All about Pumpkin Seed Oil
Health Benefits
The health benefits of a good quality Pumpkin Seed Oil is wide and many especially in this day and age with high obesity levels and where people have been taught to become fearful of fats and more often than not don't get enough of the 'good' fats in their diet.
Fats are an essential part of the human diet to make our bodies function with energy and vitality. Without good fats in the diet obesity, disease and early aging can be the result. How do you tell a good fat from a bad - click here for a simple explanation that you can easily use.
The fats in pumpkin seed oil play a vital role in hormone production, carbohydrate metabolism, blood pressure regulation, cholesterol levels, joint lubrication, skin moisture and immune response. Our remarkable bodies process, change and convert some of these fats into hormones and other fat compositions to meet the requirements of a living body, as long as there is all the other nutrients and vitamins its needs to do these processes.
Pumpkin seed oil is known as one of the top 3 most nutritious oils along with flax and hemp seed oil. This is due in part to the high amounts of Omega 6 - Linoleic Acid, contained in the oil. (Omega 6 is an Essential Fatty Acid. This means we need to get it in our foods as our bodies require it for certain processes and cannot make it from other fats. The only other Essential Fatty Acid is Omega 3 - Linolenic Acid. Omega 9 - Oleic Acid, the main fatty acid in olive oil, is not an Essential Fatty Acid.)
Specific Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seed Oil for everyone from the nutrients it contains
- Prostate Function - known throughout history and more in modern times for helping BPH - Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy or prostate enlargement in men.
- Cholesterol Balancing - Omega 6 and phytosterols play a vital role in keeping blood cholesterol levels balanced.
- Cystitus - the nutrients contained in pumpkin seed oil have beneficial effects on the reproductive system in women.
- Kidney Function - nutrients in pumpkin seed oil used in treatments to inhibit kidney stone formation.
- Anti Arthritic - fatty acids and fat soluable vitamins (A, D, E & K) for joint lubrication and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Diabetes - the essential fatty acids are used in carbohydrate (complex and simple sugar) metabolism and hormone production which can affect blood sugar levels.
- Anti Parasitic - many native people have used pumpkin seeds to expel various worms from the body through out history.
- Skin Care - the high amounts of Vitamin E and A contained in pumpkin seed oil maintain healthy skin by protecting cells from free radical damage and aiding the body to grow, maintain and heal.
- Cancer protection - recent research suggests essential fatty acids and antioxidants fight cancer cells.
- Bed wetting - (in children) strengthening the bladder and urinary tract can help to prevent this.
- Milk production - increasing fats which are contained in good quantities in mothers milk can increase production.
Misconceptions about Pumpkin Seed Oil and others
Pumpkin Seed Oil is good for Omega 3. Incorrect - pure pumpkin seed oil does not have much Omega 3 at all. Some pumpkin seed oil is diluted with canola oil which contains Omega 3 increasing the Omega 3 content.
Pumpkin Seed Oil is a good source of protein. - Incorrect - no oils contain protein because the oil is extracted from the protein and carbohydrates.
Pumpkin Seed Oil is a good source of zinc. Incorrect - zinc and other minerals are not generally fat soluable. Only minute quantities are naturally found in unprocessed extracted oils. You need to eat the whole seed or our pumpkin seed meal to get the zinc content in your diet.
Above four articles from Professor Brian Peskin's website
