Pepitas

Fall is here, and so are the pumpkins. Pumpkin spice cookies, pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice lattes the pumpkin possibilities are endless. But enough about the fruit, lets get to the seeds. Pumpkin seeds are packed with nutrients, and I choose them over sunflower seeds as a snack any day.

Pumpkin seeds are great for an active lifestyle. They contain 12 grams of protein per serving, which is about 1/4th the amount of protein the average adult needs a day. Pumpkin seeds also contain an abundance of zinc, zinc boosts testosterone production in men which helps with muscle building and recovery. Those key facts coupled with the high amounts of Potassium found in pumpkin seeds makes them a potent overall food for muscle health and function. Tryptophan is an amino acid that can be found in Pepitas as well. Tryptophan is important because your body uses it to make Serotonin. Serotonin is one of the “mood” chemicals, It is responsible for things like, sex drive, happy feelings and most importantly it helps us stay asleep.

Pepitas are loaded with minerals and vitamins. Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Zinc, Copper, Manganese and Selenium are all found in Pepitas. Vitamins A and K are found in abundance in pumpkin seeds along with trace amounts of vitamins C and B6