Pumpkin is truly a versatile vegetable! Not only the pulp, but also the seeds, and even the oil that comes from them, have health-promoting properties. It is also surprising that pumpkin fruits in the botanical sense are berries. Pumpkins can weigh up to hundreds of kilograms, so it is also the largest berry in the world. Why are pumpkin seeds useful and are they useful at all?
Pumpkin seeds - roasted or salted - are a great snack. They are often used in baked goods. The antioxidants found in pumpkin seeds strengthen the immune system and help reduce free radicals.
Pumpkin seeds and especially pumpkin seed oil are recommended for prostate disease. The beneficial effect of pumpkin seeds on benign prostatic hyperplasia has been scientifically proven. There is evidence of a positive effect on malignant (cancerous) neoplasms.
For those who catch cold easily, I advise you to cook pumpkin soup: it tends to warm from the inside. The warming effect is enhanced by adding curry or chili to the soup - these spices stimulate thermogenesis.
High quality vegetable oil is squeezed out of pumpkin seeds. It contains valuable fatty acids, omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and essential oils. In addition, pumpkin seed oil is famous for its high amount of vitamin E, as well as vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C and D, minerals: calcium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, magnesium, iron, manganese, selenium and zinc.
Pumpkin seed oil also contains phytosterols, which have a positive effect on the entire body by lowering cholesterol levels. Thus, a handful of pumpkin seeds a couple of times a week will extend the lifespan by several years in the long term.
Due to the high content of valuable polyunsaturated fatty acids, pumpkin seed oil quickly deteriorates and becomes rancid, so it should be stored in a refrigerator in a sealed container.
