Top 10 Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds - Nutritional Benefits of the Pumpkin Seed

Top 10 Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds - Nutritional Benefits of the Pumpkin Seed

Many people link pumpkin with Thanksgiving or Halloween, often ignoring the year-round benefits of this healthy food, particularly the seeds, also known as pepitas.
With a remarkable assortment of health-enhancing nutrients, pumpkin seeds are fast becoming a popular snack among health-conscious people.

Here are the top 10 health benefits of pumpkin seeds.

1. Lowers Bad Cholesterol Level
Regular consumption of pumpkin seeds can help lower the level of low-density lipoproteins (LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol) in the body.
In a 2012 study published in the African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, researchers found that rats induced with atherosclerosis and supplemented with pumpkin seeds showed a significant increase in protective high-density lipoproteins (HDL or ‘good’ cholesterol) as well as a decrease in LDL cholesterol.

2. Controls Blood Sugar
According to a 2010 study published in the Journal of Diabetes and its Complications, pumpkins seeds can have a positive impact on diabetes.
This study suggests that pumpkin seeds help improve insulin regulation and prevent diabetic complications by decreasing oxidative stress.

3. Fights Anxiety
A 2007 study published in the Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology showed that tryptophan, an amino acid found in pumpkin seeds, helps alleviate anxiety.
The brain uses tryptophan to make serotonin, a neurotransmitter that makes you feel happy and at ease. When the body has less tryptophan, it can lead to anxiety, depression and other mood irregularities.

4. Relieves Arthritis Inflammation
Pumpkin seeds and their oil exhibit anti-inflammatory effects and hence are very helpful in treating arthritis, especially osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Their anti-inflammatory and pain-suppressing properties can alleviate pain and inflammation in the joints.
In a 1995 study published in the journal Pharmacology Research, pumpkin seed oil was found to be as effective as the anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin in treating arthritis in rats induced with arthritis, but without the side effects.

5. Improves Bladder and Prostate Health
Pumpkin seeds support bladder function and combat symptoms associated with an overactive bladder. They can also help treat an enlarged prostate, known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The compounds known as phytosterols found in pumpkin seeds help shrink an enlarged prostate.


6. Protects Bones
Pumpkin seeds are a rich source of magnesium, which is essential for improving bone health and preventing osteoporosis.
A 2005 study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found a strong connection between high magnesium intake and higher bone mineral density.
In addition, pumpkin seeds are rich in phosphorous and zinc, which are natural protectors against osteoporosis. These minerals also reduce the risk of bone fractures.

7. Improves Heart Health
Pumpkin seeds contain magnesium, which helps in many important heart functions, including the pumping action of your heart and relaxation of the blood vessels.
Moreover, this mineral helps control high blood pressure and plays a key role in preventing sudden cardiac arrest, heart attacks and strokes.

8. Prevents Intestinal Worms
Pumpkin seeds have antiparasitic properties that help eliminate tapeworms, pinworms and other dangerous parasites in the intestines. The exact mechanism by which pumpkin seeds do this is somewhat unclear. However, the result is definitely positive.
It is believed that the seeds do not actually kill the worms but paralyze them, thus preventing them from holding on to the intestinal walls during a bowel movement.

9. Regulates Sleep
Pumpkin seeds contain a high amount of tryptophan, an amino acid that the body converts into serotonin and then into melatonin.
Both serotonin and melatonin help promote a restful night’s sleep. In addition, the zinc in pumpkin seeds assists the brain in converting tryptophan into serotonin.

10. Boosts Immune System
Rich in zinc, pumpkin seeds help boost your immune system. Moreover, zinc deficiency is associated with increased susceptibility to colds and flus, chronic fatigue, weakness, acne and many other health problems.
In addition, pumpkin seeds contain a wide variety of antioxidants that are essential for a healthy, disease-free body. These seeds also contain selenium, which helps prevent free radical damage and promotes quick recovery.

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