Carving pumpkins is a fun fall activity, but before you clean up the mess and throw away the seeds, think twice.
Dietitian Maxine Smith, RD, says that pumpkin seeds are good for your health and make a healthy snack.
Check out all the benefits of pumpkin seeds below, as well as some tasty fall-flavored pumpkin seed recipes that the whole family can enjoy.
How pumpkin seeds are good for your health
You can eat raw pumpkin seeds or roast them. Roasting not only brings out the flavors, smells, and textures, but it also makes more antioxidants available. It makes them easier to digest as well.
Raise your hand if you think healthy fats are the best thing ever! You’re in for a real treat (no tricks here) whether you leave your pumpkin seeds unshelled (just as they are after carving a pumpkin) or buy shell-free seeds at the store.
Smith says, “Pumpkin seeds are a good source of plant protein and other nutrients that can help fight diseases by acting as antioxidants.”
And this is wonderful news for vegetarians: Pumpkin-seed protein is like soy protein in that it is a very high-quality protein that has all of the essential amino acids you need outside of the meat.
Pumpkin seeds are full of healthy nutrients that can help you stick to a healthy diet. Here are some other health benefits of pumpkin seeds:
Less chance of getting cancer
Cancers of the breast, stomach, lungs, prostate, and colon are less likely to happen if you eat a lot of pumpkin seeds.
Lignans, which are made of plants, are found in pumpkin seeds and are responsible for this.
Better health for the bowels and the prostate
Several studies have shown that pumpkin seeds can help with an overactive bladder and prostate enlargement (a prostate condition that causes issues with urination).
less likely to get high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes
The reason for this is that pumpkin seeds have a lot of magnesium, zinc, and fatty acids.
Improved sleep
Tryptophan is an amino acid that is found in pumpkin seeds. It helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. Even zinc and magnesium can help.
What nutrients are in pumpkin seeds?
“Keep in mind that pumpkin seeds with shells have a lot more fiber than ones without. So, if your stomach isn’t used to that much fiber, you may have some problems,” says Smith. “Start with a small number.”
Without their shells, pumpkin seeds
Even without their shells, pumpkin seeds are still very healthy. They have a lot of heart-healthy fats and protein. Even if they are lightly salted, many of these will have much less sodium than those with shells. Smith says, “You do lose most of the fiber, though.”
Shelled pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin seeds with their shells are a great source of fibre, but they can have a lot of sodium—sometimes more than the recommended daily amount in just 1 ounce. Smith says, “I suggested choosing options that were either not salted or only lightly salted.”
How to get pumpkin seeds ready
Even if your fresh pumpkin seeds are surrounded by a lot of pumpkin pulp, it’s easy to make them into a snack. Just do the following:
- Just wash and dry the seeds.
- Add whatever spices you like and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Bake at 250° Fahrenheit.
If you need ideas for what to cook, we have you covered:
1. Pumpkin Pie
- 1/2 milligram of cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 milligram cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1 milligram of brown sugar
2. Hot Tamale
- 1 spoonful of chili powder
- 1/4 milligramme of cayenne (optional)
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- To taste, salt and pepper
3. Spices from Italy
- 1/2 teaspoon of powdered garlic
- 1 teaspoon of dried Parmesan
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- To taste, salt and pepper
4. Sweet and hot
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 milligram of brown sugar
5. Cocoa chaud
- 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1/2 milligram of cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon raw (turbinado) sugar
6. Ideas from Asia
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/4 milligramme of ginger
- 1 milliliter of honey
7. Indian Summer
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 milligram of cinnamon
- 1/4 milligramme of ginger
- 1 milliliter of honey
- To taste, salt and pepper
If you choose a flavor that has sugar or honey in it, the number of calories will be higher. If you always want pumpkin, these other recipes have been approved by dietitians.
Even though pumpkin seeds are a good source of energy, it’s easy to eat too many of them. Just like you tell your kids not to eat all of their Halloween candy in one night, remind yourself to share pumpkin seeds or watch how much you eat of them.