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Pumpkins are a well-known symbol of autumn. With their festive bright orange color, pumpkins are used to make holiday favorites like pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice lattes, and pumpkin rolls. While you may be most familiar with using the pureed orange flesh in recipes, pumpkin seeds are a highly nutritious superfood perfect for snacking, making pumpkin seed protein and oil, or as a crunchy topping for your favorite dishes all year long.
Pumpkin seed protein is a nutrient-packed plant-based protein made of finely ground pumpkin seeds. Like most other nuts and seeds, pumpkin seeds are loaded with health and nutrient benefits. They are rich in protein and vitamins and minerals like iron, magnesium, and zinc.
One serving of pumpkin seed protein can also boost fiber intake, adding 14% of the daily value per serving. It’s easy to add to recipes like smoothies, oats, and baked goods to boost nutrients.
Pumpkin seeds and pepitas are two types of pumpkin seeds that are used interchangeably—but they are quite different. Some notable features set them apart, even though they both come from pumpkins.
Pumpkin seeds are whole white seeds. This is the type of seed you find when you carve pumpkins for Halloween. Because pumpkin seeds still have an outer shell, they must be roasted and prepared before eating. Without roasting, pumpkin seeds are too hard to eat.
Thanks to their high protein levels, pumpkin seeds are highly sought after for making pumpkin seed protein. After the seeds are harvested, they are washed, dried, and roasted. Once roasted, they are processed by milling or blending to create a nutrient-dense protein powder.
Making pumpkin seed protein at home is quite easy, too. All you need is a high-speed blender and pumpkin seeds. Add the pumpkin seeds to the blender and blend on high, stopping as often as your blender needs. Once the pumpkin seeds have reached the consistency of a fine powder, you’ve made your own protein powder!
Note: blending for too long will turn the pumpkin seeds into pumpkin seed butter, which may be tasty but not exactly what you’re looking for in this quick at-home recipe.
Pepitas are tiny green pumpkin seeds that are naturally shell-free and only found in a few varieties of pumpkins. Unlike pumpkin seeds, pepitas do not have to be prepared and can be eaten raw.
Pumpkin seeds and pepitas are often used interchangeably—but you can always tell the difference by looking at the color.
Pumpkin seeds and pepitas contain similar nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. One serving of pumpkin seed protein contains:
Pumpkin seeds may be small, but they pack big nutrient benefits. Pumpkin seed protein is an excellent source of antioxidants and may improve blood sugar levels, heart health, bladder and prostate health, and even mood. The antioxidants in pumpkin seed protein may even help protect against certain chronic diseases.
Antioxidants help keep cells healthy and prevent damage from free radicals, or unstable molecules. Pumpkin seed protein contains two potent antioxidants: flavonoids and phenolic acid.
Flavonoids are naturally occurring antioxidant compounds found in plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and seeds like pumpkin seeds. Diets high in flavonoids are associated with a lower risk of diseases like cardiovascular disease.
Flavonoids may also help improve memory and cognitive function. Eating a diet full of flavonoid-rich foods like pumpkin seeds now may help protect memory and cognitive function as you age.
Pumpkin seed protein is also rich in phenolic acid, a subcategory of polyphenols. Polyphenols are one of the most common antioxidant groups and are most easily found in foods like berries, spices, olives, black tea, nuts, and seeds, including pumpkin seeds. Research suggests a diet rich in antioxidants like phenolic acid significantly reduces the risk of diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Pumpkin seed protein isn’t just protein—it also contains fiber and healthy fats. This trio is a nutritious choice for maintaining stable blood sugar levels during meals and healthy snacking.
Eating protein along with carbohydrates helps slow the breakdown of glucose and the release of glucose into the bloodstream. This helps maintain steady blood sugar levels, decreasing the likelihood of a blood sugar spike.
Pumpkin seed protein is a good source of fiber, providing 4 grams per serving. As an undigestible carbohydrate, fiber moves along the digestive tract like a broom, helping keep everything clean and tidy. It also helps slow the digestion of glucose, supporting blood sugar balance. Adequate fiber intake is also beneficial for heart health and weight management.
High cholesterol is one of the most common heart health issues in the United States. Eating high-fiber foods, like pumpkin seed protein, can help lower cholesterol. Fiber binds to cholesterol in the small intestine, preventing the body from using it. The cholesterol is excreted from the body along with the fiber.
Linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid found in plant-based foods like pumpkin seeds, may also help improve heart health. A 2020 study in Nutrients found that replacing saturated fats with linoleic acid is associated with decreasing total cholesterol levels and may help reduce triglyceride levels.
Pumpkin seeds also provide potassium, a mineral that may help lower blood pressure and reduce heart disease and stroke risk. One serving of pumpkin seeds contains 10% of the daily value of potassium.
The oil extracted from pumpkin seeds, known as pumpkin seed oil, may help support bladder and prostate health and improve bladder-related conditions.
In a study of 45 people with overactive bladder, those who consumed 10 grams of pumpkin seed oil daily for 12 weeks had less bladder frequency. Another older study examining the effect of pumpkin seeds on bladder health found that the high phosphorus levels in pumpkin seeds may help lower the risk of bladder stones.
Another study looked at the effects of pumpkin seeds on prostate health in 1,431 men with symptoms of enlarged prostate. It found that those who consumed 10 grams of pumpkin seeds daily for 12 months experienced significant improvement in their symptoms compared to those who took a placebo.
Some foods, including pumpkin seeds, have properties that improve mood by increasing serotonin levels in the brain.
Pumpkin seeds are a source of the amino acid tryptophan—a 1-ounce serving of pumpkin seeds provides 0.16 grams. Tryptophan has been shown to increase brain levels of the body’s feel-good chemical serotonin. A study in the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience reported promising evidence that tryptophan may have antidepressant qualities for those who have mild to moderate depression and easily irritated people.
If you struggle with depression or irritability, contact your mental health specialist or primary care provider.
Pumpkin seed protein is an excellent plant-based protein option made of ground pumpkin seeds. It provides fiber, healthy fats, antioxidants, and other nutrients, along with protein. With health benefits ranging from better blood sugar levels and heart health to support for bladder and prostate health and improved mood, try adding pumpkin seed protein to your healthy daily routine year-round.
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