Pumpkin is a vegetable from which absolutely everything can be used. Once dried, its seed becomes a pumpkin seed and is usually surrounded by a white, hard and sticky shell. Inside it is a nutritional jewel that is flat, oval, crunchy, slightly sweet and dark green due to chlorophyll. They are usually eaten raw, dried, toasted and are carriers of numerous properties for our body, which is why the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends their consumption.
Thanks to ancient texts, we can deduce how deeply rooted the Pumpkin cultivation among the Hebrews at the time of Moses, as well as in China and Egypt before the Christian era. Pumpkins have also been found among the remains of pre-Columbian Inca tombs.
Pumpkin seeds have an exceptional nutritional composition, making them a highly nutritious food. "They provide proteins, healthy fats, antioxidant compounds, vitamins and minerals. They also contain around 30% protein, with the consequent benefit that these have in the development and maintenance of muscles and the skeleton," according to a report published by the Spanish Nutrition Foundation (FEN).
Almost 50% are unsaturated fats such as linoleic and oleic fatty acids. They are also a source of vitamin E, which contributes to the protection of cells against oxidative damage. They also contain other vitamins such as vitamin B1 and B3, which contribute to the normal functioning of the nervous system. " With regard to minerals, they include selenium, iron, zinc and potassium and are an excellent source of magnesium, which helps reduce tiredness and fatigue. Phosphorus also contributes to the maintenance of bones, among other benefits," says the FEN document.