Everything about Pumpkin Seed Oil totally explained
Pumpkin seed oil (
Kernöl or
Kürbiskernöl in
German,
bučno olje in
Slovenian,
bučino ulje or
bundevino ulje in
Croatian) is a culinary specialty of south eastern
Austria (
Styria), eastern
Slovenia (
Styria and
Prekmurje), north western
Croatia (esp.
Međimurje), adjacent regions of
Hungary, and a European Union
Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product.
Today the oil is an important export commodity of Austrian and Slovenian parts of Styria. It is made by pressing
roasted,
hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas), from a local variety of
pumpkin, the "
Styrian oil pumpkin" (
Cucurbita pepo var. styriaca, also known as
var. oleifera). It has been produced and used in Styria's southern parts at least since the 18th century. The earliest confirmed record of oil pumpkin seeds in Styria (from the estate of a farmer in
Gleinstätten) dates to February 18, 1697.
The viscous oil is light green to dark red in colour depending on the thickness of the sample (
dichromatic) colour. Used together with
yoghurt, the colour turns to bright green and is sometimes referred to as "green-gold".
Pumpkin seed oil has an intense nutty taste and is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Brown oil has a bitter taste. Claims, based on local folk medicine, suggesting usefulness of the oil in the prevention and treatment of
benign prostatic hyperplasia may be backed by some studies showing clinically proven efficacy (particularly along with
Serenoa repens,
saw palmetto, and
Pygeum africanum) according to the criteria of
evidence-based medicine.
Uses
Pumpkin seed oil is most commonly used to treat
irritable bowel syndrome. Small studies have also shown that pumpkin seeds, which contain
amino acids, steroidal compounds, and
omega-3 and
omega-6 fatty acids, may lower the risk of certain types of kidney stones and improve symptoms associated with enlarged prostates Additionally, pumpkin seeds reportedly contain significant amounts of L-
tryptophan. Some studies have also found pumpkin seeds to prevent
arteriosclerosis and regulate
cholesterol levels.
Pumpkin seed oil, commonly prescribed in German folk medicine, remedies parasitic infestations of the
intestinal tract such as
tapeworms.
Pumpkin seed oil serves as a salad dressing when combined with honey or olive oil. Using it as a cooking oil, however, destroys its essential fatty acids.
Other types of pumpkin seed oil are also marketed worldwide. International producers use white seeds with shells and this produces a cheaper white oil. New producers of seeds are located in China and India.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Pumpkin Seed Oil'.
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