Written by Menswear Style in Food & Drink on the 16th August 2021

Pumpkins tend to bring forth memories of autumn, pie, and Halloween. It turns out they’re good for a lot more than that. In particular, pumpkin seed oil has several profound effects on the body. The following will explore some of the many wonderful things you need to know about pumpkin seed oil.

It’s High In Tryptophan 

Tryptophan (sometimes also called L-tryptophan) is one of those things that is often overlooked when it comes to people’s health and wellbeing. It’s an amino acid that works as a natural mood regulator when it’s absorbed by the body. It accomplishes this by helping the body to naturally balance its hormones. That’s right; tryptophan can improve your mood if you’ve been feeling low. It also has natural soothing effects, encourages good, high-quality sleep, combats anxiety, and burns fat. It also encourages the release of growth hormones and has been shown to reduce food cravings for carbohydrates and sugar (meaning it helps you lose weight from two very different vantage points). This magical amino acid is found in pumpkin seed oil and creates 5HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan), which works with your brain and central nervous system to foster feelings of wellbeing, connection, and safety. This effect happens because it naturally encourages the production of serotonin.

It Reduces Inflammation 

By now, anyone who’s done minimal research into the health world has learned about the dangers of inflammation in the body. Inflammation is linked with nearly every major chronic illness and results in higher levels of daily pain. Pumpkin seed oil is a healthy, anti-inflammatory fat that can help soothe and settle inflammation in the body. Already you might be interested in tracking down some pumpkin seed oil for yourself. Don’t think that just because pumpkins are associated with fall in the northern hemisphere that you can’t get ahold of pumpkin seed oil any time of the year or in any country. You can find pumpkin seed oil in Australia and many other regions or, you can also look for online shops. 

It Fights Hair Loss in Men 

Having the right balance of hormones and eating a healthy diet are key components when it comes to men keeping (or regaining) their hair. Given the high zinc content, pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seed oil can be used to encourage hair growth. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study had men take the oil over a 24 week period. There was an increase in hair count by an average of 40%!

It Supports Cancer Patients’ Health and Reduces Risk of Cancer 

While there is no cure yet for cancer, pumpkin seed oil has been shown to help bolster the health of cancer patients and reduce the risk of cancer. In particular, pumpkin seeds reduced the risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women. Given the high levels of antioxidant properties present in pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seed oil, the Indian Journal of Biochemistry & Biophysics found that it helped create a filter for radiation, meaning it helped to protect patients from small intestinal damage from methotrexate (a common cancer treatment). 

The above benefits are just a few of the miraculous things that pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seed oil can do. As with incorporating any new health food product into your diet, be sure to add only one thing at a time so that you can gauge your body’s response and determine any allergies or outcomes.

High In Tryptophan, Reduces Inflammation, and Fights Hair Loss in Men are featured in this blog post on What You Need to Know About Pumpkin Seed Oil.