Varieties Available

• Shelled AA grade raw pumpkin seeds
• Shelled AA grade roasted (no salt) pumpkin seeds
• Shelled AA grade roasted salted pumpkin seeds

Health benefits of pumpkin seeds

• Crunchy, delicious pumpkin seeds are high in calories; about 559 calories per 100 g. In addition, they are packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and numerous health promoting antioxidants.
• Their high calorific value mainly comes from protein and fats. The kernels are especially rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) like oleic acid (18:1) that helps lower bad LDL cholesterol and increases good HDL cholesterol in the blood.
• Pumpkin seeds carry good-quality protein. 100 g seeds provide 30 g or 54% of recommended daily allowance of protein. In addition, the seeds are an excellent source of amino acid tryptophan and glutamate. Tryptophan is converted into serotonin and niacin. Serotonin is a beneficial neuro-chemical often labeled as nature’s sleeping pill. Further, tryptophan is the precursor of B-complex vitamin, niacin (60 mg of tryptophan = 1 mg niacin).
• Glutamate is required in the synthesis of gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA). GABA, an anti-stress neurochemical in the brain, helps reducing anxiety, nervous irritability, and other neurotic conditions.
• Pumpkin seeds are a very good source of anti-oxidant vitamin E; contain about 35.10 mg of tocopherol-gamma per 100 g (about 237% of RDA). Vitamin E is a powerful lipid soluble antioxidant. It prevents tissue cells from the free radical mediated oxidant injury. Vitamin E helps maintain the integrity of mucusa and skin by protecting from harmful oxygen-free radicals.
• Pumpkin kernels are also an excellent source of B-complex group of vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B 6 (pyridoxine) and folates. These vitamins work as co-factors for various enzymes during cellular substrate metabolism in the human body. In addition, niacin helps in the reduction of LDL-cholesterol levels in the blood. Along with glutamate, it enhances GABA activity inside the brain, which in turn reduces anxiety and nervous irritability.
• Pumpkin seeds contain good amounts of essential minerals like copper, manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium. Manganese is an all-important co-factor for antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Consumption of pumpkin seeds helps develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals.

Storage

Store in a cool dry place. It is ok to refrigerate or freeze.

Nutritional information sources: nutrition-and-you.com, USDA National Nutrient data base