Sweet or savory watermelon seeds, milk-flavored and green-tea-flavored sunflower seeds, and increasingly fragrant pumpkin seeds—various flavored seeds are very popular in the nut market. Common sunflower seeds, watermelon seeds, and pumpkin seeds are similar in nutritional value, but differ in medicinal value.
As is well known, sunflower seeds not only contain abundant unsaturated fatty acids and high-quality protein, but also nutrients such as potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, selenium, and vitamins E and B1. They can prevent excessive plasma cholesterol and arteriosclerosis. The rich potassium content helps protect heart function and prevent hypertension. From the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine, sunflower seeds are neutral in nature and sweet in flavor, with effects of resolving phlegm, relieving asthma, calming the liver, expelling wind, and expelling parasites. Therefore, they are suitable for people with hyperlipidemia, arteriosclerosis, and hypertension, as well as for those with insomnia from neurasthenia.
The nutritional value of watermelon seeds and sunflower seeds is almost the same. From a medicinal perspective, watermelon seeds have the effect of clearing the lungs and resolving phlegm, providing auxiliary relief for symptoms like cough with excessive phlegm and hemoptysis. Watermelon seeds are rich in oil, which can aid digestion and promote bowel movements. You might consider eating some watermelon seeds when you have no appetite or are constipated.
Pumpkin seeds are not only delicious but also contain various nutrients the body needs, such as carotene, protein, and vitamins A, B1, and B2. They can help relieve mental stress and improve temperature tolerance. Pumpkin seeds are neutral in nature and sweet in flavor. According to the "Illustrated Guide to Chinese Medicinal Plants," roasted pumpkin seeds, when decocted and taken orally, can treat postpartum swelling of the hands and feet and diabetes. Pumpkin seeds are rich in zinc and also contain male hormones, which are helpful in treating early-stage prostate enlargement and preventing prostate cancer. Therefore, pumpkin seeds rank above sunflower and watermelon seeds due to their various medicinal values.
It should be noted that one should not eat too many seeds at once, with an appropriate amount being no more than 50 grams (1 liang), to avoid obesity, "heatiness" (internal heat), and mouth sores.