Nutrition Facts

Pumpkin seeds a.k.a. pepitas have a wide range of health benefits AND are super fun to eat!

As you can see in the following Nutrition Facts , pumpkin seeds are loaded with healthy fat, amino acids, minerals and protein…but there’s more…

Nutrition Facts of Dried or Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Amount Per 1 oz.

Calories 125

Fat 11.9 g

Omega-3 31.25 mg

Omega-6 3571 mg

Carbohydrates 3.8 g

Fiber 1.1 g

Protein 9.3 g

Vitamin A 108 IU

Vitamin K 70.9 mcg

Niacin 0.5 mg

Folate 16 mcg

Choline 17 mg

Calcium 12 mg

Iron 4.23 mg

Magnesium 151 mg

Phosphorus 332 mg

Potassium 228 mg

Selenium 6 mcg

Sodium 24.8 mg

Zinc 2.11 mg

Copper 0.39 mg

Manganese 0.85 mg

 

Now, obviously, like everything, you will want to eat these in moderation so make it simple by adding a small handful to your daily diet (I included one of my favorite homemade recipes at the end of this blog).

Preferably you will want to eat these delicious seeds in raw or dried form rather than ones loaded with extra fats from other oils and/or tons of salt.  If you soak or sprout them, it will make them even more nutrient dense!  Check out how they do this on SproutPeople.org .

 

Pumpkin Seed Oil

While pumpkin seed oil consumption is popular in Austrian and Hungarian cuisine, taking it in supplement form actually has been proven to assist with an overactive bladder for both men and women.  Keep in mind that it may take up to 12 weeks to notice the effectiveness and you can find this supplement in pill form at your local vitamin store.   I recommend taking the suggested dosage on the bottle for best results.

 

Alkalinity

Using pumpkin seeds as a protein source is a great choice because they are an alkaline forming protein while a lot of other protein sources like meat or dairy are acid forming in the body.  Acidic proteins are harmful because they pull essential minerals from your bones and cause other harmful reactions related to chronic diseases.  Watch Protein Source: An Acid Test for Kidney Function.

Minerals such as magnesium and potassium help to increase alkalinity while also helping with muscle relaxation.  This is beneficial for those of us who have suffered from leg cramps.  For this reason, I usually sprinkle some pumpkin seeds on my salad during dinnertime.  You may also want to try the salad dressing found at the bottom of this page.

 

Additional Health Benefits

Pumpkin seeds also contain all of the amino acids including L-tryptophan, the hormone well known for helping with depression and anxiety.

According to many health professionals including those at the University of Maryland  and the Boulder Colonic Center , the components of pumpkin seeds actually help parasites starve and die off within your intestinal tract.  It is suggested that eating pumpkin seeds on a regular basis alongside a healthy diet rich in high fiber foods may significantly reduce parasites in your body.  Now that’s a fantastic reason to eat these yummy seeds!

Additional health benefits from eating pumpkin seeds:

Lowers blood pressure

Stress reliever

Immune system booster

Glucose control

Prostate health

Anti-inflammatory 

Hormone balance

Sleep aid

 

Recipes

Cynthia’s Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

 

Ingredients:

2 cups Raw Pumpkin Seeds

½ Tablespoon Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

1/2 tsp. Pink Himalayan Sea Salt or Celtic Salt

Optional: 1/4 tsp cayenne OR one small drop of DoTerra Rosemary oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Set aside the Coconut Oil in a medium sized bowl with sea salt and/or other spices

Bake 2 cups raw pumpkin seeds in the oven for 8-12 minutes

Mix warm pumpkin seeds in a bowl with your oil and spices.

Let cool & ENJOY!