There’s a love-hate relationship between seeds and people. Some people enjoy snacking on them, even traditionally littering a baseball field with the shells. Some recycle seeds to grow new plants. Others may not find seeds deserving of praise because they disrupt the ease of eating the fruit, they have a tendency to get stuck in your teeth, or maybe an infamous childhood myth (you know, the one where the stomach acts as a home for the seed to grow into a plant?) scared them away. But seeds are actually very beneficial for overall health and can be used in a variety of ways. In fact, here at LesserEvil, we found a way to incorporate both watermelon seeds and pumpkin seeds into our Sun Poppers! We’ll walk you through some of the benefits, and hopefully in the process, we’ll ease some of those preconceived notions. Let’s dive into them!
For one thing, these seeds are a great plant-based source of protein.
For those who are looking for a more sustainable option for protein, plant-based solutions are the way to go. As a company, we are constantly searching for new ways to continue our mission toward better efficiency in our ingredients, and watermelon seeds and pumpkin seeds checked off the boxes, including offering an array of functionable benefits and providing phenomenal taste.
Overall, seeds are known to have a variety of essential micronutrients, from iron, folate, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, calcium, and magnesium.
Each of these offers vital benefits needed for the body. For instance, magnesium helps balance functions in the body, such as one’s mood, metabolism, blood sugar levels, heart health, and immunity. And potassium and copper offer properties that help make our bones stronger.
You might be thinking, “Okay, so what?” A lot of times, we reach for snacks that may seem “healthy” but in reality offer little benefit. Consuming more whole foods that are plant-based, organic, and unrefined – especially something like seeds – are a better way to go because they can actually provide more nutrients that are meant to support a self-functioning system. Why be bogged down with ingredients that don’t provide value to our bodies when we can choose ingredients that are more nutrient dense?
Did we mention seeds have a great source of heart-healthy fats?
At LesserEvil, we’re all about these good fats (check out our writeup on it), and both watermelon seeds and pumpkin seeds have an abundance of both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are useful in preventing heart attacks and strokes as well as promoting lower cholesterol.
The best thing about seeds – aside from their amazing health values – are the fact that they are so versatile and can be used in many different ways. Add them to your salad or smoothie bowl as a crunchy topping. Roast them with savory seasonings like onion powder or cinnamon for a fun snack. Then there’s our favorite way of eating them – our Sun Poppers! No matter how you incorporate them into your diet, seeds are an easy way to obtain your daily source of the key nutrients that make you the healthy star that you are!
