Useful properties of pumpkin flour
Pumpkin flour is a high-protein, gluten-free product with many health benefits. It is easy to prepare it at home. Pumpkin seed powder will enrich the diet, strengthen the body and promote healthy weight loss.
Useful properties of pumpkin flour
The composition of the product
One of the advantages of pumpkin flour is its high protein content and the presence of many valuable amino acids.
Proteins make up 35-40%. Carbohydrates - 23-25%. Fats account for 9-10%.
The product includes:
- Arginine and Valine are essential for muscle function and growth (especially important for athletes).
- Glutamine and glycine are responsible for the functioning of the nervous system.
- Lysine - improves the condition of the skin, cartilage and blood vessels.
- Leucine promotes tissue regeneration.
- Isoleucine - helps in the production of insulin.
Caloric content: 305 kcal per 100 g.
Vitamins
The benefits of pumpkin flour are also manifested due to the fact that it contains vitamins of the following groups:
- A - creates prevention of eye diseases and is responsible for the rapid regeneration of cells.
- E - has a positive effect on the work of the heart and brain, is of great importance for the circulatory system and good vision.
- F - regulates cholesterol levels and blood pressure, promotes the elimination of toxins from the body and a healthy skin.
- B1 - improves metabolism and blood circulation, promotes heart, stomach and brain health.
- B2 - good prevention of anemia, improves immunity, helps in the treatment of eye and skin diseases.
- B3 - is responsible for brain function and good memory, normal sleep and emotional stability.
- B4 is a substance necessary for metabolic processes, normal functioning of the liver and intestines.
- B5 - helps cells produce energy, fights allergies, maintains healthy skin and hair.
- B6 - helps to assimilate fatty acids, contributes to the work of the heart and muscular systems.
- B9 - prevents anemia, as it is responsible for hematopoiesis.
- C - the strongest antioxidant and the primary helper of immunity, participates in the creation of cells, protects the body from infections.
- R - regulates the heart rate and pressure, improves the condition of the capillaries, removes edema, relieves pain.
- T - regulates metabolic processes, promotes the breakdown of fats and maintaining a normal weight.
- K - provides good blood clotting.
Minerals
The benefits of the product are based on its nutritional value - a rich supply of micro and macro elements. Pumpkin seeds contain up to fifty different minerals necessary for the body.
The following elements are represented by a high percentage:
- Zinc - is responsible for hematopoiesis, immune defense, metabolic processes, sexual function (especially in men), the state of the nervous system and thyroid gland.
- Phosphorus - contributes to mental activity and muscle work, is necessary for the strength of bones and teeth.
- Calcium - is responsible for the condition of bones, plays an important role in the immune, muscular, circulatory and nervous systems of the body.
- Iron - is necessary for the creation of hemoglobin, the body's defense against bacteria, and the functioning of the thyroid gland.
- Magnesium - needed for metabolism and bone growth; normalizes blood pressure, blood sugar, heart rate.
- Selenium - creates the prevention of oncology, promotes cell regeneration, improves immunity and vision.
Beneficial features
Pumpkin flour is very healthy
Pumpkin seed flour has the following beneficial properties:
- Antiparasitic - used to combat helminths.
- Bactericidal and anti-allergic - help in the treatment of inflammation, infections and allergies.
- Creates a good prevention of diseases of the genital area, and also promotes the treatment of infertility, impotence, prostate, gynecological diseases, diseases of the excretory organs, etc.
- It brings tangible benefits in the treatment of the digestive organs, liver, biliary tract.
- Promotes healthy skin and helps treat skin conditions (seborrhea, youthful acne, herpes, acne, etc.).
- Its regular use in food creates the prevention of diabetes of the second group, heart disease, obesity, and oncology.
- Strengthens the strength of the immune system
- Helps with anemia (or predisposition to it).
- It stabilizes the nervous system, activates mental activity, improves mood and night sleep.
When and how to take
The use of pumpkin flour is indicated for dietary nutrition (as agreed with a doctor) or as a means of preventing diseases and improving the body.
It is recommended for pregnant and lactating women, athletes and those who are aiming at healthy weight loss (dosed, given the high calorie content).
It will also be a valuable protein supplement for vegetarians and fasting people.
Flour is especially useful in winter and spring, when the body lacks vitamins and minerals.
Can be taken as a cocktail by mixing the powder (1 tsp) with a glass of fermented milk drink (kefir, fermented baked milk or natural yogurt). Add a pinch of cinnamon if desired. You need to drink 1-2 times a day for a month.
An alternative to a cocktail would be to use seed powder for culinary purposes: adding them to bread and other baked goods, sprinkling on cereals, side dishes and salads.
In cosmetology
Due to its high content of zinc, vitamins and amino acids, this product helps the body to produce collagen, which is necessary for firm and elastic skin.
It is often added to anti-aging creams and face masks. In addition, the use of the product is very useful in treating the skin for acne and acne.
For a better cosmetic effect, pumpkin seed flour is recommended to be consumed as it has a beneficial effect on the condition of hair and nails.
Harm and contraindications
Flour making must be timely
The benefits of pumpkin flour are undeniable, but with individual intolerance, it can also cause harm.
If taken in unlimited quantities, it can lead to indigestion, causing constipation, or vice versa - diarrhea.
Sometimes flatulence occurs. The consequences are especially characteristic for people who are not used to eating a lot of fiber.
A stale product is especially harmful, because it forms toxic substances.
How to prepare and store
Making pumpkin seed powder at home is a snap.
There is one significant advantage here: you will be completely sure of the natural origin and the absence of any impurities, which will exclude any possible harm.
An ideal raw material would be a pumpkin grown in your own garden. From it you need to select seeds, rinse, dry and peel. (You can dry the seeds in the oven or electric dryer - as a result, they should be halved.)
For grinding, use a blender or coffee grinder.It is better to grind it several times, checking the resulting consistency by touch.
After that, the flour is sieved and stored in a hermetically sealed container. For better preservation of the contents, the container is placed in a place protected from the sun.
For storage, room temperature (15 to 25 ° C) and a moderate humidity level of 50-65% are suitable.
From the pulp
Flour can be made not only from seeds, but also from pumpkin pulp. However, in this case, it will have slightly different properties.
The pulp contains fewer valuable fatty acids, but it is high in antioxidants.
The soft part of the pumpkin is peeled from seeds and cut into small pieces, and then dried in the oven or dryer.
Dry raw materials are ground and used for culinary purposes (most often for baking pies).
Comparing pumpkin flour to wheat flour
In fact, such a comparison is not very correct, since the two are not interchangeable. Each of them has its own merits.
Pumpkin flour is gluten-free, and therefore suitable for dietary nutrition with intolerance to this substance. In addition, it is high in beta-carotene, beneficial vitamins, and fiber.
Wheat flour contains more fat and carbohydrates. But no less important is that delicious baked goods will not work without it.
Anyone who does not suffer from gluten intolerance can combine both. For example, adding pumpkin flour to baked goods made from wheat flour (no more than a quarter of the volume).
Conclusion
Pumpkin seed flour has beneficial properties for the body and does not contain gluten.
Its regular consumption creates the prevention of many diseases and helps in treatment. Pumpkin seed powder is easy to make with your own hands at home.
You can use the product inside - for recovery; or applied to the skin for cosmetic purposes.