Pumpkin seeds contain only a small amount of one type of omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid. After you consume alpha-linolenic acid, it breaks down into two other omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid, also called EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, commonly called DHA. Your body can't manufacture omega-3 fatty acids, called essential fatty acids; you must get them from your diet or supplements. Pumpkin oil does contain other fatty acids, including the omega-6 fatty acid linoleic acid.
Omega-3 to Omega-6 Ratios
Pumpkin seeds contain a very small amount of omega-3 fatty acid, 0.155 g of alpha-linolenic acid in a 1-cup serving, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Most commercially available pumpkin seed oil contains no linoleic acid at all, according to Ask Dr. Sears, the website of author and pediatrician William Sears, M.D. Dr. Sears states that high-quality pumpkin oil contains omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in a ratio of 3:1, a healthy ratio. Pumpkin seed oil generally contains from 45 to 60 percent linoleic acid and 0 to 15 percent alpha-linoleic acid.
Establishing an Ideal Ratio
Human beings probably evolved eating a 1:1 ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids, the Washington, D.C. Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health reported in the October 2002 issue of "Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy." Today, the ratio is closer to 15:1 in the United States and other Western countries. Consuming a ratio of 4:1 decreases the risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease by 70 percent, researchers state.
Alpha-Linolenic Acid Breakdown
Although ALA does break down into its better known and more thoroughly tested relatives, omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, the conversion rate varies from men to women, with women converting more ALA to both DHA and EPA. A British study conducted by the Institute of Human Nutrition and reported in the October 2002 "British Journal of Nutrition" found that healthy young women converted around 21 percent of ALA to EPA and 9 percent to DHA. For men, the percentage fell to 8 percent conversion to EPA and 0 to 4 percent to DHA.
Considerations
Pumpkin seed oil is not an ideal source of omega-3 fatty acids. In the plant world, flaxseed serves as a much better source of ALA. In the animal world, fish oil contains DHA and EPA. Poor conversion of ALA to DHA and EPA means that the omega-3 fatty acid benefits in pumpkin seeds may be limited.
References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Pumpkin Seeds
- Linus Pauling Institute; Essential Fatty Acids; Jane Higdon; December 2005
- "The British Journal of Nutrition"; Conversion of Alpha-Linolenic Acid to Eicosapentaenoic, Docosapentaenoic and Docosahexaenoic Acids in Young Women; G. Burdge, et al.; October 2002
- "Biomedicine and Pharmacother The Importance of the Ratio of Omega-6/Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids; A. Simopoulos; October 2002 ;
- Ask Dr. Sears: Pumpkin Seed Oil
- "The British Journal of Nutrition"; Eicosapentaenoic and Docosapentaenoic Acids are the Principal Products of Alpha Linolenic Acid Metabolism in Young Men; G. Burdge, et al.; October 2002
Member Comments