Benefits of watermelon seeds

Who does not know the watermelon seeds? Almost all have to eat a light snack on this one. Apparently, although a small shape, but many nutrients are beneficial for our body health. Nutrients in watermelon seeds are able to ward off cancer, improve and / or prevent cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and reduce levels of bad cholesterol.

Watermelon seeds from sunflower seeds. Plants that come from Mexico and Peru since the year 1700 and then spread to many countries. Flower plants were then cultivated on a large scale in Germany, France, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, Hungary and the United States.

Sunflower plants originally cultivated as an ornamental plant. Later watermelon seeds and used as a source of oil for cosmetic products. Sentra sunflower cultivation in the area of Central Java and East Java.

Watermelon seeds are a source of healthy fat (unsaturated), almost 90%, vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, proteins and phytochemicals, which is very good. In addition, sunflower seeds contain polyunsaturated fats (linoleic acid) and single (oleic acid), a type of fat that protects the heart. Clinical studies show that foods high in unsaturated fat better than low-fat foods, because of increasing HDL (good cholesterol) and lower LDL (bad cholesterol).

Sunflower seed is also the richest source of vitamin E, a quarter cup of sunflower seeds provides 90.5% of daily requirement of vitamin E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant and anti-inflammation and decrease the symptoms of asthma, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, which is mainly influenced by free radicals and inflammation. Adequate intake of vitamin E can reduce the risk of developing plaque in blood vessels and colon cancer. Also can reduce the severity and frequency of heat (hot flush) and menopausal women experience complications of diabetes. In addition, watermelon seeds also contain many beneficial minerals, like phosphorus (mg/l00 705-755 g), potassium (648-689 mg/100 g), calcium (54-116 mg/100 g), sodium (3-99 mg / 100 g), iron (6,77-7,28 mg/100 g) and copper (0,69-1,75 mg/100 g).

Minerals calcium and phosphorus is very important role in the formation of bone and teeth, so beneficial to prevent osteoporosis. The presence of potassium minerals is very important to balance the sodium. Potassium is hypotensive, which has the effect of blood pressure reduction.

Nutrition is no less important in phytosterol watermelon seeds are sunflower, one of the phytochemical. If consumed in adequate amounts, shown to lower cholesterol in the blood, heart healthy, improve the immune response and reduce the risk of some types of cancer. A study showed, from 27 nuts and seeds are most often consumed in the U.S., sunflower seeds and pistachios have the highest phytosterol (270-289 mg/100 g).

Sunflower seeds are also rich in folate (very good for pregnant women) and various minerals like magnesium, selenium, copper and zinc, calcium, and iron.

However, although the chemical content of watermelon seeds play a major role for the health, total consumption is still low and not continuous cause nutrient donations does not mean much to the community. Recognizing the importance of oil in sunflower seeds, these seeds have now processed into sunbutter.

Sunbutter a sunflower butter that can be used for cooking and making salad. Making products from the seeds of interest had been done in China, Russia, Europe, and also the United States. Today a lot of processed sunflower seeds into oil. Excess oil sunflower seed compared with olive oil is sunflower seed oil has oleic acid (omega-9) is higher.