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Pumpkin seeds: properties, benefits and contraindications

When we eat or cook pumpkin or squash, we normally throw away the seeds or seeds along with the rest of the parts that are not edible, but it turns out that we are making a mistake. The pipes or pumpkin seeds, pumpkin or squash are very nutritious and provide us with many health benefits and, although we can buy, we save we had thought when throwing consume a pumpkin.

If you still do not know why pumpkin seeds are so beneficial for our health and you have not yet decided to add them to your diet, keep reading this interesting AgroCorrn article and discover what are the properties of pumpkin seeds, their benefits and contraindications , as well as the best ways to prepare and eat them.

Pumpkin seeds properties

Pumpkins and their seeds or pipes contain vitamins A and B, carotenoids, magnesium, manganese, zinc, pectins, cucurbitin, resins, glycosides, unsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic and linoleic. Thanks to this composition, the main properties of pumpkin seeds include the following:

  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Antiseptics
  • Antioxidants
  • Revitalizing
  • Vermifuges
  • Emollient
  • Diuretics
  • Mild sedative

Pumpkin seeds benefits

Thanks to its composition and its properties, the pipes or seeds of pumpkin or pumpkin can bring us improvements in our health. These are some of the benefits of pumpkin seeds :

Improve your heart health with pumpkin seeds

Raw pumpkin seeds or seeds contain high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, omega 3 and phytosterols that help regulate cholesterol , reducing bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol, for this reason it is advisable to consume the pumpkin seeds to help treat cholesterol. In addition, these components of pumpkin seeds protect the circulatory system, thus strengthening the health of our heart.

Take pumpkin seeds to improve your urinary system

One of the main properties of raw pumpkin seeds is that they contain cucurbitin, an alkaloid-type amino acid that is present in these seeds, which combined with high levels of zinc help men fight benign prostate hyperplasia . If you have prostate problems such as swelling and problems in which this is a symptom, we recommend this other article on Medicinal plants for an inflamed prostate .

Also, thanks to these components, it is believed that it also helps reduce the risk of kidney stones and, if you already suffer from them, pumpkin seeds are beneficial as a support for medical treatment to combat kidney stones and other diseases. of the urinary system.

Pumpkin seeds against intestinal parasites

Pumpkin or squash seeds are used in traditional medicine in many countries to eliminate intestinal parasites , since thanks to their vermifuge properties they are very effective against parasites such as worms and tapeworms. This property of raw pumpkin seeds is due to the cucurbitin they contain, an alkaloid amino acid with anthelmintic capacity that stops the development of parasites and eliminates them.

Consume pumpkin seeds to help your bones

Another of the amazing benefits that the properties of raw pumpkin seeds provide us is to prevent osteoporosis and relieve pain caused by bone deterioration, this is due to its anti-inflammatory properties and its high zinc content.

For this reason, pumpkin or squash seeds are also indicated for people with arthritis, it is advisable to consume these pipes and, in addition, use the oil that is extracted from them to apply it to the affected areas and achieve a more immediate anti-inflammatory effect .

In addition, these pipes contain vitamins A, K and E so they are excellent as an antioxidant food and benefit us by improving the health of our cells and fighting free radicals in the environment.

Pumpkin seeds to increase defenses

We can strengthen the immune system thanks to the moderate consumption of pumpkin seeds. Due to its high zinc content, pumpkin seeds are excellent to improve our defenses, to promote good growth and to strengthen our senses such as sight and smell.

In addition, as pumpkin seeds also contain iron, they are good allies to prevent and combat anemia. Therefore, with these benefits we ensure good growth, good cellular health and, thus, the prevention of some diseases.

Pumpkin seeds against depression

The seeds or pumpkin seeds are an excellent natural antidepressant , since they contain L-tryptophan that helps regulate serotonin levels, which when decompensated produce depression.

In addition, the optimal production of serotonin thanks to the tryptophan of these seeds, also contributes to the production of melatonin, known as the sleep hormone, and for this reason, it also helps us reduce anxiety, be calmer and sleep better. For these reasons, if you have depression or are prone to it, if you have problems sleeping at night or have a lot of anxiety, it is recommended that you add raw pumpkin seeds to your diet on a daily basis, since it is one of the healthier tryptophan foods.

Regulate Insulin with Raw Pumpkin Seeds

Controlling the level of insulin in the blood is vital for people with diabetes since with an optimal level it is possible to regulate blood glucose. There are some scientific studies that affirm that the consumption of pumpkin seeds helps to raise insulin, especially in people with type 2 diabetes. Thus, a well-regulated consumption of these seeds will help to provide good health for the pancreas of the people with this condition.

How to prepare pumpkin seeds

We recommend following these tips to prepare pumpkin seeds :

  • To take pipes or pumpkin seeds you can choose to eat them raw , whether you keep the ones you remove from the pumpkin when you cook it or prepare it for Halloween , or because the ones you buy in herbalists and supermarkets. In fact, it is the most recommended way to take pumpkin seeds to take full advantage of their beneficial properties for our health.
  • Another way to eat these seeds is to roast them or buy roasted pumpkin seeds , as they also retain many of their properties and greatly enrich dishes. In addition, they can be eaten alone or used as an accompaniment to some dishes.
  • Also, if you don’t like finding whole pipes on your plates, you can choose to buy them powdered or crush them before sprinkling them on your food.
  • Another possibility is to drink an infusion of raw pumpkin seeds.

Some ideas for dishes you can use pumpkin seeds in are:

  • Salads
  • Accompaniment in stews.
  • Sprinkled in soups and creams.
  • Sweet desserts.
  • Jellies.
  • Infusions.

Regarding the doses of pumpkin seeds, here we give you an orientation, but keep in mind that it is appropriate to discuss it with the doctor to adjust the dose to each case:

  • Make a decoction of pumpkin seeds for urine infections (take 3 cups a day)
  • 40 g per day of pumpkin seeds without shell to deworm internally. In the case of children, the dose should be half.
  • On the other hand, if you ask yourself “how many pumpkin seeds should I eat daily? We recommend you bear in mind that to take them regularly, it is not advisable to exceed 10 g per day .

So that you always have these ecological pipes on hand, we advise you to grow your own. Follow this guide to find out when and how to plant pumpkins .

Side effects and contraindications of pumpkin seeds

Side effects of pumpkin seeds only appear if they are taken in excess and for a long continued time. Among these side effects we find:

  • Flatulence.
  • Belly pain (intestinal and stomach).
  • Weight gain

Regarding the contraindications of pumpkin seeds , the only strict one is in people with an allergy to any component of the pumpkin or the group or family of plants to which it belongs. For the rest, it must be taken into account that it is not a contraindication, but of great importance when adjusting the amount to the minimum, according to the doctor’s indication, as it would happen in the case of weight gain or people who must be very careful with their insulin levels, such as diabetics or those resistant to it.

Maria Anderson
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Hello, I am a blogger specialized in environmental, health and scientific dissemination issues in general. The best way to define myself as a blogger is by reading my texts, so I encourage you to do so. Above all, if you are interested in staying up to date and reflecting on these issues, both on a practical and informative level.

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