Pumpkin Seed Oil
Kuerbiskernoel is nothing else but the oil that is extracted from the seeds of Pumpkins from a place called Styrian seen on the southeast region of Austria. These are very special, unique pumpkins. The outer skin of the pumpkin is yellowish green and has very tempting bright yellow and orange pulpy flesh on the inside. Studded in the pulp of the pumpkin are the dark green seeds of the vegetable. And since the seeds of the Styrian pumpkin do not have an outer shell they are easily processed into oil.
Latin Name: Cucurbita pepo
Common Names: Pumpkin seed oil
The plant belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae. Being native of Austria, the oil is very popular among the natives of the region, which includes northern portion of Slovenia and Europe as well. When ripe, the Styrian pumpkins are harvested and this usually happens during the fall. The process of making the oil is actually very simple, first the seeds are plucked out from the flesh of the pumpkin, washed, dried, roasted and crushed to squeeze out the oil. The resulting oil is blackish green with a nutty flavor. You’ll be astonished to know that it takes 2.5 Kilograms of pumpkin seeds to make a liter of pumpkin seed oil.
Uses: The oil definitely finds a place in kitchens of people around the world, for its high nutritional values. This oil contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, D, E, and K, as well as many minerals including calcium and magnesium, unsaturated fatty acids and is rich in vegetable proteins as well making it an essential ingredient in many dishes. It is mostly used as a salad dressing, in our regular cooking, in making sauces, dishes with sausages, and also in baking cakes. The medicinal benefits of the oil are many and are not to be belittled. It is mostly used in the treatment of Benign Prostrate Symptoms. The anti-parasitic properties of this oil are helpful in the treatment of acute schistosomiasis and tapeworm infestations. It is also helpful in the treatment of depression. People of Thailand actually use the oil to slow down the process of kidney stone formation. Besides this it also helps in cardiac related problems and also anti-oxidant activities. It is also used in the treatment of arthritis, it was experimented on rats and treated paw oedema. The oil when taken can elevate blood pressure, and decrease cholesterol in the blood.
