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Biotona’s pumpkin seeds are bursting with nutrients!

The seeds in Biotona Bio Pumpkin Seed and Protein Raw are much more than just ordinary pumpkin seeds. These two products, one with raw seeds and the other a seed-based powder, are made from top-quality Austrian pumpkin seeds with exceptionally high levels of nutrients and a super-delicious flavour.

About a hundred years ago, the farmers in Steiermark, Austria, discovered a pumpkin that had seeds without a shell. The seeds were dark green in colour and had an intense nutty taste. These are the seeds that Biotona now uses in two of its products: Bio Pumpkin Seed and Protein Raw. The first contains pure, unroasted seeds. Because the Austrian pumpkin seeds are so flavoursome, they don’t need roasting. This means that they retain maximum amounts of nutrients. Protein Raw is a bright green powder that is made from these same exceptional Steiermark pumpkin seeds. The powder is obtained by first pressing all the rich oil out of the seeds and then drying and grinding them very finely. This mechanical process results in a protein-rich residue that keeps all its health-giving nutrients, as well as having a truly intense flavour and colour. You can use both products as supplements in a high-protein diet, but it is also ideal for people who do a lot of sport or as a vegetable-based source of protein for vegetarians and vegans.

WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF THESE PRODUCTS? 

Biotona Bio Pumpkin Seed and Protein Raw contain numerous health-giving nutrients:

Phytosterols

Pumpkin seeds contain roughly 45% of ‘good’ fats, 80% of which are beneficial or ‘good’ unsaturated fatty acids. These good fatty acids assist the more rapid healing of simple cuts, grazes and burns, as well as helping to combat skin problems, allergic symptoms and inflammation. They can also help to keep down your blood pressure. The remaining 20% of the fats are phytosterols. Phytosterols or plant sterols are fats that occur in vegetation. They make it possible to reduce cholesterol levels by slowing down the rate of cholesterol absorption from the intestines, so that it is given no opportunity to find its way into your blood but instead is discharged from the body via your bowel movements.

Vitamin E, anti-oxidants and carotenoids

Steiermark pumpkin seeds are rich in the vitamin E derivatives tocopherol and tocotrienol. Tocopherols are the most important fat-soluble anti-oxidants in pumpkin seeds. Anti-oxidants protect your tissues and the DNA in your cells against free radicals. Free radicals are aggressive substances that in some cases can cause damage to these cells and tissues. Another of the important anti-oxidants in pumpkin seeds are the carotenoids, also known as provitamin A. Provitamin A is converted in your body into actual vitamin A, which encourages good skin, good eyesight and boosts your natural immune system.

Proteins

Raw pumpkin seeds are rich in proteins (up to 35%). After pressing the oil out of the seeds, the resulting cake is dried to produce a bright green power that contains as much as 65% protein. In other words, the removal of the oil significantly increases the protein level. Because Biotona Bio Pumpkin Seed and Protein Raw are so protein-rich, they are both ideal as nutritional aids for men and women who practice endurance and power sports, for which extra protein is a must. At the same time, they can also serve as a perfect source of vegetable-based protein for vegetarians and vegans.

Chlorophyll

The deep green colour of pumpkin seeds is created by their high level of chlorophyll, the green pigment contained in plants. This pigment converts energy from the sun into nutrients for the plant. Numerous studies have proven that chlorophyll supports the body’s production of red blood cells, resulting in a healthy circulatory system. At the same time, chlorophyll also purifies both the blood itself and our organs.

WHAT MEDICAL CONDITIONS CAN PUMPKIN SEEDS HELP TO COMBAT?

Steiermark pumpkin seeds can be used as a phytotherapeutic remedy for the treatment of benign prostate problems, an irritable bladder and other symptomatic urinary complaints. From the age of fifty onwards, the prostate gland in men can increase in size to such an extent that it makes urination difficult or even results in disease. More than 50% of men above the age of sixty and 70% of men above the age of seventy experience problems of this kind. Pumpkin seeds have an inhibiting effect on the 5α-reductase enzyme, which converts testosterone into the more active dihydrotestosterone. This effectively slows down the rate of prostate growth.

Because this benefit has been so clearly established through research, KeyPharm – the company behind the Biotona range – has developed a specific product for this purpose: Physalis Proman Forte. This is a powerful complex that contains, amongst other ingredients, pumpkin seed extract, which helps to maximize male urinary comfort and the health of the urinary tracts. It also contains vitamin B6, zinc, selenium, vitamin E, rye grass pollen extract, cranberry powder and lycopene. These ingredients reduce the symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate: an overactive bladder (so that you need to go to the toilet all the time) or, conversely, an insufficiently active bladder, so that the stream of urine is weak and interrupted. In short, this product keeps the bladder and the urinary tracts healthy, improves the hormonal balance and protects cells against free radicals.

WHAT MAKES BIOTONA PUMPKIN SEEDS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER PUMPKIN SEEDS?

As already mentioned, Biotona uses seeds from an exceptional variety of pumpkin that is different from all other varieties: the Steiermark pumpkin from Austria. These seeds have no shell and have a much more intense green colour and flavour than seeds derived from other more frequently used pumpkins. In addition, they are also dried at low temperature, so that the most important nutrients, the rich taste and the deep colour are all retained. This cannot be compared with the standard commercial processing of seeds, where temperatures as high as 100°C are often used. The organic cultivation of the pumpkins and our specific processing method result in the crisp, flavoursome and slightly sweet products that are Biotona Bio Pumpkin Seed and Protein Raw.

HOW CAN YOU USE THESE PRODUCTS?

You can add crunchy Biotona Bio Pumpkin Seed to muesli or sprinkle it on top of pudding, yoghurt or a salad. It is also delicious as a pure and healthy snack between meals. Biotona Bio Pumpkin Protein Raw (1 to 2 tablespoons) can be added to smoothies or shakes in combination with fruits (juices) or other superfoods, (vegetable) milk, yoghurt or water. This is a quick and easy way to give a healthy extra touch to a variety of dishes, allowing you to create a health-giving and protein-rich meal that is also bursting with phytonutrients.