5 Pumpkin Seeds Skin Benefits for Acne and a Better Complexion

Raw pumpkin seeds are an excellent food for treating acne problems and improving your skin’s appearance.

Here’s why the specific nutrients in pepitas are so good for enhancing skin tone, maintaining facial firmness, moderating oil production, reducing blackheads and controlling acne.

5 Skin Nutrients in Pepitas

The primary nutritional elements in pumpkin seeds that benefit your skin include zinc, glycine, selenium, essential fatty acids and vitamin E. Though pepitas have many other vitamins, minerals and nutrients.

Preventing deficiencies is important as your skin is one of the first places to show when nutrition is lacking in your diet.

1. Zinc

The high levels of zinc in pumpkin seeds help to protect skin cells membranes and maintain connective collagen.

A good intake of dietary zinc promotes skin cell renewal, leading to younger, fresher looking skin. It’s also important for wound healing and clearing up any spots that do appear.

On the other hand, zinc deficiency has been linked in research to the “severity and type of acne lesions in patients with acne vulgaris”.

This mineral is necessary for moderating excessive oil production associated with blemish prone skin. Many people in online forums report a lessening of acne problems and oily skin when they increase their zinc intake with regular pumpkin seeds.

2. Glycine

Glycine is an amino acid needed for your body to produce collagen, the structural protein that ‘glues’ your skin cells together and maintains facial firmness and skin’s elasticity.

Collagen helps heal acne outbreaks and low production will lead to a poor complexion and fine lines and wrinkles over time.

Pumpkin seeds are a high source of glycine that poor diets often lack. Sunflower seeds and almonds are other good sources and these three make a great combination when eaten together.

3. Selenium

Selenium provides powerful antioxidant protection for your skin against UV damage, pollution and other environmental damage. It also helps keep skin elastic and subtle.

Increasing selenium intake is often recommended for people suffering from acne and other skin complaints. While Brazil nuts are the best natural source, pumpkin seeds also contain good levels of selenium.

4. Essential Fatty Acids

Pumpkin seeds are rich in essential fatty acids, necessary for skin to retain good moisture levels. Without adequate levels of EFAs, young skin will start looking older earlier, as it dries out and loses its flexibility and tone.

A diet high in essential fatty acids, especially omega-3s, can also help reduce the appearance of blackheads and acne outbreaks. Flaxseed oil is an even better source of omega-3 fatty acids for healthy skin.

5. Vitamin E

As well as being a premier antioxidant, vitamin E has a wide range of benefits for your skin.

It has been shown to help diminish the appearance of stretch marks and assist with faster wound healing and skin cell repair.

Good levels of vitamin E in the diet may also assist with treating other skin problems like psoriasis and eczema, as well as preventing blemishes.

As beneficial as pumpkin seeds are for your skin, pumpkin seed oil is an even more concentrated version of fat soluble nutrients, like essential fatty acids and vitamin E for treating acne.

Dosage for Acne and Healthier Skin

To get enough zinc, glycine, selenium and vitamin E from pumpkin seeds for acne reduction, a daily dose of 1 ounce (28 grams) is recommended for regular use.

Personally, I find just enjoying a small handful of pepitas regularly provides beneficial effects, such as skin tone improvement and anti-inflammatory effects. They are quite filling and make for a much healthier snack food in the evening.

Pumpkin seeds also go well with breakfast cereals, sprinkled over salads and mixed into many lunches and dinners, particularly those with creamy or tomato-based sauces.

You can find a list of the best value raw pumpkin seeds here, including organic, USA grown and great tasting Styrian seeds, if you’d like to give them a try.

As well as their skin benefits, pumpkin seeds have other important properties for a common problem that few people are aware of. Learn about how to get rid of parasitic intestinal worms with pumpkin seeds here.