5 benefits of eating pumpkin seeds as a snack

If you don't know what pumpkin seeds are, they have a flat appearance and a dark green color. You can find them still wrapped in their pale yellow shell, although some varieties of pumpkins produce shell-less seeds, and consuming them as a snack will provide you with many benefits.These seeds are a good source of nutrients, and their chewy and malleable texture makes them ideal for eating between meals. They are also very accessible, and in many markets, pumpkin seeds are available in various forms: raw with shell, raw without shell, roasted with shell, or roasted without shell.If you include them as a snack in the afternoons, they will not only help you control your appetite, but pumpkin seeds will also provide you with these benefits.Health benefits of pumpkin seedsEating just a small amount of pumpkin seeds can provide you with a substantial amount of healthy fats, magnesium, and zinc. This is why pumpkin seeds have been associated with various health benefits, such as those listed below.High in antioxidantsPumpkin seeds contain antioxidants, such as carotenoids and vitamin E, which can reduce inflammation and protect cells from harmful free radicals. This is why consuming antioxidant-rich foods can help protect against many diseases.Regarding pumpkin seeds, their high levels of antioxidants are believed to be largely responsible for their positive health effects.May help lower blood sugar levelsAlthough studies have been conducted on animals, scientific research has shown that pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seed powder, and pumpkin juice can reduce blood sugar levels. This research is especially important for people with diabetes, who may struggle to control their blood sugar levels.On the other hand, several studies have found that supplementation with pumpkin juice or pumpkin seed powder reduced blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. The high magnesium content of pumpkin seeds is believed to be responsible for their positive effect on diabetes.Magnesium sourcePumpkin seeds are one of the best natural sources of magnesium, a mineral that is often lacking in the diets of many Western populations. Magnesium is necessary for over 600 chemical reactions in the body, for example:Controlling blood pressure.Reducing the risk of heart disease.Forming and maintaining healthy bones.Regulating blood sugar levels.High fiber contentPumpkin seeds are a great source of dietary fiber, as just the shelled seeds provide 1.1 grams of fiber in a 28-gram serving. This is a significant health benefit because a fiber-rich diet can promote good digestive health. Additionally, fiber-rich diets are associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.May help improve sleepPumpkin seeds are a natural source of tryptophan, an amino acid that can help promote sleep, so if you have trouble falling asleep, eating some pumpkin seeds before going to bed might help. However, you would need to eat about 200 grams of pumpkin seeds to achieve the necessary amount of tryptophan.Moreover, the zinc in these seeds may also help convert tryptophan into serotonin, which then converts to melatonin, the hormone that regulates the sleep cycle.Pumpkin seeds can easily be incorporated into your diet as a snack or ingredient in meals or baking; they can be eaten raw or roasted, salted or unsalted. Besides eating them alone, you can add them to smoothies or your fruit with Greek yogurt. You can also incorporate them into meals by sprinkling them on salads, soups, or cereals.In addition to eating them alone as a snack, here are some recipes where you can incorporate pumpkin seeds:Oatmeal with guavaHummus with seed sauceFish with nut crust