Pumpkin Seeds and your Health

Pumpkin seeds are the richest plant source of zinc, a mineral that's essential to the immune system function and for growth, wound healing, and sense of taste.

It's also linked to prostate health and lower risk of bladder stones.

These delicious (when roasted) seeds are also richer in iron than pumpkin flesh, with about 40 percent of the RDA for men and 27 percent of the RDA for women in a one-ounce serving - a large handful.
That same amount contains 9 grams of protein, as much as in an ounce of meat.

Pumpkin seeds are about 73 percent fat (most of it the good, unsaturated kind); high as that sounds, they're still lower in fat than most other seeds or nuts.

Pumpkin seeds contain phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and a huge amount of fiber (10 grams per ounce), plus a dash of vitamin A.

Many people think that if certain foods are good, a lot is better.
This is not always the case, and high doses of certain food are actually toxic.

Read about the healthy food, research the vitamins and minerals and check with your health care provider if you are unsure about how much to eat and how much may be too much.