“Pumpkin seeds are one of the foods I categorize almost medicinally because of all their benefits,” says Carolyn Brown, M.S., R.D., co-founder of Indigo Wellness Group. Pumpkin seeds (often sold in stores as pepitas) offer a broad and seriously impressive range of health benefits from reducing stress to improving fertility. As it turns out, pumpkin seeds aren’t the only seed that packs a superstar nutritional punch. “Seeds are powerhouses that you can actually grow an entire plant from,” explains Brown. “They have so many nutrients, and oftentimes they’re even more nutrient-dense than nuts.” Intrigued? Keep reading to learn the top health benefits of pumpkin seeds and how you can incorporate them into your diet.
Top Pumpkin Seed Nutrition Facts
Pumpkin seeds also contain tryptophan, an amino acid that helps with sleep. While more research is needed, high-tryptophan foods (like pumpkin seeds) are believed to help remedy depression, according to Amy Shapiro, M.S., R.D., CDN, and founder of Real Nutrition. These key vitamins and nutrients help with everything from promoting skin and bone health (thank you, manganese and vitamin E) to energy production thanks to iron and copper. Zinc supports vision health and immunity, and potassium aids cardiovascular health. As if that weren’t enough, the mighty seeds also have antioxidants that protect cells from free radicals, according to Shapiro. The World Health Organization (WHO) even announced pumpkin seeds as the best food to eat to obtain zinc and magnesium, which has made their popularity as a healthy snack skyrocket. If high-fiber foods cause you gastrointestinal distress, Shapiro recommends eating shelled varieties (such as pepitas). If you suspect that you have a parasite, you should go to the doctor to confirm, but eating raw pumpkin seeds can help flush the parasites out. Want to supercharge the health benefits? Brown recommends buying sprouted seeds or sprouting at home, which helps break down and metabolize the fibers and nutrients, making them more available for your body. Both raw or roasted versions are generally good, but Brown suggests reading ingredient labels well. “If you’re going for roasted seeds, either make them yourself at home using a high-quality oil, like avocado, coconut, or olive oil. If you’re buying, avoid seeds roasted with vegetable oils and with added sugars.” Wondering how to start to include more of these little wonders into your diet? Shapiro recommends toasting pumpkin seeds in a dry (no oil) saute pan and adding them to salads or soups for an added crunch, or baking them into muffins or crackers. Martin suggests replacing pine nuts in pesto with pumpkin seeds or using them to top a warm bowl of oatmeal. Or, follow Brown’s advice to blend them into a seed butter (similar in taste and texture to a sunflower seed butter) or add raw or roasted pumpkin seeds to a trail mix of dried fruit, nuts, and other seeds.
