Photo: Zen Chung

Do pumpkin seeds make you big and strong?

The benefits to eating pumpkins seeds far outweigh the work of scooping them out of the pumpkin. The protein, zinc, and magnesium will make your body stronger than ever!

pftaschools.com - The Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds

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Enjoy Pumpkin Seeds

Almost everyone enjoys carving a pumpkin for Halloween, but what do you do with the pumpkin seeds when you're finished showing off your jack-o-lantern? Did you know pumpkin seeds are a nutritious, year round, snack? That's right! Pumpkin seeds pack a powerful punch! Pumpkin seeds have protein, zinc, magnesium, fiber, and much more. So grab a handful of seeds and keep reading to learn more. Or click the image below and watch me roast a delicious batch of pumpkin seeds!

Protein

We almost always start a nutritious food discussion with protein. We work hard in the gym to increase or maintain muscle mass, so we all know protein is important! When we diet, we know we need protein so that our bodies may take extra energy out of our food instead of our hard earned muscle. Well great news, pumpkin seeds contain a big chunk of protein for such a little package. A handful of pumpkins seeds, about 1/4 cup, contain 19 grams of muscle building protein. Not sure how much protein your body requires? Click this link to read more on your Protein Requirements .

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Zinc and Magnesium

One ounce of pumpkin seeds has almost half of the RDA of the muscle building nutrients magnesium and zinc! Magnesium is great for your bones, and magnesium has also been linked to better sleep. You already know zinc is great for your muscles, but, zinc can also build a stronger immune system. Besides zinc and magnesium, pumpkin seeds also contain a good amount of B vitamins and iron. Your immune system will love the super charged feeling with all the added vitamins and minerals. Want more super foods with tons of vitamins and minerals? Click this link to read more on the health benefits of Strawberries!

Dietary Fiber

If you're looking for creative ways to add fiber to your diet, pumpkins seeds boast an abundant dose of fiber in convenient snack sizes. If you include the shell, one ounce of pumpkin seeds have 10 grams of dietary fiber. A couple of ounces of pumpkin seeds and many Americans have almost reached their dietary recommendations. If you eat the pumpkin seeds without the shells, you still get fiber from this super food. There is about a gram of fiber per ounce of seed kernels. Either way, adding pumpkin seeds and fiber to your diet is always a great idea! Need more fiber ideas? Click this link to read about all the health benefits of BEANS!

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The Good Fat

We all need fat in our diet and there's nothing better than essential fatty acids. According to Magee (2006), most of the fat from pumpkin seeds comes from the good fat, which is the healthy, unsaturated fat. In fact, 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds gives you 18 grams of essential fatty acids to only 2 grams of saturated fats. We need fat for hormones, cell production, fat soluble vitamins, and many other reasons. When you include fat in your diet, there isn't much better than the awesome fatty acids of pumpkin seeds.

Sleep Aid

Furthermore, if you need a little help falling asleep, try pumpkins seeds for a late night snack. Pumpkin seeds contain the protein tryptophan which is the famous Thanksgiving turkey protein that puts everyone to sleep, even on a lumpy couch! Even more so, is the aforementioned mineral, magnesium. Studies have shown supplementing with magnesium will help you sleep. If you don't like eating pumpkin seeds by themselves, Ansel (2017) recommended making a sweet and salty trail mix by adding raisins and coconut flakes. No matter how you enjoy your late night snack, make sure it has magnesium. And pumpkin seeds have magnesium plus a little protein to help you sleep easy.

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How to Eat Them

There are several ways to enjoy your pumpkins seeds but I'll give you my top 3. One, you can eat them raw. Both the seeds and the shell provide great nutritional value. You may have to soak them in water to get the pumpkin guts off of them, but they still have a great snack! Two, you can roast them for 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees (first video above). This gives them a nice crunchy feel for those that prefer a little more crunch. Plus, you can put them in your gym bag for a snack during your workout. Three, you can throw them in a blender with your favorite protein powder. This will give you the nutritional value without having to worry about the texture of the shells and the seeds. Click the image below to watch the smoothie video.

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But no matter how you eat them, now you know you're getting great nutritional value in this super food! Want to throw more nutritional seeds in your blender? Click this link to read about all the health benefits of Watermelon Seeds!

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Summary

The benefits to eating pumpkins seeds far outweigh the work of scooping them out of the pumpkin. The protein, zinc, and magnesium will make your body stronger than ever! The tryptophan will help you sleep better at night. The fiber will lower your cholesterol and keep you satisfied throughout the day. There's so many things this super food can do for you that you really should be enjoying them year round. If you don't have time or the desire to carve a pumpkin outside of the Halloween time period, you can order pumpkin seeds online (link above). Happy health and happy training!

Written By

RAEscobar , PFTA instructor and personal trainer

Ansel, Karen. “SWEET (AND SALTY) DREAMS. (Cover Story).” Women’s Health, vol. 14, no. 7, Sept. 2017, pp. 108–113. GAMONSKI, WILLIAM. “SUPER FOODS The True Potency of the PUMPKIN SEED.” Life Extension, vol. 18, no. 10, Oct. 2012, pp. 95–98. Magee, Elaine. “Pumpkin Seed Power.” Better Nutrition, vol. 68, no. 10, Oct. 2006, pp. 58–59.

pftaschools.com - The Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds

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