What’s so great about pumpkin seeds? Everything!
Pumpkin seeds are a delicious and healthy snack. They are also a common ingredient in Mexican cuisine. You may know them as pepitas, which is Spanish for “little seed of squash.” Pumpkin seeds might be tiny but packed with so many health benefits. They can help with bone health, diabetes, heart health, liver health, weight loss, digestion, and even sleep.
Sleepy Pumpkin
According to Medical News Today, pumpkin seeds are rich in Tryptophan. This essential amino acid can treat chronic insomnia because it converts into serotonin and then into melatonin. Serotonin is a hormone that helps you feel relaxed, and melatonin is a hormone that helps you sleep.
Healthline discusses, in a recent article, how only a small amount of pumpkin seeds can provide you with a lot of healthy fats, magnesium, and zinc. The zinc helps Tryptophan convert to serotonin, which is then changed to melatonin, while the magnesium helps to improve sleep quality and sleep time in those with low magnesium levels. Pumpkin seeds do a great job of promoting restful sleep.
All in All
Make sure not to eat too many pumpkin seeds as they can cause gas, bloating, or constipation. Try to get pumpkin seeds the old-fashioned way, scooping them out of your jack-o’-lantern this Halloween. Heart.org states that store-bought pumpkin seeds can have too much salt. When the seeds come straight from the pumpkin, they are lower in sodium and have more minerals that make them so yummy and nutritious. Once the seeds are out of the pumpkin, soak them in water for a few hours to remove the pulp. You can eat them raw or roast them in the oven with some olive oil and your favorite spices. Have a few pumpkin seeds before bed, and let yourself fall into a relaxing sleep.
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