What Is Pumpkin Powder, and What Is It Used For? Nutrients, Health Advantages, and Other Information

Plant nourishment is undeniably powerful. Pumpkins are nutrient-dense vegetables that are high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein, and fiber.

Pumpkins are native to South America, although the majority are now farmed in the United States. They're used in appetizers, main courses, side dishes, soups, salads, and desserts all around the world.

They can also be used for fun activities like carving, painting projects, and smashing. People frequently discard aside the pumpkin seeds when utilizing pumpkins for these purposes.

Pumpkin seeds, on the other hand, should not be disregarded. They're high in protein, tocopherols, phytoestrogens, omega-3 fatty acids, and minerals, all of which are beneficial to your health.

Pumpkin seed oil has even been researched as an alternative treatment for diseases and ailments like alopecia, cancer, and infertility .

This article discusses pumpkin seed powder, its nutrition, and health advantages, as well as how to include it into your daily routine to improve your health.

What is pumpkin seed powder?

Pumpkin seeds come from pumpkins, as one might expect. Cucurbita pepo and Cucurbita maxima are the most commonly used cultivars.

Cucurbitaceae gourds are related to zucchini, watermelon, squash, and cucumber and are members of the Cucurbitaceae family.

Pumpkin seed powder is made by grinding raw or roasted pumpkin seeds.

Because heat boosts the antioxidants in pumpkin seed powder derived from roasted pumpkin seeds, it may offer more health advantages. The flavor, aroma, and ease of digestion of raw pumpkin seeds may differ from those of roasted pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin seed powder is a great source of plant protein, especially for people who avoid animal proteins or have sensitivities to dairy proteins like whey and casein.

Pumpkin protein powder vs. pumpkin seed powder

Pumpkin seed powder is formed entirely of powdered or mixed pumpkin seeds.

You may also get a pumpkin protein powder that is comprised entirely of powdered or blended pumpkin seeds. Some pumpkin seed protein powders include pumpkin seeds with additional plant protein sources like quinoa or flaxseed, for example.

Always check the ingredients list to verify if you're getting pure pumpkin seed powder or pumpkin protein powder. Pumpkin seeds should be the only ingredient in pure pumpkin seed powder.

It's important not to mix pumpkin-flavored protein powder with pumpkin seed powder, as the two are completely separate products. Pumpkin-flavored protein powder can be made from a variety of protein sources, such as whey or casein, and flavored with pumpkin.

Pumpkin seed powder is made from roasted or raw pumpkin seeds that have been ground or blended. If the only mentioned ingredient is pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seed powder and pumpkin seed protein are the same thing. Other plant foods, such as flaxseed or quinoa, are incorporated into some pumpkin seed protein formulations.

Pumpkin seed powder nutrition

One ounce (28 grams) of pumpkin seed powder contains

Calories: 80

Protein: 18 grams

Fat: 0 grams

Carbohydrates: 1 gram

Sugar: 0 grams

Cholesterol: 0 grams

Fiber: 4 grams

Calcium: 33 milligrams (2% of the Daily Value)

Iron: 6 milligrams (35% of the DV)

Potassium: 462 milligrams (10% of the DV)

Zinc: 7 milligrams (45% of the DV)

Magnesium: 319 milligrams (80% of the DV)

Pumpkin seed powder, as you can see, is high in protein and also contains fiber, iron, magnesium, and potassium.

Pumpkin seed powder has a high protein, fiber, and mineral content, making it an excellent source of nourishment. It's also fat-free and cholesterol-free.

Health benefits of pumpkin seed powder

a high-quality plant protein source

1 ounce (28 grams) of pumpkin seed powder has 18 grams of plant-based protein.

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. The human body cannot manufacture nine necessary amino acids on its own. As a result, eating high-quality protein sources that contain essential amino acids is critical. All nine are found in pumpkin seeds .

The seeds are high in lysine, leucine, and arginine, which are necessary amino acids for muscular growth .

Leucine is a type of essential amino acid known as a branched-chain amino acid, or BCAA. It plays an important role in gastrointestinal and immunological health .

The advantages of plant protein don't end there.

Nutritional differences between eating plant-based protein and animal-based protein were discovered in a 2015 review. Eating plant-based proteins resulted in more polyunsaturated fatty acids, fiber, magnesium, and vitamin E being consumed .

Despite the fact that animal protein offered a few helpful elements such as iron, zinc, and vitamin B12, eating animal protein was linked to higher saturated fatty acid consumption. These nutrients may be harmful to your heart .

Pumpkin seed powder is a high-quality plant-based protein that can help you stay healthy.

It's possible that it'll help you sleep better.

Sleep difficulties are prevalent, and some research suggests that they are linked to iron deficiency.

A 2018 assessment of 93 papers discovered that 35 of them revealed a link between iron deficiency and sleep problems. Iron supplementation was proven to be useful for supporting improved sleep in 36 investigations, including five randomized control trials (14Trusted Source).

Iron is found in 35 percent of your DV in an ounce of pumpkin seed powder. Eating iron-rich foods can help keep your iron levels in check and prevent deficiency.When the two nutrients are consumed together, vitamin C is known to assist boost iron absorption in the body. Mixing pumpkin seed powder with a vitamin C-rich food, such as applesauce or a citrus smoothie, will help you absorb more iron from the seeds.

In addition, 1 ounce of pumpkin seed powder contains 80 percent of the daily value for magnesium. Magnesium has been researched for its function in helping to alleviate insomnia, but further research is needed.

Antioxidants are abundant, which may aid in disease prevention.

Because of its high concentration of bioactive chemicals and antioxidants, pumpkin seed powder has disease-fighting and immune-enhancing properties.

Pumpkin seeds contain natural antioxidants and bioactive components such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, and tocopherols (vitamin E).

Antioxidants serve a critical purpose in assisting your body's optimal performance. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), also known as free radicals, are produced by natural processes in your body on a daily basis.

Antioxidants aid in the defense of your body by maintaining a healthy level of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance of antioxidants and reactive oxygen species (ROS), which increases your risk of inflammation, tissue damage, and illness.

When taken orally for 28 days, oral pumpkin seed oil lowered oxidative stress in 20 rats with liver damage, according to a 2020 animal study.

Another study discovered that pumpkin seed oil inhibited the growth of prostate, breast, and colorectal cancer cells, possibly due to the bioactive chemicals contained in pumpkin seed oil.

However, because both of these studies used oils rather than powder, more research is needed to determine whether pumpkin powder provides the same advantages to humans.

Zinc is also an antioxidant, making it an important vitamin for immunological health. Pumpkin seed powder is a good source of zinc because it contains 45 percent of your daily value per ounce.

It's possible that it'll help your heart.

4 grams of dietary fiber are found in one ounce (28 grams) of pumpkin seed powder, which is a vital ingredient for heart health.

In a 2017 randomized control research, 40 participants were compared to 40 adults in the control group to see how 3 grams of oat fiber affected cholesterol levels.

The control group saw a 3.1 percent drop in total cholesterol and a 4.1 percent drop in LDL (bad) cholesterol after 28 days. The experimental group experienced a total cholesterol reduction of 8.1 percent and a reduction of 11.4 percent in LDL cholesterol.

Heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States today, is reduced by lowering high LDL cholesterol levels.

In addition, 1 ounce of pumpkin seed powder contains 10% of your daily potassium requirement (28 grams).

Potassium is a heart-healthy mineral that has been shown in numerous studies to reduce blood pressure. This is because potassium aids in the removal of excess salt from the body through urination. If high blood pressure becomes uncontrollable, it can lead to heart disease, kidney disease, or stroke.

Finally, due to the presence of linoleic acid, an unsaturated fatty acid, pumpkin seed powder may be beneficial to heart health.

A 2016 analysis of randomized control studies found that replacing saturated fats in the diet with linoleic acid fats from vegetable oils can significantly lower cholesterol levels.

However, it's unclear whether lowering cholesterol by substituting linoleic acid fats for saturated fats lowers the risk of heart attacks or death from heart disease, thus the advantages may be exaggerated. There is a need for more research.

It is possible that it will aid in the prevention of hair loss.Pumpkin seed powder has the potential to influence hair development.

A randomized trial in 2014 compared the benefits of pumpkin seed oil vs a placebo on hair growth in 76 adult men with alopecia, a hair loss illness.

There was a 40% increase in hairs in the pumpkin seed oil group after 24 weeks of therapy with 400 mg of encapsulated pumpkin seed oil or placebo each day, compared to a 10% rise in the placebo group.

In one experiment, rats with their back hair removed were divided into five groups. A testosterone solution, a testosterone solution with 5% pumpkin seed oil, a testosterone solution with 10% pumpkin seed oil, testosterone and a hair loss medication, or nothing at all were given to the groups.

The testosterone was used to slow natural hair regrowth, and the other therapies, such as pumpkin seed oil, were evaluated to see which one counteract the testosterone's effects the most effectively.

After three weeks of topical application of the various solutions to the rats' shaved backs, the group that got 10% pumpkin seed oil exhibited hair growth of 60–79%, compared to 20–39% in the testosterone-only group.

These statistically significant findings suggest that pumpkin seed oil may help to counteract testosterone's effects on decreased hair growth.

However, it's unclear if the findings would hold true in humans. Furthermore, both of these studies looked at pumpkin seed oil rather than powder, indicating that more research is needed.

Male reproductive health may be aided.Pumpkin seed oil may help persons who were born male to have better reproductive health.

The effects of pumpkin seed oil, vitamin E oil, and sunflower oil on the reproductive health of male roosters were investigated in a recent animal study. Thirty roosters were divided into six groups and tested for 60 days.

The roosters who were fed a blend of pumpkin seed oil and vitamin E oil had more sperm concentration, motility, and live sperm. They had less sperm that were damaged than the control group... as well as the groups who were simply given pumpkin seed oil or sunflower seed oil.

In addition, a 2016 study looked at the effects of pumpkin seed extract and ginger extract on rat reproduction. Sixty rats were divided into six groups of ten, with three of the groups being given a cancer medication known to harm sperm.

The results showed that groups fed a mix of pumpkin seed extracts and ginger extracts (300–600 mg per kg of body weight) had significantly higher sperm count, sperm mobility, and sperm quality than the control group.

Still, further human studies are needed to determine whether and how pumpkin seed oil affects reproductive health, as well as whether pumpkin seed powder has the same benefits.

It's compatible with a variety of special diets.

Pumpkin seed powder is gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, nut-free, and dairy-free by nature.

It is free of eggs, wheat, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, and milk, which are the top eight allergens (31Trusted Source).

As a result, pumpkin seed powder is suitable for most diets.

While pumpkin seed powder may be suitable for most individuals, if you have a pumpkin allergy or sensitivity, you should avoid it. You might want to try pea protein as a different type of plant protein powder.

Because of its high quality plant-powered protein, sleep-inducing iron, and disease-fighting antioxidants, pumpkin seed powder has a wide range of health benefits. Its heart-healthy fiber, favorable effect on hair development, potential reproductive health benefits, and ability to fit into almost any diet are all factors to consider.

What is the best way to use pumpkin seed powder?

You may now consider pumpkin seed powder to be a must-have in your kitchen. I completely agree with you!

Pumpkin seed powder is simple to use into a variety of dishes.

If you're a baker, you can use pumpkin seed powder to enhance homemade baked products like muffins, pancakes, and cakes.

Salad dressings, shakes, smoothies, soups, stews, yogurt, juice, milk, and hot porridge all benefit from pumpkin seed powder.

How to make homemade pumpkin seed powder

Pumpkin seeds might lose nutritional value when roasted at high heat. Roasting pumpkin seeds for 10 minutes at 320°F (160°C) helps (6Trusted Source).

After roasting, ground pumpkin seeds in a coffee grinder or dry spice blender until they have the consistency of flour or powder.

If you're removing pumpkin seeds from a fresh pumpkin, wash them first before roasting them.