Pumpkin seeds aren’t just for the fall and Halloween. They’re a delicious snack you can enjoy year-round, especially when they’re ground up into a scrumptious pumpkin seed butter. Like many nut and seed butters, the benefits of pumpkin seed butter aren’t limited to its taste; it’s also good for allergy-sufferers, bodybuilders, and anyone looking to improve their health or sleep.
Benefits of Pumpkin Seed Butter
Read on for our complete list of pumpkin seed butter benefits:
Nutrition
1. High in Minerals
It can be difficult for a vegan or vegetarian to meet their iron needs, but a single serving of pumpkin seed butter contains nearly 30% of your daily iron requirements.
Additionally, it provides just under 20% of your daily zinc needs, which helps your body heal wounds and regulate cell growth.
Pumpkin seed butter is high in magnesium as well, which is crucial for strong bones and healthy blood sugar levels. But the benefits of pumpkin seed butter don’t stop there, as it also contains large amounts of manganese, phosphorous, copper, and potassium.
2. Vitamins to Support Bone Health
Another one of the benefits of pumpkin seed butter is its vitamin content.
Other nut and seed butters are fairly low in vitamins; in fact, many of them have no Vitamin K at all.
Pumpkin seed butter, on the other hand, has just under 20% of the recommended daily value. This vitamin is essential in building strong, healthy bones and ensuring proper blood clotting.
3. One of the Best Sources for Protein
Most nut and seed butters are high in protein, but pumpkin seed butter is a standout even there. It has over 30% more protein than cashew butter and 17% more than almond butter.
Actually, the only nut or seed butter that really gives it any competition is peanut butter. But for allergy sufferers, peanut butter isn’t always an option, which makes the choice between them a no-brainer.
Lifestyle Improvements
4. Excellent for Allergy Sufferers
As we’ve mentioned, pumpkin seed butter is a good alternative for peanut butter. But it’s also an excellent replacement for nut butters.
Between one and five percent of people are allergic to peanuts, and nearly 10% more have some form of tree nut allergy.
Pumpkin seed butter, on the other hand, rarely causes any reaction, which makes it a perfect substitute for any dishes involving peanut butter or nut butter.
5. Bolsters Immunity and Helps with Sleep Problems
Along with the vitamins and minerals already listed, one of the benefits of pumpkin seed butter is that it contains phytosterols, which help improve immunity while simultaneously reducing cholesterol.
It also has a decent amount of tryptophan, which can curb stress and improve sleep. In turn, enhancing your immune system and sleeping habits will lead to even more health benefits, such as better skin and hair.
6. Lower calorie option
Although no nut or seed butter can be considered low in calories, pumpkin seed butter is among the lowest. It has 15% less calories than almond or cashew butter, and while this may not sound like a big number, it makes a difference in the long run.
Because pumpkin seed butter is filled with so many nutrients, you can eat less of it to gain the same health benefits you would from other nut and seed butters. Thus, you’re consuming less calories and getting more vitamins and minerals, which overall equals a healthier you.
7. Good Choice for Athletes
Because of its nutritional content — especially in terms of protein — pumpkin seed butter is a great option for athletes.
Even better, pumpkin seed butter is rich in the amino acid L-arginine, which can improve blood flow and benefit athletic performance. It also stimulates growth hormones, thus contributing to muscle growth and overall athletic abilities.
8. Environmentally Friendly
One of the more obvious benefits of pumpkin seed butter is that, because it is a byproduct of pumpkins, it’s more environmentally responsible to grow and cultivate. In other words, almost every part of the pumpkin can be eaten, so when one is grown, little of it goes to waste.
Though nuts are usually more eco-friendly than other protein sources, it takes much more water to grow nut butters than seed butters. And even compared to other seed butters, pumpkin seed butter leaves an especially small footprint.
Thus, if you want to do good for both yourself and the environment, pumpkin seed butter is the way to go.
Pumpkin Seed Butter Recipes
9. Healthy Snacks and Desserts
Pumpkin seed butter cups are a fun take on chocolate peanut butter cups. They taste just as sweet, but their green filling is even more eye-catching.
You can also switch things up by adding raspberries or another fruit. And if you want to try something entirely new, check out this recipe for banana sushi. It’s much easier to make than real sushi and is sure to wow family and guests alike.
10. Filling and Fun Meals
You can’t go wrong with pumpkin seed butter smoothies, especially when you’re making a green smoothie or smoothie bowl. The pumpkin seed butter’s color already matches, as does its taste and nutritional content.
You can also use pumpkin seed butter on toast, adding it to recipes that would normally use peanut butter. But if you want a few unique takes, take a look at this list, which has everything from fig and vinegar toast to toast covered in maple syrup.
11. Add as a Dip, Mixing, or Topping
If you want to get creative, try making hummus with pumpkin seed butter in place of tahini.
You can also add it to your stir fry or use it as a dipping sauce for apple slices or other fruit.
Really, there’s no wrong way to eat pumpkin seed butter—mix it into oatmeal, smear it on a cracker, or take a spoonful of it and eat it plain or with agave. The options are nearly limitless (and all delicious!).
Conclusion
It would take a much longer article to explore all the benefits of pumpkin seed butter. From its pretty green coloring to its earthy taste and health benefits, there are so many reasons to try pumpkin seed butter. It’s quickly becoming a popular seed butter on shopping lists, so go out and try it today.