The Verdict is in: Dry vs. Oil Roasted Seeds, Here’s What’s Best

What you’ll find inside this bag: The verdict is in and roasted snacks definitely top the charts when it comes to nutritional benefits. But are they really that much better for you than oil-roasted?

 

This post was written by Crystal Grobb, Registered Holistic Nutritionist

 

Lady Godiva, Naked Bear, and Kakai Hulless Pumpkin or pepitas, it doesn’t matter what you call them pumpkin seeds are small powerhouses of nutrition that will fuel your life.

This beautiful little roasted snack option doesn’t just come from Halloween leftovers or the goopy seeds that we pull out of this amazing fall vegetable. No, this roasted snack packs an addictive crunch and provides you with valuable Zinc, Magnesium and healthy fats (to name just a few important health benefits) for our diets.

 

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF DRY ROASTED SNACKS

 

Finding a roasted snack company, like Skuta, provides you with all kinds of benefits. First, the difference between oil roasting and dry roasting is undeniable. There are no highly processed oils getting heated to high temperatures, the dry roasted seeds integrity remains intact the less you process it, and there are less added ingredients.

Not only does the processing create a much healthier roasted snack option, but dry roasted pumpkin seeds tend to host plenty of nutritional benefits.

 

Dry Roasted Keeps the Mineral Content Intact

Pumpkin seeds are notorious for their zinc content, which is a trace mineral in the body that helps to support immune function. Think fewer trips to the doctor’s office, days off work and missing out on quality time with friends and family.

Pepitas are such a rich source of this mineral that the World Health Organization recommends daily consumption. So not only should you dive into this roasted snack for its zinc content, but they’re also high in Magnesium and Calcium, among other microminerals.

 

Dry Roasting Ensures More Healthy Fats & Less Rancid Fats

Another important fact that we really don’t want to overlook is the importance of healthy fats.

Every health magazine, blog, social media account and podcast are rife with the importance of getting in healthy fats into our diets, and rightly so.

Our brains literally depend on a consistent supply of healthy fats from our diets in order to function properly. These little roasted snacks are one of the best sources of plant-based omega-3s to help keep the engine running. Now that’s what I call smart thinking!

Buying pumpkin seeds dry roasted might just be the better option than raw if you’re concerned about foodborne illnesses such as Salmonella poisoning due to improper handling during harvesting or simple cross-contamination from contaminated soil as the heat tends to kill off bacteria and viruses.

Although roasting snacks like pumpkin seeds will tend to lose some of their nutritional value, the amount is negligible as long as they are roasted low and slow for a maximum of 20 minutes. As mentioned above, one of the incredible health benefits of dry roasted pumpkin seeds are the healthy fats locked into these tiny plants.

Generally speaking, seeds are quite stable to heat, especially given their high-fat content (about 75-80% of the calories come from fat).

This is most likely the result of the type of fat – they are high in monosaturated fats and saturated fats, which are less susceptible to damage when heated and help support the overall stability of fat content in the seeds themselves.

BUT WHAT ABOUT OIL ROASTED SEEDS?

Since these seeds are already so high in fat, there’s really is no need to add oil during the roasting process. It only serves to add more calories with no real benefit to the nutritional value and it can leave the seeds tasting oily and fatty. Eating pumpkin seeds raw or dry roasted is your best option for maximum health support.

Pumpkin seeds are nature’s perfect little gift to us because they taste amazing and they are a healthy snacking option that’s high in protein and healthy fats.

The best thing you can do for your pumpkin seed friends is to dry roast with minimal ingredients, which is why Skuta is one of my favourite pumpkin seed brands.

 

What’s all this protein talk?

The number one question asked about eating a plant-based diet is where do I get my protein from? Roasted pumpkin seeds contain 5 grams of protein in just 1 ounce and they’re a rich source of amino acids and tryptophan, which helps to boost your mood and regulate your sleep.

Sounds like a win-win to me.

Not only that but this wonderful roasted snack is amazing at eliminating dangerous microbes from the body.

Just ¼ cup of the seeds daily has been shown to improve immune health and eliminate various unhealthy microbes from harming our bodies. Even yeast infections don’t stand a chance to proliferate when we include pumpkin seeds in our diets.

So, you’re convinced to start including pumpkin seeds in your diet but don’t relish the idea of noshing on a handful of plain seeds?

Not to worry, Skuta’s pumpkin seed variety is quite unique to Canada and another wonderful reason why I love this roasted snack option is the fact that the taste is unlike the traditional hulled pumpkin seeds that you are used to. They are large, sweet, crunchy and hulless. When dry roasted they have so much more flavour, making them an easy snack to eat plain or while you’re on-the-go.

Pumpkin seeds are extraordinarily versatile as snacks and provide health benefits fit for Superfood status.

 

 

There are so many ways you can take Skuta’s pumpkin seeds on-the-go with you. We’d love to see your favourite way to Skuta and don’t forget to tag us @skutapumpkin and use #snackskuta for a chance to be featured.