16 Reasons to Start Eating Pumpkin Seeds

If you aren’t already eating pumpkin seeds you might want to run out to the health food or grocery store by the time you finish reading this blog. That’s because pumpkin seeds are superfoods in tiny seed shells. There are many great reasons to start eating them, but here are some of my favorite ones.

1. BOOST MALE SEXUAL HEALTH

Thanks to their rich zinc content, pumpkin seeds help support male sexual health. But, you’ll want to choose the unshelled versions since much of the zinc is found in a thin layer known as the endosperm envelope just inside the shell of the pumpkin seeds. Just 3-1/2 ounces of pumkin seeds still in their shell contains 10 milligrams of the mineral zinc. The same amount of roasted ones contain between 7 and 8 milligrams of zinc.

2. BOOST THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

Zinc is also needed for a healthy immune system so be sure to get the unshelled variety and start snacking. Additionally, their wide range of vitamin E helps give the immune system a boost.

3. ENSURE HEALTHY SKIN

While there are foods higher in vitamin E content than pumpkin seeds, the seeds shine when it comes to providing vitamin E in its many forms, including: alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, delta-tocopherol, alpha-tocomonoenol and gamma-tocomonoenol. While they may sound more like sorority or fraternity names, these many forms of vitamin E work together to ensure healthy skin.

4. MAINTAIN HEALTHY EYES

The wide-ranging forms of vitamin E are also required to maintain healthy eyes and to prevent age-related eye diseases, such as cataracts or macular degeneration.

5. MAINTAIN HEALTHY MUSCLES

Just one ounce of pumpkin seeds contains 7 grams of protein, making these little seeds valuable in maintaining healthy muscles and tissues in the body.

6. REGULATE BLOOD SUGAR

Pumpkin seeds contain a powerful combination of protein, healthy fats and fiber, all of which help balance blood sugar levels. Just one ounce contains 13 grams of healthy fats and 1.7 grams of fiber. While none of these amounts seem overly impressive, keep in mind that these are the amounts for an extremely small amount of pumpkin seeds.

7. WEIGHT-BUSTING SUPERFOODS

Thanks to their unique protein, fat and fiber content, and their remarkable ability to regulate blood sugar, pumpkin seeds are great to enjoy if you’re trying to lose weight.

8. IMPROVE SLEEP

Thanks to their sleep-enhancing tryptophan content, snacking on pumpkin seeds will help you sleep deeper and stave off insomnia. Once in the body, the amino acid tryptophan converts to serotonin, which in turn improves sleep.

9. RELAX THE NERVES AND EASE STRESS

Thanks to their high magnesium content (a whopping 37 percent of the recommended dietary intake in just one ounce of pumpkin seeds), these delicious seeds can help relax your nervous system and ease the effects of stress. That’s because magnesium is nature’s relaxant mineral.

10. REDUCE YOUR CANCER RISK

According to research in the medical journal Food Research International, eating pumpkin seeds has been linked to a reduced risk of cancers, including: stomach, breast, lung, prostate and colon cancers.

11. REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERTROPHY (BPH)

Because pumpkin seeds are rich in omega 3 fatty acids that quell inflammation, it is not surprising that they have been found in research published in the European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology to reduce the incidence of BPH—a condition in which the prostate gland becomes enlarged.

12. REDUCE HEART DISEASE RISK

Thanks to their magnesium, vitamin E and omega 3 fatty acid content, pumpkin seeds can help prevent heart disease risk and regulate blood pressure.

13. BOOST ENERGY

Because they are a good source of blood-building and energy-boosting iron, snacking on pumpkin seeds can help boost energy.

14. BOOST MALE FERTILITY

According to a study published in the medical journal Nutrition Research, zinc deficiency is linked to poor male sperm quality. Because pumpkin seeds are rich in zinc, eating more pumpkin seeds on a regular basis may improve male fertility.

15. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND MAY HELP ARTHRITIS SUFFERERS

Thanks to their rich omega 3 content, pumpkin seeds may be effective in the treatment of arthritis. A classic study published in the journal Pharmacological Research found that pumpkin seed oil yielded similar anti-inflammatory results as the drug indomethacin—without the side effects.

16. HELP TO KEEP YOU REGULAR

Because they are a good source of fiber, eating pumpkin seeds throughout the day on a daily basis may help to keep you regular.