Incorporating pumpkin seed oil as part of a balanced, healthy diet will help you stay on top of your game, and add a different taste to your diet as well.

Dietary advice from the experts can, and does, change from time to time. Remember how fats were to be avoided at all costs? They were seen to be the main drivers behind the epidemic of heart disease and nutrition experts advised we limit the amount of fat in our diet. 

This still remains the advice in most government nutrition sites. But the science is more nuanced now on the topic than it has been. For a more detailed look at the science behind low-fat diets versus the now popular low carb diets see this article from the medically-reviewed Healthline site.

Healthy, recommended oils have made a comeback in recent years as research shows the benefits they can have for our health. Here’s the latest health advice from the Australian Government’s Health Direct.

“Fats are important for a healthy diet. But some are better for you than others. It’s best to choose foods containing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as omega-3 and 6. Eating too much saturated and trans fats, on the other hand, will increase your risk of heart disease and high cholesterol.”

The shift has been away from limiting fats of all kinds to embracing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats — those that remain a liquid at room temperature. Possibly the best-known is olive oil.

Olive oil is the traditional oil used by Middle Eastern countries for centuries as a topping, to cook with and as a general garnish. However its increase in use in recent years has been sparked by the popularity of the Mediterranean diet, consistently ranked the best in terms of healthy diets.

But did you know that it’s quite OK — even recommended — to have a range of oils in the pantry? Make one of these pumpkin seed oil and you’re both widening your taste journey and boosting you and your family’s health at the same time.

Pumpkin seed oil is a rich source of both mono and polyunsaturated fats, those that nutrition experts prefer we consume. Two of these are oleic and linoleic acid, now considered vital for good health and wellbeing. Using pumpkin oil properly is a great health and taste supplement to using oils such as olive oil. But how best to use it in your cooking? 

The famous nutty taste

Pumpkin seed oil adds a unique nutty flavour to dishes. However, it’s wise not to heat pumpkin seed oil for too long, or on a very high heat due to its low smoke point. “Smoke point” refers to the temperature at which an oil begins to smoke and burn rather than heat up. It’s something we’ve all done. Leave the oil or butter heating in the pan for too long, and smoke will start to rise from the pan.

Not only does this change the flavour of the food for the worse it’s also unhealthy. Let the oil burn for too long and it releases free radicals, which damage the body’s cells. Therefore it’s important to understand the smoke point of the oil that you’re using, so you can use the cooking oil in the right way.

However, here’s a few ideas on how to use pumpkin seed oil for the best effect.

Two recipes from Honest Cooking.

One for Butternut Squash Soup that sounds delicious. Using pumpkin seed oil to fry cubed squash, apples and onions to get a wonderful taste for the soup. The other is to add as a dressing for potato salad. Combined with potato, onion, apple cider vinegar, paprika and garlic to make a delicious dish. 

This brings us to the versatility of pumpkin seed oil. The way it can be used to dress any salad, to give them a unique nutty flavour.

Using pumpkin seed oil as a salad dressing

The unique nuttiness of the oil is a delicious, and healthy, base to the salad dressing. Check here for several salad dressings made using pumpkin seed oil.

At PumpkinHouse we make our oil from only the finest pumpkins, sourced from Styria, in the famous growing region bordering Austria and Slovenia. It is believed the optimal growing conditions in this region contribute to the uniquely nutty taste and health properties. The traditional methods used to cultivate the seeds make them richer in both fat-soluble and water-soluble antioxidants. 

At PumpkinHouse we recommend official nutrition guidelines of eating a balanced diet for best health results. Should you have any questions about our products, please contact us on our contact page or on our Facebook page.