What are Pumpkin Seeds? What Is The Difference From Other Kernel Types?

Pumpkin seeds, which are frequently on our tables as nuts, are obtained from the pumpkin fruit. Pumpkin seeds; It is flat and dark green in color and is contained within a yellowish crust. There are also pumpkin seed varieties whose seeds are produced without a shell. Roasted and consumed as nuts, pumpkin seeds are more delicious and nutritious than other types of seeds. The calorie ratio of pumpkin seeds is also quite high compared to other seeds.

Especially in the winter months, the seeds in the pumpkin are removed and dried thoroughly after cleaning. Dried pumpkin seeds are consumed by roasting with salt if desired.

Pumpkin seeds, which have a very high nutritional value, have many known benefits. It is recommended to consume pumpkin seeds, which are frequently preferred in desserts and snacks.

Pumpkin Seed Benefits

Although there are many known benefits of pumpkin seeds, it is not possible to talk about the benefits of pumpkin seeds within the scope of the Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Nutrition and Health Claims.

Pumpkin Seeds Calories

How many calories are in a handful of pumpkin seeds? A handful of pumpkin seeds has an average of 112 calories. The fat ratio of pumpkin seeds is calculated as 10.53% based on the saturated fat ratio. Pumpkin seeds are also a very rich nut in terms of protein. There is an average of 5 grams of protein in a handful of pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin Seed Oil

Pumpkin seed oil is one of the most preferred oils in kitchens. The squash, whose Latin name is Cucurbita pepo, comes from the Cucurbitaceae family; There are helvacı squash, pumpkin, and gum squash types. Pumpkin seed oil is obtained by extracting the oil of pumpkin seeds by performing the cold pressing method. Pumpkin seed oil is a type of vegetable oil that cannot be easily made at home.

How to Use Pumpkin Seed Oil?

Pumpkin seed oil is vegetable oil. It can be consumed by drinking pumpkin seed oil or mixed with different dishes. Pumpkin seed oil is used in salads and olive oil dishes in many regions.

Externally used pumpkin seed oils are sufficient by massaging the area to be applied.

As with all vegetable oils, you should definitely consult your doctor before using pumpkin seed oil.

Do Pumpkin Seeds Make You Gain Weight?

Pumpkin seeds consumed at a balanced and sufficient level do not cause weight gain. On the contrary, pumpkin seeds are included in the diet lists with the condition of balanced and controlled consumption, as in many other types of nuts.

Pumpkin seeds contain a very high amount of protein compared to other vegetable protein sources. For this reason, pumpkin seeds are often consumed by those who want to lose weight when consumed consciously. Pumpkin seeds, which are consumed as a snack, provide a feeling of satiety for a long time due to their high protein values.

However, excessive consumption of pumpkin seeds and nuts causes weight gain due to their high caloric value.

Nutritional Value of Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are a type of nut rich in nutritional value. There is an average of 445 calories in 100 grams of pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds; contain 53.7 grams of carbohydrates, 18.5 grams of protein, and 19.4 grams of fat. In addition, pumpkin seeds meet 30% of daily carbohydrate and fat needs.

Harms of Pumpkin Seeds

Like every food that is not consumed in a balanced and regular manner, excessive consumption of pumpkin seeds causes more harm than good. Due to their calorie and fat values, pumpkin seeds should not be consumed over a certain daily dose. It is not recommended to consume pumpkin seed nuts for people with allergic reactions.

How to Dry Pumpkin Seeds?

How to dry pumpkin seeds, how to roast pumpkin seeds? The questions are among the issues frequently asked by raw pumpkin owners who want to prepare their nuts at home. Roasting pumpkin seeds at home is quite easy, but there are some tricks to get delicious pumpkin seeds.

To dry your pumpkin seeds:

First, carefully remove the seeds from your wet pumpkin with the help of a spoon. Then, completely clean the fibrous and fleshy pieces of pumpkin that remain between the removed pumpkin seeds.

Take the removed and cleaned fresh pumpkin seeds in a colander, wash them with room temperature water, then dry them completely with a clean cloth. At this stage, it is necessary to make sure that the outer shell of the pumpkin seeds is completely dry and there are no pumpkin pieces left on it.

Spread your prepared pumpkin seeds well on a baking tray so that they do not overlap too much. If you are worried about your pumpkin seeds sticking and not cooking properly, you can place the baking paper under your baking tray.

Dry your pumpkin seeds in a preheated 180-degree oven for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, take your pumpkin seeds out of the oven and turn them upside down. At this stage, you can add extra salt and spices according to your preference.

Roast the pumpkin seeds to which you have added spice, by baking them again. Roasting time will vary depending on the oven performance and the roasting of your pumpkin seeds. However, in order not to burn your pumpkin seeds, it is recommended to bake them in a controlled manner.

You can easily roast your pumpkin seeds without adding any oil. For your pumpkin seeds that you want to roast by adding oil according to your preference; You can add a small amount of butter or olive oil to your pan or baking tray.

You can consume the roasted pumpkin seeds by keeping them airtight in glass jars.