Food & Emotions, Pumpkin
Eating pumpkin can make you happier. According to experts, the potent level of tryptophan in pumpkin seeds facilitates a boost in the production of serotonin, which is a key contributor to your overall mood and mental health. It’s the happy hormone.
Pumpkin and the seeds are a potassium-rich food. They may help reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety. Potassium is also crucial for the transportation of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that promotes feelings of well-being and happiness.
Serotonin, a neurochemical that is considered a natural sleeping pill. The pumpkin seeds are also rich in Tryptophan, an amino acid that gets converted to serotonin in the body, improving the quality of your sleep. So, maybe it’s not turkey after all!?
Pumpkin seeds are loaded with serotonin, one of the most important influencers of mental health according to NCBI, National Centre for Biotechnology, and is a potential target for pharmacological treatments.
Pumpkin seeds do help burn fat. Burning fat can improve your overall mood.
Pumpkin seeds are also a good source of the mineral zinc. A 2011 study suggests that low levels of zinc may lead to lower gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels in the brain — a neurotransmitter that blocks specific signals to reduce fear, worry, and stress.
The calming effect from pumpkin seeds comes from the large amounts of magnesium. It also helps in reducing anxiety and stress. Over the last 50 years, the consumption of magnesium has plummeted while rates of anxiety have gone up drastically.
Having pumpkin seeds as a snack, fills you up while simultaneously keeping you satisfied. So, if your primary snack food is pumpkin seeds, you’ll snack less, consume fewer calories over time, and lose weight. Many studies have shown how weight loss is extremely beneficial to our mental health.
Eat that pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup, pumpkin gingerbread loaf, etc. without guilt, for it really is a healthy choice. Knowing it will support your mental health and weight loss. You may even get a good night’s sleep!
