Pumpkin seeds can help fight enlarged prostate, cancer

Ditch the “pumpkin spice” flavor bonanza — and start eating actual pumpkins!

It’s October! And that means one thing: you can’t get away from pumpkin-flavored seasonal treats for the next three months.

And it’s not just that pumpkin spice latte everybody goes crazy for. There are pumpkin-flavored teas, cereals, pastas, cookies, yogurt, and more popping up all over store shelves and restaurant menus.

Remember when all you could do with a pumpkin was carve it for Halloween or make a pie?

But now, new research shows that if you haven’t been trying the many varieties of pumpkin out there — and if you’ve been throwing out their seeds — you’re missing out on some of the greatest health benefits of this autumn gourd!

A recent study found that pumpkin seeds — or, specifically, the seed extract — has tremendous medicinal value for an enlarged prostate and can even slow cancer progression.

In the study, researchers found that pumpkin seed extract reduced prostate size by up to 20 percent — which is A GODSEND if you’re one of the half of all men over age 60 with benign prostate hyperplasia, a.k.a. an enlarged prostate.

In a lab dish, pumpkin seed extract was able to slow the progression of breast, prostate, and colon cancer cells by nearly half.

This is likely because of the plant sterols, a.k.a. phytosterols, which have been shown to slow cancer cell growth and reproduction.

Now, this study did focus on the extract from the Styrian pumpkin, which produces those hulless, green “pepitas” and not the pumpkins you see on a doorstep.

But, of course, that doesn’t mean you need to ignore the innards of the bright orange version you carve.

The guts of carving pumpkins — including the seeds — are loaded with beta-carotene, a super antioxidant found in foods with an orange hue (like carrots) that can help keep cancer at bay (and your skin smooth and wrinkle-free, to boot).

The beta-carotene is good for your eyes, too — as are the vitamins A, and E that you’ll also find in pumpkin.

And pumpkin is rich in potassium, which a 2011 study in rats showed that pumpkin seed extract significantly reduced blood pressure after just six weeks. And as long as it’s not used in sugary pies or other unhealthy treats, its high fiber content makes pumpkin a great tool to promote weight loss.

You can replace oil or butter with pumpkin puree in almost any baking recipe. Or you can mix it with your yogurt or add it to your morning power smoothie with other potassium-rich foods like banana, pineapple, and orange to get a nutrient boost.

The seeds alone are also a delicious snack when toasted. When you’re carving, just clean the seeds, drizzle with some olive oil and bake on a cookie sheet for a snack even the grandkids will like!

You can get pepitas in the bulk department of your local grocery store or ethnic food market. They’re great in salads and stir fry — and they “pop” when you heat them up in a pan.

Or get the benefits by using pumpkinseed oil, which is extracted from the seed of the Styrian pumpkin.

Source:
Pumpkin seed extract: Cell growth inhibition of hyperplastic and cancer cells, independent of steroid hormone receptors
(sciencedirect.com)

Pumpkin: Health Benefits, Uses & Risks
(medicalnewstoday.com)

8 Impressive Health Benefits of Pumpkin
(huffingtonpost.com)