Pumpkin seeds , the very ones that we tend to throw away every time we decide to cook this extraordinary vegetable, are in reality an inexhaustible source nutrients and benefits for our health. They have a pleasant flavor, similar to that of nuts, and if roasted they can be chewed: here’s how to use pumpkin seeds.
These extraordinary seeds contain zinc, phosphorus, copper, potassium, iron and magnesium, and are so rich in them that they can be defined as real food supplements. You can add them to smoothies, eat them toasted, put them in milk or grind them into flour and use them to prepare other dishes.
Pumpkin seeds contain large amounts of vitamins A, K and B3, but also linoleic acid, omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids. The main benefits pumpkin seeds :
- they are recommended for people suffering from osteoporosis, thanks to their high zinc content, essential for delaying the deterioration of bone mineral density,
- they help people with arthritis by reducing inflammation,
- promote prostate health,
- reduce the risk of kidney stone formation,
- they help reduce bad cholesterol levels, being rich in phytosterols,
- contain L-tryptophan, a compound that has natural antidepressant properties,
- they promote the production of serotonin, and help us reduce sleep and anxiety problems,
- may be useful in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome,
- they have calming and laxative properties.