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Pumpkin Seeds – A High Protein Snack

Pumpkin seeds – whether roasted or raw – taste nutty, crunchy, and aromatic. They are eaten as a snack, sprinkled over salads, added to rice dishes, or mixed into bread and roll dough.

Green Pumpkin Seeds – Natural Remedy for Bladder and Prostate

The green pumpkin seeds that can be bought everywhere are the seeds of the (Styrian) oil pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo). Pumpkin seed oil is also pressed from them. The kernels do not need to be shelled as they are shellless due to a mutation that occurred about a century ago.

Green pumpkin seeds taste very spicy, so their consumption – whether as food or medicine – is a real pleasure. And since pumpkin seeds are traditional remedies for bladder and prostate ailments, in this case, the medicine is by no means bitter, but very, very tasty.

The nutritional value of pumpkin seeds

As is usual with seeds, pumpkin seeds also contain a lot of fat. However, these are mainly healthy fatty acids that have a positive effect on the heart, blood vessels, and brain. Pumpkin seeds are also high in high-quality protein and low in carbs. The nutritional values ​​of 100g of dried pumpkin seeds are as follows:

  • 1.1 grams of water
  • 48.4 grams of fat
  • 37.1 g protein
  • 2.9 g carbohydrates (of which 1 g Sugar: 85 mg glucose and 71 mg fructose)
  • 9 g fiber (1.8 g water-soluble and 7.2 g water-insoluble fiber)

The Calories of Pumpkin Seeds

100 g of pumpkin seeds have 590 kcal (2,468 kJ), which is why it is not surprising that they were long decried as fattening foods. Of course, you will hardly eat 100 g of pumpkin seeds and if you eat 30 g it is “only” 177 kcal. Nevertheless, pumpkin seeds have about the same calorie content as chips, but are much healthier!

Pumpkin seeds are not fattening foods

Despite their high-calorie content, pumpkin seeds are not fattening foods. For example, a 5-year international study involving 373,293 subjects aged 25 to 70 showed that a higher intake of nuts was actually associated with lower weight gain and a lower risk of being overweight or obese.

The reason for this has not yet been fully elucidated. Researchers speculate that nuts and seeds keep you full for a particularly long time. Additionally, up to 20 percent of the fats in seeds may not be absorbed by the body at all, so in practice, they are by no means as high in calories as they appear on paper.

The glycemic load of pumpkin seeds

The glycemic index (GI) for pumpkin seeds is 25. Values ​​up to 55 are considered low, which means that pumpkin seeds have almost no effect on blood sugar levels. In practice, however, the GI value is not particularly meaningful, as it always refers to 100 g of carbohydrates in the respective food – regardless of how high the carbohydrate content per 100 g of food is and how much dietary fiber it contains.

The glycemic load (GL) values, on the other hand, are more realistic. Because these refer to the number of carbohydrates contained per serving and the fiber content is also included. Pumpkin seeds only have a GL of 3.6, while the chips previously mentioned are around 30. Scores up to 10 are considered low, scores from 11 to 19 are medium, and scores 20 and above are high. As a result, pumpkin seeds are also the ideal snack for type 2 diabetics and all people who value a balanced blood sugar level, which should be the case when losing weight and with all chronic diseases.

Pumpkin seeds for type 2 diabetics

Brazilian researchers conducted a placebo-controlled study in 2018 to investigate whether pumpkin seeds and flaxseeds lead to an improvement in postprandial blood sugar levels (blood sugar after a meal).

One group received carbohydrate-rich mixed meals without seeds (control or placebo group) for three days, and the other received meals with 65 g of pumpkin seeds or linseed instead. The test meals had a similar nutrient composition. It turned out that pumpkin seeds did not increase the blood sugar level in any way, but could even lower it significantly and are therefore ideal snacks for diabetics or can also be mixed as an ingredient in other meals.

Pumpkin seeds provide high-quality protein

A small snack of pumpkin seeds (30 g) already gives you around 10 g of protein. That’s already more than 15 percent of the daily protein requirement for a 70-pound person. However, pumpkin seeds not only deliver quantity, but also quality. Because the pumpkin seed protein has an exceptionally high biological value of a maximum of 816 for a vegetable protein. For comparison: The biological value of chicken eggs is 100, that of beef 92, and cheese 85.

The biological value of a protein is all the higher, the more similar the respective protein is to the human protein, i.e. the more similar the amino acid quantities and the mixing ratios of the contained amino acids are.

The protein in the pumpkin seeds also provides a lot of lysines, an amino acid that is only sparingly contained in many types of grain. Pumpkin seeds are therefore an excellent supplement to grain protein – e.g. B. in the form of a pumpkin seed bread.

The essential amino acid tryptophan is also found in excess in pumpkin seeds, which is a real exception because even many protein-rich animal foods do not provide as much tryptophan as pumpkin seeds.

The vitamins of pumpkin seeds

Another reason why pumpkin seeds are so healthy can be attributed to the richness of some B group vitamins like vitamins B1 and B3.

The minerals of pumpkin seeds

The mineral content of the pumpkin seeds is also interesting. Because the green seeds are the purest “mineral tablets”. This means that if you eat enough pumpkin seeds regularly, there is a high probability that you will be very well supplied with the four minerals that are found in particularly high amounts in pumpkin seeds: magnesium, zinc, copper, and iron. A portion of pumpkin seeds (30 g) already covers:

  • 23 percent of the zinc requirement (30 g contains 1.9 mg of zinc)
  • 12 percent of the iron requirement (30 g contains 1.5 mg iron)
  • 26 percent of the magnesium requirement (30 g contains 89.4 mg magnesium)
  • 21 percent of the copper requirement (30 g contains 261 µg copper)

The phytochemicals in pumpkin seeds

In addition to nutrients such as vitamin B1 and magnesium, a large variety of antioxidant secondary plant substances is responsible for the healing power of pumpkin seeds. This includes:

  • phenolic acids (e.g. coumaric acid, ferulic acid, sinapic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid)
  • Lignans (phytoestrogens)
  • Phytosterols (eg, beta-sitosterol, sitostanol, and avenasterol)
  • Carotenoids (eg, beta-carotene, lutein, flavoxanthin, luteoxanthin)

Pumpkin seeds protect against infertility caused by chemotherapy

The cocktail of botanicals listed is so potent that it may even—along with ginger extract—provide the body with some protection from the negative effects of some drugs used in chemotherapy.

For example, the drug cyclophosphamide (CP) is known to render patients infertile. In men, a large number of sperm die during this therapy and the remaining ones lose mobility. Animal studies have shown that a mix of pumpkin seed and ginger extract improves sperm quality and vitality.

pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seed oil

Pumpkin seeds are a high-quality supplier of essential fatty acids. The oil in the pumpkin seeds consists of 80 percent unsaturated fatty acids. About 35 percent of this is monounsaturated fatty acids (oleic acid) and 45 percent polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid). The content of alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid, is 2 percent.

The phytosterols that have such a beneficial effect on the prostate and the genetic (androgenetic) hair loss are in the oil of the pumpkin seeds. It is said that DHT (dihydrotestosterone) is responsible for both problems. Because the higher the DHT serum value, the more the prostate enlarges and the faster the hair falls out in genetic predisposition.

However, phytosterols inhibit the activity of the so-called 5-alpha-reductase, an enzyme that normally converts testosterone into DHT (dihydrotestosterone), i.e. increases the DHT level. If the enzyme is inhibited, the DHT level drops, the prostate can recover and hair loss is stopped.

Pumpkin seed oil against female hair loss

Pumpkin seed oil can be helpful not only for male hair loss but also for female hair loss, as a study with sixty test subjects showed in 2021. Thirty of them massaged pumpkin seed oil into their scalps for 3 months, and the other thirty 5% minoxidil foam (sold as Rogaine). At the end of the study, it was found that pumpkin seed oil was just as good at stimulating hair growth as minoxidil. However, the latter had numerous side effects compared to pumpkin seed oil, e.g. B. Headaches, itching, and increased hair growth on other parts of the body.

How to use pumpkin seed oil for hair loss

Gently massage the pumpkin seed oil into the affected areas of the scalp and hair. Then put on a shower cap and leave the hair mask on for 3 hours. The hair is then washed as usual. The oil should be used at least 2 times a week for at least 2 months. Incidentally, the best results can be achieved if the pumpkin seed oil is used both externally and internally.

Pumpkin seeds against hair loss

As already explained above, it should also be the dihydrotestosterone (DHT) that is responsible for hair loss in the case of genetic hair loss. Since pumpkin seed oil lowers DHT levels, it is recommended to take a teaspoon of cold-pressed pumpkin seed oil three times a day or eat a small handful of pumpkin seeds three times a day to help treat hair loss.

A 2014 randomized placebo-controlled study — which we detailed here — found that taking pumpkin seed oil could lead to a 40 percent increase in hair fullness.

In the case of genetic hair loss, you could take a spoonful of pumpkin seed oil every day or simply prepare your daily salad with a pumpkin seed oil dressing.

In addition to the healing oil, the pumpkin seeds also contain an extremely high-quality protein: the pumpkin seed protein.

Pumpkin seeds help with benign prostate enlargement

Pumpkin seeds can also be helpful in the case of benign prostate enlargement (BPH = benign prostatic hyperplasia), i.e. prevent such a thing or significantly alleviate an existing BPH – as various clinical studies have now shown.

In BPH, the prostate is enlarged, which can lead to difficulty urinating (stuttering), frequent urges to urinate (including at night), and repeated bladder infections.

In 2009, Korean researchers demonstrated the positive effects of pumpkin seed oil on the prostate in a placebo-controlled study (1). Almost 50 patients with BPH were followed for over a year. The patients initially had more than 8 points on the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS).

The IPSS is a list of symptoms that can be given 0 to 5 points depending on their severity. Once someone has more than a total of 7 points on the IPSS, BPH is considered serious enough to begin therapy.

The participants now received:

  • either a placebo (group A),
  • Pumpkin Seed Oil (320 mg per day – Group B),
  • Saw Palmetto Oil (320 mg per day – Group C) or
  • Pumpkin seed oil combined with saw palmetto oil (320 mg each per day – group D)

Although no reduction in the size of the prostate could be observed, the scores on the IPSS in groups B, C, and D fell after just three months. The quality of life increased noticeably in all three groups after six months at the latest, but not in the placebo group. In group D, the PSA value also fell – a value that not only indicates benign prostate problems but can also indicate prostate inflammation or prostate cancer.

In June 2011, researchers wrote in the journal Urologia Internationalis that pumpkin seeds at 15 percent of daily caloric intake were able to shrink prostates after 28 days in rats. Eating the pumpkin seeds was also able to lower the PSA value in this study.

More recent is a 2016 study conducted at the Kurpark Klinik in Bad Nauheim, Germany. Over 1,400 men with BPH participated and took either 5 g of pumpkin seeds twice a day, 500 mg of pumpkin seed extract capsules twice a day, or a placebo supplement.

After 12 months, it turned out that the pumpkin seed extract had no particular effect. However, in the group that ate just pumpkin seeds every day, the participants did much better than in the placebo group.

Pumpkin seeds for irritable bladder

Pumpkin seeds can also be used for so-called irritable bladder (overactive bladder) with a frequent urge to urinate. Women in particular suffer from this problem, which usually begins between the third and fifth decades of life. In 2014, a study found that taking 10 g of pumpkin seed oil per day can already lead to a significant improvement in the irritable bladder after 12 weeks.

Pumpkin seeds increase serotonin levels

A whopping 535 mg of tryptophan (essential amino acid) sits in 100 g of pumpkin seeds. Even meat, with its high protein content, does not provide as much tryptophan (e.g. beef contains only 242 mg of tryptophan per 100 g). Serotonin is produced in the body from tryptophan. This messenger substance is responsible for our mood so low serotonin levels can lead to depression. And in fact, in 2018, a study at Cambridge University showed that pumpkin seeds can counteract depression.

At night, the hormone melatonin is produced from serotonin. It is also called the sleep hormone and ensures that we get tired in the evening, relax and spend the night with a restful sleep. If the organism has too little serotonin, it naturally becomes difficult to produce melatonin and sleep is a long time coming.

A comprehensive supply of tryptophan is therefore an important prerequisite for both a balanced mood and good sleep. Pumpkin seeds can be amazingly helpful here, e.g. E.g. if you eat some pumpkin seeds together with easily digestible carbohydrates (e.g. a small piece of fruit) a few hours before bedtime.

A study published in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience in 2005 showed that pumpkin seeds, when consumed with a carbohydrate source, were as effective at inducing sleep as a pharmaceutical tryptophan-based sleep aid.

The same researchers found two years later that pumpkin seeds—again, eaten with carbohydrates (in the study with pure glucose)—can even be used in people with social anxiety disorder, significantly reducing anxiety. The scientists concluded by saying:

“Tryptophan from a protein source such as pumpkin seeds combined with a high glycemic carbohydrate represents a potential anxiolytic for those suffering from social anxiety”.

Pumpkin Seed Protein: Good for the liver

Pumpkin seed protein also has other benefits: it can be extremely beneficial for liver health. According to a review published in 2020, consuming pumpkin seed protein may improve liver enzymes that were elevated as a result of intoxication. Plus, the protein in pumpkin seeds increases the levels of the body’s antioxidant enzymes, improves antioxidant capacity, and prevents oxidative stress, which of course also benefits the liver.

Pumpkin seeds reduce breast cancer risk

As mentioned above, pumpkin seeds contain phytoestrogens (lignans), which may reduce the risk of breast cancer in women, according to a May 2012 study in the journal Nutrition and Cancer. The researchers looked at the diets of over 9,000 women and found that those who ate plenty of phytoestrogen-rich foods were much less likely to develop breast cancer. In addition to pumpkin seeds, phytoestrogen-rich foods also include sunflower seeds, flaxseed, and soy products.

Pumpkin seeds drive away parasites

Pumpkin seeds are also known in folk medicine to cleanse the intestines – in humans and animals so some pet owners regularly mix finely ground pumpkin seeds into the feed of their horses and dogs to prevent intestinal parasites.

Pumpkin seeds not only have a preventive effect on worm infestation but also have a direct therapeutic effect. In a 2012 study ( Acta Tropica ), researchers found that pumpkin seeds, along with betel nut, ended a tapeworm infection in 79 percent of participants and led to tapeworm shedding. In addition, within two hours, the patients were free of all other types of worms with which they were infected.

If patients took the pumpkin seeds alone, at least 75 percent of the participants were able to excrete their tapeworms. It took 14 hours for all the worms to be eliminated.

The study was conducted because one of the two most effective pharmaceutical drugs against tapeworms (praziquantel) can cause epileptic seizures and the other (niclosamide) is not available in many parasite-prone regions, so one was looking for tolerable and widely available but at the same time really effective alternatives.

Especially for children, pumpkin seeds are an anti-par sideways interest. Because children like to get infected with pinworms – and pumpkin seeds taste delicious so that they can easily be nibbled preventively.

Pumpkin seeds as sprouts

Fresh sprouts can be easily grown from pumpkin seeds. It is crucial that shellless green pumpkin seeds are used for cultivation. Proceed as follows when breeding:

  • Soak the pumpkin seeds for 8 to 12 hours, then drain the water.
  • Place the pumpkin seeds in a sprouting jar.
  • Let the seeds germinate at 18 to 20 °C and water them 2 to 3 times a day.
  • Harvest the sprouts after 2 to a maximum of 3 days, otherwise, they will taste bitter.
  • You can store the sprouts in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.

The nutty pumpkin sprouts taste particularly delicious on buttered bread (wholemeal), in a salad, in vegetable dishes, or in herbal quark.

Purchasing pumpkin seeds

With or without the shell, raw, roasted or salted: Pumpkin seeds are available in all kinds of varieties in supermarkets, health food stores, and health food stores all year round. When shopping, make sure that the packaging is undamaged and that the expiry date has not yet passed. If you want to do without harmful substances, you should rely on organic quality.

Pumpkin seeds store pesticides

The pumpkin has the property of absorbing toxins such as the polluting and carcinogenic fungicide hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and other fat-soluble chemical substances from the soil and air. Since the pesticides are preferentially stored in the fat portion of the seeds, they are ultimately also found in pumpkin seed oil.

Although HCB has not been approved in the EU and Switzerland for a long time, pumpkins, from which the seeds and subsequently the pumpkin seed oil is obtained, are now grown all over the world, but above all in China and India, where the use of pesticides is known not to be skimped.

Austrian pumpkin seed oil from China

As has long been known from Italian olive oil, there are also pumpkin seed oils on the market that are said to come from Austria, which they ultimately don’t do. In 2012, the Austrian test magazine Verbraucher analyzed 30 pumpkin seed oils and found that even oil with a protected geographical origin does not necessarily guarantee Austrian quality.

For most of the oils examined, the pumpkin seeds processed for this purpose either did not come at all or were only partly from Austria. Only 11 of the oils were “genuine Austrians”. In addition, 3 pumpkin oils with a protected geographical origin were unmasked, which certainly did not come from Austria and even contained pesticides that are not permitted in Austria.

Recognize the quality of pumpkin seed oil

How can you distinguish high-quality pumpkin seed oil from a bad imitation from abroad? If you’ve ever enjoyed a premium pumpkin seed oil, then you know what it’s supposed to taste and look like:

  • Colour: dark green
  • Consistency: thick
  • Flavor: Nutty (not bitter at all!)

As a consumer, you can also use the price as a guide. For example, competitive prices usually indicate a Chinese origin. Expect to pay around 30 euros per liter for an exquisite regional product.

Storage of pumpkin seeds

Compared to other seeds, pumpkin seeds are rather delicate and susceptible to toxic molds. If you keep them for too long, the high-fat content of the kernels also means that they become rancid and thus spoil. Therefore, when storing, you should make sure that the pumpkin seeds are stored in a relatively dark, cool, and dry place.

It’s also a good idea to keep them airtight (in a closed container such as a food storage container or storage jar). In this way, you ensure that the pumpkin seeds stay fresh longer and do not lose their aroma. The storage period is between 3 and 4 months.

The storage of pumpkin seed oil

Just like the seeds, pumpkin seed oil is of a sensitive nature. When it comes to storage, keep the following in mind:

  • Store the pumpkin seed oil in a cool and dark place.
  • An unopened bottle can be stored for up to 1 year.
  • Open pumpkin seed oil should be used within 6 to 12 weeks.
  • Pumpkin seed oil is best for cold dishes.
  • If the oil is heated above 120 °C, the unsaturated fatty acids suffer.

Roasted pumpkin seeds are also healthy

Roasted pumpkin seeds taste particularly delicious. But the question arises as to whether roasting does not have a negative effect on the ingredients. In 2021, Chinese researchers investigated the consequences of roasting (at 120, 160 and 200 °C for 10 minutes), e.g. on the content of phytochemicals, which has antioxidant properties, fatty acids, and protein.

The analyzes have shown that the total content of secondary plant substances (e.g. flavonoids) and, as a result, the antioxidant capacity increased with increasing roasting temperature. The composition and content of fatty acids have not changed significantly after roasting. In terms of protein, the optimum roasting temperature was 160°C to obtain a protein with better nutritional quality. If the temperature was higher, the denaturation (structural change) resulted in a loss of biological activity.

Roasted kernels and nuts are often generally discouraged because the toxic substance acrylamide can be produced during roasting. However, acrylamide is primarily produced during the preparation of starchy foods such as potatoes or cereals. Since the carbohydrate content of pumpkin seeds is low, little or no acrylamide is produced during roasting.

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Written by Micah Stanley

Hi, I'm Micah. I am a creative Expert Freelance Dietitian Nutritionist with years of experience in counseling, recipe creation, nutrition, and content writing, product development.

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