When it comes to New Year’s resolutions based around healthy eating, one of the main areas where people fail is snacking. Most people manage to eat a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner but between meals they get tempted by chips, chocolate and candy.
In this article I’m going to be discussing how pumpkin seeds can stop you snacking on unhealthy foods and outlining how they can boost your health and help you drop the pounds this New Year.
Why Pumpkin Seeds?
Pumpkin seeds may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of healthy snacks. However, they’re surprisingly versatile, have a crunchy but satisfying taste and are very good for you. A ¼ cup serving of pumpkin seeds contains just 180 calories and is loaded with copper, healthy fats, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, protein zinc and much more. Collectively, these nutrients boost your health in multiple ways which include:
- Acting as antioxidants and preventing oxidative damage in your cells
- Improving insulin sensitivity in diabetics
- Lowering blood pressure
- Minimizing inflammation within your body
- Preventing cancer
- Supporting the growth, maintenance and repair of all your body’s cells
Foods To Substitute For Pumpkin Seeds
Since pumpkin seeds are very easy to carry around and don’t need to be cooked or warmed up before you eat them, they’re a perfect substitute for unhealthy snacks in your diet. By swapping pumpkin seeds for highly processed, low quality snacks, you’ll not only give your body the nutrients it needs but you’ll also slash the calories you consume. So, if you’re eating any of the junk food below, grab some pumpkin seeds instead:
- Chips
- Crackers
- Pork rinds
- Pretzels
Serving Suggestions For Pumpkin
Although pumpkin seeds are a filling snack, many people do not enjoy the thick, crunchy texture on its own. If you fall into this category and don’t enjoy eating pumpkin seeds on their own, try one of these three pumpkin seed suggestions:
- Honey, Pumpkin Seeds & Greek Yogurt: Place a portion of Greek yogurt in a bowl, top with honey and pumpkin seeds and then enjoy a sweet, creamy and crunchy pumpkin seed inspired snack.
- Pumpkin Seeds & Dried Fruit: Combine a quarter cup of pumpkin seeds with a quarter cup of dried fruit for a snack that’s both sweet and crunch.
- Salt & Vinegar Roasted Pumpkin Seeds: Pre-heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Place ¼ cup of pumpkin seeds, 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon of vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt into a plastic food back and shake well. Pour the pumpkin seeds onto a baking sheet and then bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven, turn the oven off, let the pumpkin seeds cool for 1 hour. After 1 hour, place the pumpkin seeds in a sealable bag, take them with you and enjoy a crunchy snack that tastes similar to chips whenever you please.
Summary
As you can see, pumpkin seeds are packed full of nutrients, highly versatile and make an excellent sweet or savory snack. If you’re serious about improving your diet and losing weight this New Year, they’re definitely something you should be eating more of. So get stocked up on pumpkin seeds then whenever you feel hungry between meals this New Year, grab a handful and enjoy all their nutritional goodness.
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