Many nutritionists admit that pumpkin has a huge amount of beneficial properties. Its chemical composition is a real storehouse of various vitamins and minerals. However, the benefit can be found not only in the pulp itself, but also in the seeds. So if you want to get a powerful dose of nutrients, then you should definitely try to eat a small amount of fried pumpkin seeds. They really can act as an ideal snack when you need to quickly replenish your strength and eat healthy food. This article will talk about how fried pumpkin seeds are useful, as well as their composition and calorie content.
Chemical composition
Before you begin to find out what is the benefit and harm of fried pumpkin seeds, it is necessary to determine the composition of this product, which determines this or that action. As mentioned earlier, pumpkin seeds have a huge variety of vitamins and minerals. Especially among them, the following can be identified:
- A number of B vitamins that the body needs to receive daily for normal functioning.
- Vitamin PP, which helps to improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system. There are so many seeds in it that with one serving you can satisfy the normal daily need for this vitamin by about 75 percent.
- Also, normalize the work of the heart muscle helps phosphorus and potassium in this product. Among the minerals you can also list zinc and iron. And if you eat only 50 g of fried pumpkin seeds, you can provide the body with a daily rate of manganese.
As you can see, in simple seeds there is a huge amount of useful substances that the body needs.
The nutritional value
And what is the calorie content of fried pumpkin seeds? First of all, it is worth remembering that they are very fatty, since almost half their weight is made up of fats. So out of a total of 100 grams of the product, approximately 50 grams will come from fats. But there are practically no carbohydrates in them - they weigh only 5 grams. Proteins in them are about 35 grams. Everything else is dietary fiber, ash, and water itself.
Therefore, as can be understood from the above information, fried pumpkin seeds are very high in calories - about 560 kcal per 100 grams of product. However, they are quite nutritious, so it’s impossible to eat a lot of them anyway.
Benefit for health
If we talk about the benefits of fried pumpkin seeds, then doctors recommend using them to people who suffer from hypertension. It was found that regular consumption of them even in small amounts helps to lower the level of blood pressure and even normalize it after a while. However, in order to achieve a similar effect, they really have to eat every day.
In addition, pumpkin seeds are truly an excellent way to combat motion sickness. So if you have seasickness, then you should take a bag of seeds with you on the road and gradually eat them. In this case, nausea will not haunt constantly.
Also, eating pumpkin seeds will be useful for patients with diabetes. They will help not only to alleviate the symptoms of the disease, but also to lower blood sugar. Among the useful properties of this product, one can list the prevention of osteoporosis, the strengthening of bone tissue and the improvement of stool quality (especially useful for constipation).
Useful properties for women
As already explained, fried pumpkin seeds are very good for your health. Therefore, they are often recommended for pregnant women who suffer from severe toxicosis in the early stages of gestation. Eating a small amount will help normalize the condition.
In addition, the seeds have a good effect on the appearance of a woman. After some time, the hair will become more shiny and silky, and wrinkles will not be a real problem for a long time. As was noted, if pumpkin seeds are regularly added to food, then youth will last for a long time.
Harmful side
Despite the presence of such a huge number of positive aspects, this product also has its negative sides. The harm of fried pumpkin seeds is quite real, so you need to use them quite carefully. Among the negative factors, the following must be mentioned:
- When you eat pumpkin seeds, it is very important to consider their quantity. If you eat too many of them daily, then this can lead to severe destruction of tooth enamel. To prevent going to the dentist, it is best to brush the seeds with your hands, not your teeth.
- People who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract need to be very careful about this product. In some cases, the seeds can provoke a sharp increase in acidity in the stomach or bowel obstruction.
- It is also worth considering the fact that in fried seeds there is a large amount of salt, which settles in the body and ultimately leads to its salting. If a similar problem appears, then first of all it will affect the joints, which will begin to lose their mobility.
All of the above information leads to the fact that if you want to start eating pumpkin seeds regularly, you only need to eat a few pieces a day. So you should definitely not get involved in them.
Information for losing weight
Those people who choose products with an eye to the fact that they want to lose weight should definitely take into account the fact that pumpkin seeds have a very high level of fat, and therefore have an incredibly high calorie content. So if there is a desire to lose weight, then eating more than 10 pieces a day is definitely not necessary. Despite the large number of vitamins, as well as minerals, seeds will negatively affect the figure.
The benefits of raw seeds
Despite the fact that fried seeds have a large number of useful properties, doctors still recognize that it is best to eat them raw. Let this product taste a little worse than fried, but due to the lack of heat treatment, all vitamins and minerals can be obtained in full.
Now let's talk about what benefits can be obtained in full from raw pumpkin seeds. First of all, it is worth mentioning that they have a small amount of toxin. It is completely safe for people, so it certainly will not work for them, but it is incredibly dangerous for various parasites that can settle in the body. So often in the presence of helminthiasis, seeds are really an excellent treatment.
It is also worth mentioning the large number of phytosterols that are found in seeds. With their help, you can significantly clear the vessels of bad cholesterol. And L-tryptophan will have a positive effect on mood, helping to even overcome feelings of depression and loss of strength. After a while, it will be possible to notice that the night's sleep has become stronger and calmer.
Some doctors recommend the use of seeds as a prophylactic against the formation of kidney stones.
Cooking
You can argue endlessly which pumpkin seeds are useful: fried or raw. Each of them has its own number of pros and cons. It’s best to focus on how to cook them without losing many of their health benefits. To do this, it is best to adhere to the following recommendations:
- To prepare tasty and slightly spicy pumpkin seeds in the oven, you will need to add about two teaspoons of Worcester sauce, half a teaspoon of salt and a little dry garlic to a bowl with seeds.
- The resulting mixture needs to be mixed very well, and then add to it about one and a half tablespoons of melted butter (if desired, it can be replaced with any vegetable).
- Everything is mixed again, and then sent to the baking sheet. Bake seeds in a preheated oven to 140 degrees for an hour. In this case, they must be periodically pulled out and mixed. Ultimately, they should become golden.
After cooking, the seeds will need to be cooled beforehand and after that you can eat directly.
additional information
The benefits of pumpkin seeds have been known for a long time. Even at a time when North America was inhabited by tribes, they were already actively used in treatment. Especially popular are pumpkin seeds in Mexico, where they are one of the most popular snacks. Here they are fried during cooking with various spices and seasonings, creating unique tastes.
However, it is worth knowing that in order for the body to get all the benefits from the seeds, they must be chewed very carefully, because otherwise the digestive system simply will not digest the food. In an extreme case, if there is no desire to bite the seeds, then you can use pumpkin oil, which is freely sold in the store. Its regular addition to food will cure prostatitis, prostate adenoma and improve the elasticity of the prostate gland. So men should definitely look at this oil.
Conclusion
The answer to the question of whether fried pumpkin seeds are useful is definitely positive. And yet, it is better to use them fresh. However, even if you like them a lot, you don’t need to eat a lot right away.
In general, seeds can really be called an incredibly useful product that contains the necessary vitamins and minerals that a person needs for normal life. In addition, they have a very peculiar taste, which is very successfully combined with various products.