From the Northern Song Dynasty more than a thousand years ago to the present, the snack of melon seeds has appeared in various scenes: friends gatherings, holiday tables, drama chasing gossip... It can be described as the national "number one snack"~
What's more magical is that although the melon seeds taste mediocre, they make people can't stop when they snort, what is going on? What are the health benefits of melon seeds?
1
Why are melon seeds "addicted"?
Some people eat melon seeds until their mouth is dry, but they still can't control their hands to reach for melon seeds, as if they are "addicted". Among them, it may be that dopamine is at work.
Dopamine is actually related to the error of reward expectations, and when the actual return or reward is higher than psychological expectations, dopamine will be secreted in large quantities.
1 The "addictive" mechanism of sucking melon seeds
(1) When we pick up melon seeds and prepare to sip, the brain produces a psychological expectation of eating melon seeds, dopamine secretion, and begins to look forward to delicious melon seeds;
(2) The thin and brittle shell easily cracks with a light bite, allowing you to instantly capture fragrant nuts, so our expectations are easily "instant gratification", which gives the brain a "reward" that exceeds expectations and promotes the secretion of dopamine;
(3) When the brain remembers this reward mechanism, it will drive us to continue to pick up melon seeds, spit out shells, and eat melon seeds. A magical melon seed cycle begins.
2
Different melon seeds, each with its own strengths
Researchers at the Harvard Chen Zengxi School of Public Health found that regularly eating foods rich in lignans, such as sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds, will significantly reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. The researchers speculate that the synergistic effect of lignans and dietary fiber can increase the production of linolebnins in the blood plasma and thus play a role.
In addition to reducing coronary heart disease, in fact, different melon seeds have their own strengths~
1 sunflower seed, anti-aging, blood vessel protection
(1) Rich in vitamin E
Sunflower seeds contain a lot of vitamin E (79mg/100g), eating about 10 grams of sunflower kernels a day can meet half of the daily vitamin E needs.
Vitamin E is a highly effective antioxidant that protects biofilms from peroxide damage, improves skin blood circulation, enhances skin cell vitality and delays the aging process.
(2) Rich in unsaturated fatty acids
Sunflower seeds contain a lot of fat, most of these fats are unsaturated fatty acids, which can accelerate the body's fatty acid metabolism after entering the human body, and can prevent the absorption of cholesterol and fat by the human body, has an important role in stabilizing blood pressure and blood lipids, and can also reduce the occurrence of arteriosclerosis.
2 watermelon seeds, laxative, hair care
(1) Moisturize the intestines and strengthen the stomach
The "Compendium of Materia Medica" believes that watermelon seeds have the effect of "clearing the lungs and moisturizing the intestines, and quenching thirst". Watermelon seeds are rich in oil, have stomach, moisturizing intestines, laxative effects, you may wish to eat some watermelon seeds when you have poor appetite or constipation.
Serving instructions: You can use a blender to crush watermelon seeds and boil water to drink, or you can squeeze the juice with watermelon.
(2) Maintain hair
Watermelon seeds are rich in protein and amino acids and unsaturated fatty acids, as well as vitamin A, which has a good care effect on hair; In addition, the copper contained in it also has the effect of promoting the production of melanin.
Serving method: stir-fried or fried soup to drink, with black sesame seeds, the effect is better.
3 pumpkin seeds, protect the prostate, regulate pressure
(1) Prevention of prostatitis
American studies have found that eating about 50 grams of pumpkin seeds a day can be more effective in assisting the prevention and treatment of prostate diseases.
On the one hand, pumpkin seeds are rich in fatty acids, which can keep the prostate gland functioning; On the other hand, it is rich in zinc, which can enhance the antibacterial and bactericidal ability of the prostate, effectively protect the prostate, and strengthen the function of the bladder and urethra; And some of the active ingredients can also help eliminate swelling in the early stages of prostatitis.
(2) Assist in regulating blood pressure
Pumpkin seeds have high potassium content, which on the one hand can expand blood vessels and indirectly help reduce blood pressure; On the other hand, when excessive sodium ions cause blood pressure to rise, potassium can promote the body to excrete excess sodium, which is very beneficial to stabilize blood pressure and assist in lowering blood pressure.
4 winter melon seeds: moisturize the lungs and dissolve phlegm, water and dampness
Compared with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and watermelon seeds that are often eaten, winter melon seeds may not be so common, but its medicinal value is higher - Chinese medicine believes that winter melon seeds are cool and sweet, and have the effect of clearing the lungs and dissolving phlegm, reducing pain and pus, and removing water and dampness.
For people with abnormal water metabolism such as palpitations, shortness of breath, stomach fullness, loss of appetite, less urine, sore backs and soft legs, fat tongue, lower limb edema, etc., you can help dispel water and dampness by eating winter melon seeds;
People with fever, thirst, irritability, sputum and yellow pus, cough and other phlegm fever can also relieve discomfort symptoms by eating winter melon seeds.
3
Eat melon seeds healthily and keep in mind 4 points
1. Choose the original flavor and packaging
Melon seeds have many flavors, such as five-spice, cream, green tea, etc., but multi-flavored melon seeds will add flavor, saccharin, salt and other substances when processing, these ingredients are not good for health, so it is better to choose the original flavor.
2. Control quantity
The fat content in melon seeds is relatively high, and eating too much may induce obesity and even diseases such as high blood lipids due to excessive fat calorie intake.
The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents" recommends that the weekly dietary intake of nuts for residents is 50-70 grams (nut meat), which is equivalent to eating 20-25 grams of shelled melon seeds per day.
3. Do not eat bitter melon seeds
If melon seeds are not stored properly, they are easily damp and moldy, and may even produce highly toxic aflatoxin.
1mg aflatoxin can also cause cancer! Therefore, if you eat moldy and bitter melon seeds, be sure to spit them out and gargle in time. If a few melon seeds are moldy, it is best to throw away the whole package, because Aspergillus flavus is transmitted in the form of spores, and food is easily implicated in mildew, but it is only invisible to the naked eye.
4. Drink tea while sipping melon seeds
Many people can't stop eating melon seeds, which can easily cause mouth ulcers, swollen and painful tongue tips, sore throat and other symptoms of fire, so avoid eating melon seeds for a long time when eating melon seeds, and drink more water, or green tea, honeysuckle tea and other fire-lowering tea.
(I'm a big doctor)