Pumpkin meal: what is it and how to take it?

In addition to specialized drugs, there are a large number of products that can no less effectively deal with various diseases, as well as saturate the body with essential trace elements. Among such therapeutic and mineral complexes should be attributed pumpkin flour.

More and more people are reviewing their diet, pursuing the goal of eating only healthy foods. Therefore, on the table there are new dishes, which are based on previously untested ingredients.Recently, pumpkin flour has become quite popular, which is remarkable not only for its originality of taste, but also for its unique health benefits.

Products borrowed their unique characteristics from pumpkin seeds, which act as ingredients for its preparation. Flour has found its use in cooking, cosmetology and medicine.

Vegetable culture itself is quite popular in Mexico, so flour from it is commonly used there, as well as in Asia, Thailand, Brazil and Japan. It is known that as a medical additive it was used in ancient Egypt. In our country, the use of pumpkin flour every year is gaining momentum, and due to the demand for the product of its composition.

In fact, flour is a protein-mineral complex, which is very much appreciated as a dietary supplement. In the menu of vegetarians and raw foodists it is included due to its medicinal properties. Pumpkin meal, which is made by cold pressing, retains all the proteins, amino acids and minerals that culture is rich in.

The composition of the product contains the following beneficial substances and trace elements:

• vitamin complex consisting of vitamins A, B, C, K, PP, H and F;
• alimentary fiber;
• vegetable proteins;
• about 50 amino acids;
• bioflavonoids;
• mineral compounds of phosphorus, potassium, iron, zinc, and so on.

It also contains other active substances, due to which it is so useful for the human body. The product incorporates polyunsaturated acids, chlorophyll, and also a rather rare amino acid - cucurbitin. Due to the 40% protein content, flour is an indispensable source of nutrition for the body.

The powder obtained from seeds is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, whose benefits are worthy of special attention.

It is also important that pumpkin flour is a gluten-free product without soy. Such a unique composition makes the product useful for humans. As for the caloric content, then in 100 grams of powder there is 305 kcal.

Considering the product, it is necessary to identify the main positive properties of its use. Flour acts as antiallergic, immunomodulatory and firming agent. In addition, the powder has anti-inflammatory, bactericidal and cardiotonic effect.

Introduce flour in the diet is recommended in the cases described below.

• Older people who suffer from osteoporosis are advised to take crushed seeds as an additive to the main course of treatment. The positive effect is due to the content in the powder of zinc, helping to maintain bone density at the proper level.
• Flour is used to prevent kidney stones, as it has an anti-inflammatory effect.
• The product normalizes hormonal background in both men and women. As a result, an improvement in mood and libido results from the consumption of flour.
• According to reviews, chopped vegetable seeds contribute to weight loss, because they speed up the metabolism. A balanced combination of protein and a minimum amount of fat allows you to cook diet meals.

• Due to the L-tryptophan contained in the product, flour helps normalize sleep, and also acts as a natural antidepressant.
• Zinc will help adolescents cope with acne during puberty.
• With proper dosage, the product is useful for patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome.
• Introduction to the diet of pumpkin flour is recommended for heart disease. The microelements contained in it prevent the formation of vascular plaques.
• Flour is used for cooking for people with diabetes because it helps to maintain blood sugar levels within the normal range.
• Pumpkin seeds reduce the likelihood of prostate disease in men.
• Pumpkin seeds have long been considered a natural means of destroying worms. The cucurbitin contained in them effectively fights against parasites.

In addition to the impressive range of applications of natural products for medical purposes, flour is quite actively used in cosmetology. The powder is part of many skin care products that have a positive effect on the epidermis, providing a rejuvenating and healing effect.

The effectiveness of the product is explained by the presence of a complex of vitamins and amino acids that play an important role in the process of collagen production by the skin, which ensures its elasticity, and zinc, in turn, controls the functioning of the sebaceous glands, which reduces the risk of inflammation and acne.

Strict contraindications regarding the use of the product, no. In moderate quantities, the product is recommended to enter even in the children's diet, in addition, the product will be useful for expectant mothers and women during lactation.

In general, the negative result from the use of flour will be the same as from pumpkin seeds, but the effect may be more significant, since the ground substances have a much stronger effect on the body. As a rule, side effects include diarrhea, flatulence or constipation.

This is due to the content in the product of dietary fiber, which activates intestinal motility and the work of microflora. Most often, adverse reactions occur in people who have not previously consumed meals with a high content of fiber.

Flour can adversely affect a person's well-being during severe migraines. As recent studies have shown, in some patients this particular product increases headaches.

The benefits of unsaturated fatty acids are indisputable for humans, but only when the products used are fresh. Expired flour emits toxic compounds that increase the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

Flour tastes a bit like a walnut, differs in its airy consistency, thanks to which it is often used to cook bakery products, confectionery and various cocktails. Frayed pumpkin seeds are used as seasoning for vegetable salads, they are filled with cereals. In cooking, flour also acts as a flavoring agent for various side dishes. It is combined with pasta, rice or corn.

In order to maintain immunity and replenish energy in the offseason, flour may be included as an additive in fortified beverages. Usually, the powder is dissolved in fermented milk products, they are drunk several times a day for at least 30 days.

For the purification of slags, there is a scheme for their removal using this product. The duration of taking pumpkin powder is 3 weeks. In the first week every day, instead of breakfast, it is necessary to prepare a cocktail of 100 grams of any fermented milk product with the addition of one tablespoon of flour. The second and third weeks suggest cleaning in the same way, but the amount of powder must be increased by one spoon, and the fermented milk drink by 50 grams after every seven days.

As a result of the daily intake of such a drink, the intestinal walls will naturally be cleansed of parasites and fecal stones without disturbing the natural microflora. To increase the effect during the cleansing of the body, it is necessary to strictly observe the drinking regime - the minimum amount of water consumed per day should be 2 liters.

To prepare food from pumpkin flour, it is not at all necessary to purchase products in supermarkets, because it is quite possible to make them at home. Gluten-free flour shop is produced according to GOST, but the home product will not be inferior to the content of useful substances, in addition, the powder prepared with your own hands is guaranteed not to contain any additional inclusions.

Flour is prepared according to the recipe described below.

• Raw pumpkin seeds should be washed, then dried in an oven to such a state that they will be halved.
• Next, they must be crushed to the consistency of the powder. For these purposes you should use a kitchen blender or a coffee grinder. The device must be set to fine mode.
• The resulting powder is sifted through a sieve and sent for storage in a dry container. The main thing is to keep it in a cool place and in an airtight container.

Flour can be made not only from vegetable seeds, but also from pulp. As for the chemical content of the pulp, it is slightly inferior to the seeds in terms of the content of fatty acids, but as its advantages it is worth noting the high content of carotenoids, which are powerful antioxidants.

To make a useful powder from the pulp, it must be dried, before it is removed, the peel and remove the seeds. Next, the vegetable is cut into pieces of small size and sent to dry in the oven at the minimum temperature. After heat treatment, the pumpkin is ground in a blender or meat grinder.

Home baked goods, cereals, burgers are prepared from the obtained powder, you can make a pumpkin casserole, and also use them for cosmetic procedures that can be easily performed at home.

Pumpkin flour cake is made according to the recipe below.

• Four proteins must be whipped with 100-150 grams of sugar. Egg yolks are pounded with half of the specified portion of sugar.
• After that, two glasses of pumpkin flour are sieved with one tablespoon of baking powder, cinnamon and vanilla. Then these ingredients are mixed with yolks. Proteins are introduced into the dough last.
• The resulting mass must be put in a baking dish and sent to the oven for 30 minutes.

To cook homemade burgers, you need to follow the recipe presented below.

• Two juicy carrots are ground in a meat grinder, and then mixed with two cups of flour, various greens, spices and garlic.
• Next, the cutlets are prepared according to the usual method - they are formed in the usual size, and then they are fried until golden brown. To emphasize the taste of the product, cutlets are recommended to be served with a sauce.

Whitening, toning and cleansing masks can be used to make skin care from pumpkin flour. Beauticians recommend to prepare the composition for the face according to the following recipe:

• the powder is poured into the container and poured boiling water, you need to achieve a thick mixture consistency;
• then dissolved flour is applied to the face, pre-treated with vegetable oil;
• after twenty minutes, the mask is washed off with cool water.

To improve the condition of the hair, as well as to prevent the appearance of dandruff from the powder, you can also make a useful mask. It is prepared according to the following scheme:

• water is introduced into the powder in a ratio of 10: 1;
• the resulting mixture should be applied to the skin of the head and hair roots, cover for half an hour;
• after the time has elapsed.

The flour purchased at the store is stored in the original packaging according to the instructions specified by the manufacturer. As a rule, the shelf life of goods is not more than one year.

Powder prepared at home should be stored in a refrigerator using an airtight container for no more than two months. This applies to flour prepared from seeds, as well as product derived from the pulp of the vegetable.

Flour with an expired shelf life can be distinguished from a fresh product by its characteristic rancid taste. It is forbidden to eat it. A similar flavor to the product appears during the oxidation of fatty acids, which are a health hazard due to the fact that they release toxic compounds. Therefore, use pumpkin flour should be only fresh, expired product should be disposed of.

See the video below for the benefits of pumpkin flour.