Lower cholesterol with pumpkin seeds

Lower cholesterol with pumpkin seeds (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images)

Halloween and the orange pumpkin go together. But today we look at how the smallest part of the pumpkin, the seed has a lot of health benefits; rather than just being a good 'time pass' while watching your favourite drama show.

Pumpkin as a vegetable is low in cholesterol; hence it is beneficial for your weight loss diet. But let's eat to the centre of the pumpkin and find out more health benefits of pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds reduce the chance of prostate cancer. Pumpkin seeds can reduce the progression of benign prostatic hypertrophy (this can lead to cancer) and ease prostrate cancer.

Pumpkin seeds have the ability to protect you from osteoporosis and arthritis. This seed is rich in zinc, whereas osteoporosis is the outcome of low zinc levels. The chemical component of phytosterols present in pumpkin seeds has the ability to suck out cholesterol from the body. It also puts a plug on cholesterol absorption in the body.

Most of us know that berries are a good source for anti-oxidants, and now you can add pumpkin seeds to the list too. Stop inflammation with pumpkin seeds. For vegetarians, add pumpkin seeds to your list of foods rich in protein.100gms of seeds on a daily basis provide 54 percent of the daily requirement in terms of protein. Most of us pop pills to replenish deficiency of vitamin B-complex, try pumpkin seeds next time. Pumpkin seeds are a good source for vitamin B like thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6 and folates.

For those who are down in the dumps, pumpkin seeds can help fight through depression. The chemical component L-tryptophan is the secret ingredient to boost your mood. Did you know that pumpkin seeds can prevent kidney stones? Studies suggest that pumpkin seeds can help prevent certain kidney stone formations like calcium oxalate kidney stone. Apparently pumpkin seeds also hold the secret to fighting parasites, especially tapeworms. Pumpkin seeds can also be a good foundation for a beauty treatment. It keeps your skin healthy, glowing and vibrant.

Source: Times of India 

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