What Vitamins Are in Pumpkin Seeds?

I enjoy eating pumpkin seeds and have learned they’re high in various nutrients.

So, I took some time to look at what vitamins and nutrients are found in pumpkin seeds and thought I’d explain the health benefits and nutrients found in pumpkin seeds.

Here’s what vitamins are in pumpkin seeds:

Many people wonder whether pumpkin seeds are good for you, and I’ve also heard that pumpkin seeds are good for removing parasites from your digestive system, and so below I will cover the health benefits of pumpkin seeds whether they contain iron, and protein.

As well as, whether you can eat them raw.

Are the Pumpkin Seeds Good for You?

I generally snack on pumpkin seeds either on my own or with some dried fruits and other nuts.

But, are pumpkin seeds good for you?

Half a cup of pumpkin seeds – which is a somewhat large serving – contains 167% of your recommended daily intake of phosphorus.

So, it’s best to not consume more than about a quarter of a cup of pumpkin seeds per day on average.

Any more than that and you’ll be consuming too much phosphorus in your diet.

Also, when you take into account that other foods you’ll normally consume also contain phosphorus.

But, other than that pumpkin seeds have a range of health benefits according to medical professionals. They are:

• Give you a better nights sleep
• They are anti-inflammatory
• Are anti-carcinogenic
• Regulates blood sugar levels

Give you a better nights sleep

Copper, selenium, and zinc have been linked to giving you a more restful night’s sleep according to medical professionals.

The high magnesium content in pumpkin seeds is also linked to reducing stress levels which can make you more relaxed and give you longer and more restful sleep.

They also contain a compound called tryptophan which is known to help induce sleep.

Therefore, they can be good as the last snack you eat before getting ready for bed.

They are anti-inflammatory

Inflammation is linked to many health conditions such as heart disease and arthritis.

Pumpkin seeds contain antioxidants that remove toxins from the body and reduce inflammation, as well as alleviate inflammation when it occurs.

Are anti-carcinogenic

Carcinogens are known to cause cancer.

The antioxidants in pumpkin seeds also help to remove carcinogens present in the body that have been linked to developed various forms of cancer.

Regulates blood sugar levels

Diabetes is caused by too much sugar in your diet, which causes the insulin receptors to become tolerant and absorb less insulin.

The high levels of magnesium found in pumpkin seeds are understood to regulate your blood sugar levels. Which reduces the risk of developing diabetes.

A good amount of iron in your diet is needed to stave off various health issues, and I’m interested in whether pumpkin seeds are a good source of iron.

Here’s what I found.

They are, however, abundant in various other nutrients that are good for your health including magnesium and copper.

I’ve experimented with different diets such as a vegetarian, and vegan diet.

But, a drawback of these diets is that you need to ensure you’re getting enough protein.

So, I wanted to know whether pumpkin seeds are a good source of protein.

Therefore, pumpkin seeds can contribute to your daily protein needs, and can be helpful for people trying to put on muscle.

To get a good idea of what nutrients are present in pumpkin seeds, here’s a table that shows all of the nutrients that are present in them, as well as, what percent of the recommended daily intake of each nutrient they contain per half a cup (100g).

As can be seen in the table, the nutrients they contain are quite random.

They contain high amounts of some vitamins, whereas, they contain none of any of the others.

Pumpkin seeds broadly are high in minerals, while being quite low in vitamins.

Legumes are another type of seed that is eaten regularly and for the most part, are high in protein.

As you may know, they include seeds such as kidney beans and black beans.

Dried seeds from plants known as legumes are also called pulses.

I did some research into the nutritional benefits of legumes and summarized what I found in this article about whether legumes are healthy.

Most legumes need to be soaked for 5 hours to remove toxins, and you also need to cook them at a high temperature so that they aren’t toxic.

It’s often recommended to soak pumpkin seeds prior to roasting them.

But, this is an optional step and isn’t required.

I scoop out pumpkins seeds when I’m preparing to roast them to cook, and generally discard them.

But, is it possible to eat them straight from a pumpkin without cooking?

Raw pumpkin seeds tend to not keep as long as roasted pumpkin seeds.

People have reported that they last up to about 3 days before they go soggy, and have a yuck texture.

Roasted pumpkin seeds by comparison tend to stay fresh if kept sealed and can last a week or so before they start to go soft.

I’ve recently learned that it’s possible to have intestinal parasites without being aware of them.

And have been learning about different remedies to get rid of them.

So, are pumpkin seeds good for removing parasites?

They are also recommended for pet dogs, however, you may need to sneak them into their food depending on how fussy your dog is.

A study also found that cucurbitacins that help to remove parasites from the digestive system also are effective at alleviating atherosclerosis, cancer, inflammation, and diabetes.

When I first ate pumpkin seeds with a friend they cracked them open with their teeth and only ate the seed so I did the same.

But, later on I bought some pumpkin seeds and ate the whole thing including the shell.

So, I wanted to know whether you’re supposed to eat the whole pumpkin seed or just the seed itself.

Once chewed they still have a tough, sharp texture which feels a bit funny to swallow.

Many pumpkin seeds are seasoned with salt, as well as chili and other spices.

When chewing them the added flavors are swallowed and the seeds that are left in the mouth have a bland flavor.