- Make It Yourself Lavender Heart-Shaped Bath Bombs!
- 20 Things You Never Knew About “Down There”
- 12 Best Foods For Those Suffering From Arthritis Pain
- 12 Personal Hygiene Mistakes Almost Everyone Makes (Mom Never Told You About #4!)
- 15 Medicinal Plants And Herbs From The Cherokee People
- 12 Mind-Blowing Benefits Of Drinking Coconut Water During Pregnancy
- 12 Outstanding Winter Foods That Won’t Fatten You Up Like A Christmas Turkey
12 Reasons Why This Should be Your Favorite New Snack
Photo credit: bigstock.com
10. Immune System Support
Speaking of zinc, one ounce of pumpkin seeds contains 2 mgs of this important mineral. Zinc is not talked about much, but it’s essential to many functions, including cell growth and division, sleep regulation, mood regulation, your sense of taste and smell, insulin regulation, male sexual function, and immune system support. Most Americans are deficient in zinc due to our mineral depleted soils. Those who have zinc deficiencies often have more colds, flus, depression, acne, chronic fatigue, and low birth weight babies.
11. Prostate Health
For men’s sexual health, you can’t beat pumpkin seeds. This is due in part to their high zinc content, which is vital to the health of the prostate, but also because pumpkin seed oil and extracts help to treat an enlarged prostate. Studies have shown that both pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seed oil can be extremely beneficial in the support of a healthy prostate.
SEE ALSO: The Amazing Things You Never Imagined about Sunflower Seeds
12. Omega-3s
Pumpkin seeds, along with other raw seeds and nuts, are some of the best plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Although the body only partially converts plant-based ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), they are still an important source of omega-3s, especially for vegans.
The best way to consume these healthy seeds is to eat them raw, not roasted. Eating these seeds the way Mother Nature intended helps them to keep all of their essential healthy fats. Buy and consume only raw, organic pumpkin seeds.
Another important thing to know about all nuts and seeds is that they naturally contain a substance called phytic acid, which makes all of the nutrients listed above less bio-available to the body. You can remove phytic acid simply by soaking your seeds in water overnight to remove the phytic acid. After soaking, you can dehydrate them again by using your food dehydrator or placing them in your oven set at 170 degrees for about 20 minutes.
Remember, all you need is about 1 ounce (approximately 3 tablespoons) to get 50 percent of your recommended daily intake of magnesium and manganese, as well as 20 percent of your recommended daily intake of zinc.
Eat up, friends, and pass some to the kiddies!
References:
