several studies have found that
supplementing the diet with
pumpkin juice or seed powder
reduced blood sugar levels in people
with type 2 diabetes (28).
The high magnesium content of
pumpkin seeds may be responsible
for its positive effect on diabetes.
An observational study involving
over 127,000 men and women
found that diets rich in magnesium
were associated with a 33 percent
lower risk of type 2 diabetes in men
and a 34 percent lower risk in
women (29).
More research is needed to confirm
this beneficial effect on blood sugar
levels.
Bottom Line: Pumpkin seeds may
help reduce blood sugar levels for
people with type 2 diabetes.
However, more research is needed.
8. Very High in Fiber
Pumpkin seeds are a great source of
dietary fiber. Whole seeds provide
5.2 grams of fiber in a single 1-oz
(28-gram) serving.
However, pumpkin kernels with the
shell removed contain 1.7 grams of
fiber per ounce. These are the green
pumpkin seeds available in most
supermarkets.
A diet high in fiber can promote
good digestive health.
In addition, high-fiber diets have
been associated with a reduced risk
of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and
obesity (30).
Bottom Line: Whole pumpkin seeds
are an excellent source of fiber.
Diets high in fiber are associated
with many health benefits,
including a reduced risk of heart
disease, diabetes and obesity.
9. May Improve Sperm Quality
Low zinc levels are associated with
reduced sperm quality and an
increased risk of infertility in men
(31).
Since pumpkin seeds are a rich
source of zinc, they may help
improve sperm quality.
Evidence from one study in mice
suggests they may also help protect
human sperm from damage caused
by chemotherapy and autoimmune
diseases (32).
Pumpkin seeds are also high in
antioxidants and other nutrients
that can contribute to healthy
testosterone levels and improve
overall health.
Together, all these factors may
benefit fertility levels and
reproductive function, especially in
men.
Bottom Line: The high zinc content of
pumpkin seeds may help improve
sperm quality and fertility in men.
10. May Help Improve Sleep
If you have trouble sleeping, you
may want to eat some pumpkin
seeds before bed. They’re a natural
source of tryptophan, an amino acid
that can help promote sleep.
Consuming around 1 gram of
tryptophan daily is thought to help
improve sleep (33).
However, you would need to eat
around 7 oz (200 grams) of pumpkin
seeds to get the necessary 1 gram of
tryptophan.
The zinc in these seeds can also help
convert tryptophan to serotonin,
which is then changed into
melatonin, the hormone that
regulates your sleep cycle.
In addition, pumpkin seeds are an
excellent source of magnesium.
Adequate magnesium levels have
also been associated with better
sleep (34).
Some small studies have found that
taking a magnesium supplement
improved sleep quality and total
sleep time in people with low
magnesium levels (35, 36).
Bottom Line: Pumpkin seeds are a
good source of tryptophan, zinc and
magnesium, all of which help
promote good sleep.
11. Easy to Add to Your Diet
If you’d like to experience the
benefits of pumpkin seeds, they’re
easy to incorporate into your diet.
In many countries, they’re a
popular snack that can be eaten
either raw or roasted, salted or
unsalted.
As well as eating them alone, you
can add them to smoothies or to
Greek yogurt and fruit.
You could incorporate them into
meals by sprinkling them into
salads, soups or cereals. Some
people use pumpkin seeds in
baking, as an ingredient for sweet
or savory bread and cakes.
However, as with many seeds and
nuts, they contain phytic acid,
which can reduce the bioavailability
of some nutrients you eat.
Source: Yahoo
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