Pumpkin seeds might be small, yet they are perfect for health. They are popularly known as “Pepitas.”These flat, oval-shaped seeds are full of body-building nutrients. Even better is that one can easily incorporate them into a daily diet. Let’s learn more about pumpkin seeds nutrition, benefits, and some possible side effects.
Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are crunchy seeds. They are good for improving health. You can easily eat them roasted, raw, or fried. Read about some exciting pumpkin seeds health benefits to eating regularly.
1. Excellent For Gut Health
If you are looking for a perfect snack that supports gut health, then a handful of pumpkin seeds are excellent. These tiny seeds are a great source of gut cleansing nutrients like zinc & fiber. Zinc enhances digestive enzymes production, while fiber cleanses the gut
2. Improve Your Sleep Quality
Yes, regularly eating pumpkin seeds can enhance the quality of your sleep. This is because these tiny seeds are a potent source of the compound tryptophan. Tryptophan is necessary for proper sleep cycle maintenance.
Tip – It is best to eat pumpkin seeds before bed for excellent sleep quality.
Nutritional Facts –
- A once serving of pumpkin seeds contains 164 mg (58% RDI) of tryptophan.
3. Enhance Your Bladder Health
Including pumpkin seeds might be excellent for your bladder health. These fantastic seeds can inhibit overactive bladder function by inhibiting 2 enzymes, i.e 5-alpha-reductase & aromatase. This ultimately supports healthy bladder function.
Tip – It is best to actively take pumpkin seeds for 6 weeks to improve bladder function.
Also Read:- How to Eat Pumpkin Seeds
4. Boosts Female Health
Pumpkin seeds benefits for females are countless. Eating pumpkin seeds can help enhance the health of women with PCOS. It’s rich in health-boosting fatty acids & magnesium. These compounds can prevent hair loss, improve sleep quality, and correct hormone imbalance.
Nutritional Facts –
- 100 g of pumpkin seeds contains about 262 mg of magnesium.
- A 100 g serving of pumpkin seeds contains 8.54 g of healthy fatty acids.
5. Good For Diabetes management
Eating pumpkin seeds is also suitable for diabetic people. This is because these seeds are rich in magnesium. Magnesium is ideal for controlling blood sugar levels. Therefore, many experts suggest including pumpkin seeds in the daily diet.
Nutritional Facts –
- 100 g serving of pumpkin seeds contains 262 mg of magnesium.
6. Pumpkin Seeds Good For Heart Health
Pumpkin seeds also improve heart health. These tiny seeds are enriched with heart-healthy magnesium, zinc, and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. These compounds can reduce cholesterol and help manage blood pressure levels.
Also Read:- Heart Healthy Foods
Nutritional Facts –
- 100 g of pumpkin seeds contains about 262 mg of magnesium.
- In addition, a 100 g serving of pumpkin seeds contains 7.99 mg of zinc.
7. Good for Pregnancy
Many health experts highly recommend including pumpkin seeds for pregnant women. The Benefits of eating pumpkin seeds include the healthy growth of the baby. In addition, it’s rich in zinc, preventing preterm births or congenital disabilities in children.
Nutritional Facts –
- A 100 g serving of pumpkin seeds contains about 7.99 mg of zinc.
Also Read:- Foods to Eat & Avoid in Pregnancy
8. Pumpkin Seeds Benefits for Hair
You can’t ignore pumpkin seeds benefits for hair. Yes, these crunchy seeds can be perfect for your hair health. They contain unique compounds, cucurbitacin. These compounds aid in healthy hair follicle growth.
Also Read:- Home Remedies for White Hair
9. Improves You Skin Health
Pumpkin seeds benefits for skin are hard to ignore! Its abundance of antioxidants is known as squalene. These antioxidants protect the skin & hair cells from harmful free radical damage. Furthermore, these antioxidants protect against winkle damage.
Nutritional Facts –
- 100 g serving of pumpkin seeds contains 89.0 mg of squalene.
10. Pumpkin Seeds Good For Weight Loss
Eating pumpkin seeds for weight loss is a perfect idea. Suppose you are conscious of weight loss. They are enriched with dietary fiber to keep you fuller for longer hours. They are also rich in weight loss promoting proteins, healthy saturated fats, and essential minerals.
Nutritional Facts –
- A 100 g serving of pumpkin seeds 18 g fiber.
- A 100 g serving of pumpkin seeds 19 g of protein.
11. Improved Bone Health
Regularly eating pumpkin seeds can be an excellent decision for improving health. This is because it’s enriched with bone-enhancing minerals like calcium, potassium, etc.
Also Read:- Calcium Rich Foods
Nutritional Facts –
- 100 g serving of pumpkin seeds 55 mg of calcium.
- 100 g serving of pumpkin seeds 919 mg of potassium.
Pumpkin Seeds Nutritional Value
Pumpkin seeds are good sources of nutrition and minerals. Now, let’s understand more about interesting pumpkin seeds nutrition facts.
An ounce of pumpkin seeds contains the following:-
| Nutrition | Nutritional Value |
|---|---|
| Calories | 125 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 15.0 g |
| Fat | 5.4 g |
| Sodium | 5 mg |
| Protein | 5.2 g |
| Vitamins A | 17.4 IU |
| Magnesium | 73.4 mg |
| Zinc | 2.9 mg |
| Manganese | 0.1 mg |
| Copper | 0.2 mg |
| Iron | 0.9 mg |
Pumpkin Seeds Side Effects
Pumpkin seeds are a good source of bodybuilding nutrients. Unfortunately, excessive consumption of pumpkin seeds can cause lots of health issues. Therefore, there are many side effects that one should know.
1. Bad For People On Diuretic Drugs
Excessive eating of pumpkin seeds can interfere with the mineral balance in the body. Therefore, people on diuretic drugs actively avoid excessively eating pumpkin seeds.
2. Not Good For Hypoglycemia
Although pumpkin seeds are an ideal snack for people with diabetes, their high magnesium & potassium content can interfere with blood sugar levels; therefore, it is best for people with diabetes to eat them in moderation.
3. Facing Digestive Issues
Fiber may be good for digestive health, but, unfortunately, too much fiber can cause digestive issues in people. High fiber consumption may cause bloating, stomach discomfort, gas, diarrhea.
4. Might Interfere Wih Nutrient Absorption
Overcooking pumpkin seeds may cause you to lose crucial nutrients. Cooked pumpkin seeds are devoid of nutrients like Vitamin B12, and Vitamin C, riboflavin. Thus, it is best advised to avoid eating pumpkin seeds.
5. May Cause Allergy
Pumpkin seeds may cause allergic reactions in some people. Some things to look for are – headaches, Itching, Throat irritation, Shortness of breath, Coughing, etc.
Conclusion
Pumpkin seeds are crunchy and delightful seeds. Fortunately, they provide immense health benefits. Some of the amazing health benefits include improved bladder health, better skin & hair health, and so much more. Therefore, make sure to include them in your diet for great health.
