Plant-protein-based food items contain a copious amount of health benefits. For example, Tongkat Ali Powder can help with stamina, energy production, and libido. Plant-based protein foods have even gained traction among all health-conscious consumers. Among all the plant-based protein powders, pumpkin seeds protein is one of the best ingredients to incorporate into your daily diet routine. This is because pumpkin seeds are filled with healthy Omega-3 fats, antioxidants, essential micronutrients, and minerals such as zinc, iron, and magnesium.
Pumpkin seeds are a by-product of the pumpkin oil manufacturing process. It is obtained during the cold-processed extraction process of the pumpkin seed oil collected from “press cake.” It is then gathered and milled into the ground to create pumpkin powder. A single ounce of pumpkin seed contains 150 calories, 15g of healthy fats, 2-3g of carbs, and 9-10g of protein, making up around 35% of the total nutritional content. In addition, we will introduce some great health-beneficial reasons why one should add pumpkin seeds protein into their diet.
1. Rich in antioxidants
Pumpkin seeds protein powder has an abundance of antioxidants like phenolic acids and flavonoids; you can even find small amounts of carotenoids and vitamin E. Antioxidants are well-known to reduce inflammation. It protects your cells from harmful free radicals. This makes it one of the best foods to protect you against many diseases, thus proving that consuming foods rich in antioxidants is good for your health and protects your body from harmful effects.
The fact that pumpkin seeds contain high levels of antioxidants, makes them responsible for all the positive effects on health. One of the older studies claims that pumpkin seed oil reduced inflammation in rats that had arthritis. The rat did not exhibit any side effects from the pumpkin seeds. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7784309/)
2. Rich in valuable nutrients
Pumpkin seeds powder contains various other good nutrients, which means more health benefits. One ounce (oz), or 28 grams (g), of shell-free pumpkin seeds, has roughly 160 calories, primarily from fat and protein. Additionally, a 1-oz (28-g) serving contains the following nutrients:
Carbs: 3 g, Protein: 8.6 g, fat: 14 g, fiber: 1.7 g, manganese: 56% of the Daily Value (DV), copper: 42% of the DV, magnesium: 40% of the DV, phosphorus: 28% of the DV, zinc: 20% of the DV, iron: 14% of the DV.
3. Balances blood sugar
Diabetes is a global metabolic disorder that occurs when elevated blood glucose levels result from the failure of cells to use glucose sufficiently. It occurs due to the pancreas’s inability to provide an adequate amount of insulin, the resistance of cellular activities, or both. Pumpkin seeds have proven to promote hypoglycemic activity and potentially modulate diabetes by producing a higher rate of insulin release.
4. Boost the immune system
Pumpkin seeds exhibit antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, and studies even show that pumpkin seed protein also contains anti-fungal properties, inhibiting pathogens and bacteria from proliferating. They are also rich in minerals like zinc and iron, both vital for the immune system.
In addition to all these properties mentioned above, pumpkin seeds exhibit Anthelmintic effects on the gastrointestinal system, helping destroy parasites and pathogens.
5. May improve heart health
Pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of antioxidants, magnesium, zinc, and unsaturated fats, all known to help keep your heart healthy. Animal studies have also shown that pumpkin seed oil can reduce cholesterol levels and blood sugar, two vital risk factors for heart disease. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4583328/)
The research also found that pumpkin seed oil supplements reduced diastolic blood pressure by 7% and increased HDL (good) cholesterol levels by 16%. The pumpkins’ potential to increase nitric oxide generation in your body may be associated with its positive effects on heart health. Thus, pumpkin seeds’ nutrients may keep your heart healthy by reducing blood pressure and increasing the production of good cholesterol.
In conclusion
Pumpkin seeds protein powder can provide a range of health benefits. They are rich in antioxidants that help reduce inflammation, protect your cells from harmful free radicals, and fight many diseases. Pumpkin seeds contain a wide range of helpful nutrients in our everyday diet. They fulfill a decent portion of the required nutrients for our daily intake. They are also known to promote hypoglycemic activity that creates more insulin in the body, resulting in regulation or reduced risk of diabetes. Pumpkin seeds are rich in minerals like zinc and iron, which help boost our immune system. Additionally, the antioxidants magnesium, zinc, and unsaturated fats in pumpkin seeds are well-known to help you keep a healthy heart.
We hope this article has helped you understand the benefits of pumpkin seeds protein powder so that you can benefit from adding it to your diet. Thank you for reading!