Pumpkin Seeds Can Help Kill Cancer Cells, Improve Your Eyesight and Fight Diabetes

Pumpkin seeds—also known as pepitas are flat, dark green seeds. Some are encased in a yellow-white husk (often called the “shell”), although some varieties of pumpkins produce seeds without shells. Most of us think it is too much work to deal with cleaning and roasting the pumpkin seeds or do not see any nutritional and healthy value in them, for whatever reason we throw away these nature’s perfect foods. After reading this you will never wasting your pumpkin seeds.

• While antioxidant nutrients are found in most WH Foods, it is the diversity of antioxidants in pumpkin seeds that makes them unique in their antioxidant support. Pumpkin seeds contain conventional antioxidant vitamins like vitamin E. However, not only do they contain vitamin E, but they contain it in a wide variety of forms. 
• 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds contains 92% of your daily value of magnesium. Most Americans are magnesium deficient. Being one of the most vital minerals, it is responsible for over 300 different biochemical reactions which are essential for your body to function properly.
• Pumpkin seeds are loaded with zinc. They seeds have long been valued as a special source of the mineral zinc, and the World Health Organization recommends their consumption as a good way of obtaining this nutrient. To get full zinc benefits from your pumpkin seeds, you may want to consume them in unshelled form. 
• Pumpkin seeds naturally boost testosterone and do wonders for male sexual health. The nutrients contained in pumpkin seeds such as vitamins B, C, D, E, and K play a very important role in libido. Additionally, as mentioned before pumpkin seeds are loaded with zinc which is the power behind high testosterone levels.
• Pumpkin seeds improve mood and diminish hot flashes. Pumpkin seeds can also help improve your mood as they contain tryptophan which is needed to produce serotonin in the brain. Pumpkin seeds can also help with hot flashes due to the magnesium, which helps to balance your body temperature.
• Pumpkin seeds can fight cancer because they contain compounds known as cucurbitacins.  A New study, found that these compounds are known to fight cancer and kill different types of cancer cells. Moreover, since oxidative stress is known to play a role in the development of some cancers, and pumpkin seeds are unique in their composition of antioxidant nutrients, it’s not surprising to find some preliminary evidence of decreased cancer risk in association with pumpkin seed intake. 

Pumpkin seeds can help you with Insomnia.  Tryptophan, contained in pumpkin seeds, is an amino acid that aids in the production of melatonin and serotonin, which is responsible for our sleep/wake cycle.  Thus, eating pumpkin seeds will help you fall asleep easier.