The benefits and harms of pumpkin flour. How to use?

Pumpkin flour is produced from the seeds of this plant. Therefore, it has all their beneficial properties. Mexico is considered the birthplace of this product. In this country, pumpkin is a component of so many dishes. This flour later became popular in other countries. This is Japan and Thailand, as well as Brazil. In the ancient world, pumpkin was used to treat many diseases. This was especially common in South America and Egypt.

The composition of the product

1. The chemical composition of pumpkin flour is rich in minerals necessary for the human body to function properly. These are potassium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus and others.
2. In addition, it contains many vitamins: C, A, K, B3.
3. This product contains alpha-linoleic acid, which has recently gained popularity due to the active promotion of a healthy diet. Krill oil is also rich in this acid. If you use these two products together, you can achieve the perfect balance of omega-3 and omega-6.

Flour from pumpkin seeds is gluten-free, does not contain soy. Due to this, its use is safe for humans. Vegetarians and raw foodists eat dishes from this flour, replacing protein products of animal origin. The protein in this product is about 40%. About 305 kcal per 100 g of flour.

Healing properties

1. In traditional medicine, this product is widespread. It helps to fight allergies, strengthens the immune system, supports the strength of the body as a whole, fights cancer cells.
2. In addition, it kills pathogenic bacteria and parasites, relieves inflammation and tones the heart muscle.
3. Elderly people often suffer from osteoporosis. Pumpkin flour will help them cope with this problem. Due to the zinc content, bone tissue becomes denser.
4. Those who eat this flour are less likely to get urolithiasis.
5. With arthritis, this product will also be of great help. Even representatives of traditional medicine recognized the anti-inflammatory properties of the product.
6. With regular use of pumpkin flour in humans, the hormonal background normalizes. This is observed in both women and men.
7. In addition to the treatment and prevention of diseases, flour has a positive effect on mood. A person feels better. Some classify flour as natural aphrodisiacs.
8. In addition, it speeds up metabolism, therefore it is recommended for use by people who want to get rid of excess body fat. If a person is on a diet based on the exclusion of carbohydrates, pumpkin flour will be a real find, because it has a lot of high quality protein.
9. The antidepressant L-tryptophan contained in the composition helps to improve sleep and mood. If you suffer from insomnia, eat some pumpkin flour.
10. In adolescence, often there are problems with the skin of the face, acne appears. Here, pumpkin seed flour will also benefit.
11. Using it in moderation will help to cope with intestinal disorders.
12. Healers recommend eating flour to people with heart problems. This is due to the content of phytosterols. The product prevents the formation of atherosclerotic plaques and lowers cholesterol. By the content of phytosterols, science has recognized pumpkin seeds as one of the leaders. In addition to pumpkin seeds, the seeds and nuts of many other plants are rich in these components.
13. The product is indispensable for patients with diabetes. Scientific studies have shown that blood sugar normalizes in people who use pumpkin seeds or flour from them. For a better effect, it is advised to combine it with flour from flax seeds.
14. It is especially important for men to eat dishes with pumpkin flour, as this helps to avoid many problems with the prostate. The cucurbitin contained in the product makes it indispensable in the fight against various parasites in the body.

How to use pumpkin flour with health benefits?

For the treatment and prevention of disease, the product is used for emotional stress, exhaustion and lower immunity in the cold season. In the spring, it will help make up for the lack of vitamins in the body.

Dissolve several teaspoons of the powder in any fermented milk product. Take this mixture for several weeks. The course of treatment can be repeated several times during the year. It is also useful to add flour to pastries. Moreover, it has a fairly pleasant taste, like a nutty one. It is also useful to add it to protein shakes. To enrich the taste of a side dish or salad, sprinkle the dish with this powder. You will make food not only more original in taste, but also increase the benefits of dishes. It can be rice, pasta or corn porridge.

Harm and side effects

1. Do not use the product in excessive quantities. Otherwise, health can be harmed. Increased flatulence, constipation, or diarrhea may occur. Overeating with pumpkin seeds brings the same effect, but in flour such side effects are less pronounced due to grinding. This is due to the fact that a high content of dietary fiber activates the intestinal microflora. The nutrition of modern people is not high in fiber, so the intestines react to it in this way.
2. If you suffer from persistent migraines, eliminate foods from pumpkin seeds. Scientists claim that they are able to make headaches even stronger.
3. Keep the product fresh. In rancid flour, beneficial fatty acids turn into toxic substances that will contribute to the development of dangerous diseases.
4. Consult a doctor before eating flour if you suffer from cholecystitis or you have gallstones.
5. Another contraindication is a pumpkin allergy. But such a phenomenon is not common.

How to cook pumpkin flour yourself?

If you do not trust the manufacturers, you can cook this product yourself. You will be sure that it is fresh and does not contain any harmful impurities. The benefits of such flour will be greater.

To make flour at home, follow these recommendations. Pumpkin seeds must be dried in an oven or special dryer at a low temperature. It should not exceed 60 degrees, otherwise vitamins and many useful substances will simply collapse. It is necessary to dry so that the seeds are reduced in weight several times. Use a blender or coffee grinder to grind the dried seeds. It is desirable that the grinding was maximum. In the process of grinding, pause and control its degree by touch. Then, the resulting flour should be sieved through a sieve several times. Pour the flour into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 2 months.

Pulp based flour recipe

The pulp is inferior to seeds in its benefits, but its advantage is the content of carotenoids. These are natural antioxidants. The pulp must be dried, and then crushed to a state of flour. First pick up a ripe pumpkin. Peel and peel the fruit. This can be done with a knife. If the fruit is small, then it will be convenient to use a potato peeler. Finely chop the pulp and dry in the oven or dryer. The fire in the oven should be very weak. Wait for the pulp to dry. Then chop the pieces with a blender or combine.

Store in a tightly closed container in a cool place. Pies come out well from this product. Pumpkin flour in this case should be a quarter of the total.

Which is better - wheat or pumpkin flour?

Scientists have compared pumpkin and wheat flour. After evaluating the nutritional properties, they came to the following result. Ground pumpkin seeds have much more fiber and beta-carotene. But wheat is more rich in healthy fats and carbohydrates. But the main advantage of pumpkin flour is its lack of gluten. This is very important for patients suffering from intolerance to wheat protein.

From the foregoing, it follows that regular moderate eating of this product can help cope with many dangerous ailments, as well as prevent their development.

Video: the benefits and harms of pumpkins for the body