BOTANICAL NAME: CUCURBITA PEPO L
FAMILY NAME: CUCURBITACEAE
COMMON NAME: CUCURBITA
PARTS USED: SEEDS
The pumpkin seed oil has a healing ability and due to this it is used as a massage oil as well as for the treatment of skin, it is also used in curing the arthritis pain. However, the most common use of this oil is that it is used in the preparation of food.
The derivation of this word comes from a greek world called "pepon" which means "a large melon". It was further edited in french and was called "pompon". Britishers further evolved this word into "pumpion". However, it was again changed by the Americans to "pumpkin" which we know today. Pumpkins have been in use since the ancient times. It was used by the American natives as a food, they used to roast the pumpkin strips. When the top was replaced with the seeds, milk and money that when the pumpkin came into being.
Pumpkins are all of use. They are used in variety of field. They are used for agricultural reasons and also for commercial and ornamental purposes, like Halloween. Today the cultivation of pumpkin takes place globally. India, Mexico, Canada and United States are its largest producers. The yield of pumpkin is very good. 1/5th of the land is used for obtaining the yield of 100 kg. In order for the extraction purpose the seeds of the pumpkin are first cleaned and dried. By this degree of plantation one can easily extract 40 liters of oil.
The pumpkin seeds are first placed inside the crusher for obtaining them in powdered form. The flour obtained is wetted with water. Then comes the roasting part into play. The temperature should be kept in mind while roasting this flour as a degree of low temperature or high temperature can spoil the flour. After the roasting process gets completed the roasted flour is compressed with high pressure in order to extract the oil. The oil obtained undergoes the refinement process and after the refinement the oil is stored to be used for trade and use.
COMMONLY KNOWN BENEFITS
Due to the presence of amino acid tryptophan which enhances the sleep when digested by our body, it helps in inducing the sound sleep.
It also assists in weight loss and keeps the blood sugar level stable as the pumpkin seed oil has certain proteins present in it.
The pumpkin seed oil is highly rich in antioxidants like Vitamin A, Vitamin E and Zeaxanthin. It is also highly beneficial for the person suffering from arthritis.
It has been proven that regular intake of this oil helps in eliminating kidney stones and not only it eliminates but also prevents it from occurring again. Moreover, regular intake of this oil also helps in preventing or benign prostate hyperplasia.
The pumpkin seed oil has a nutty flavour and thus it is widely used in making desserts such as vanilla ice cream. This is also known for its culinary and medical benefits and is it is also used in making skin products too. It is all-purpose oil which can be used for variety of reasons.