Flora makes two different pumpkin oils: pumpkin oil and pumpkin seed oil.
Different terms for the same thing. Both are delicious and Certified Organic. The Hydro-Therm™ Pumpkin Oil (US) is a delicious, savory culinary oil. The hydro-therm method is a gentle process that employs light toasting, sea salt, and cool filtered water to protect and ensure the natural spectrum of omega fatty acids when the seeds are expeller-pressed. To maintain peak nutritional value and prevent oxidation, the oils are nitrogen-flushed and packaged in light-resistant, dark glass bottles. This version is grown in the USA using Austrian Styriaca variety seed (polyunsaturated fat 9g per tablespoon; monounsaturated fat 2.5g per tablespoon). The one in the shorter, wider bottle (US/CA) is grown from Cucurbita pepo L. var. Oleifera Pietsch variety seed (polyunsaturated fat 6g per tablespoon; monounsaturated fat 5g per tablespoon). It is cold-pressed and made with untoasted seeds. Pumpkin oil is di-chromatic, so it can sometimes appear to have green or red tints to it, depending on volume and lighting. The green color comes from its chlorophyll content. These are not your typical Halloween pumpkin seeds!Pumpkin oil is a rich source of antioxidants.
These include tocopherols (vitamin E) and phenolics like caffeic acid, gallic acid, vanillin, vanillic acid, and apigenin. Pumpkin oil also contains sterols like campesterol and stigmasterol. These are thought to play a role in supporting prostate health and relieving BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia)1. There’s a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (gold standard, in other words) looking at the effects of pumpkin oil on hair growth in men. It involved 76 men taking 400 mg of pumpkin oil per day or a placebo for 24 weeks. In the end, the pumpkin oil group had a 40-percent increase in hair count vs. just 10-percent increase for the placebo group.2 Given all this, it’s not surprising that men contact us the most about pumpkin oil. But everyone can enjoy its unique, delicious flavor with various foods. Recipes abound on our blog—just pop ‘pumpkin’ into the search bar for some instant inspiration!Robert Dadd is a Master Herbalist (Dominion Herbal College) with a BA in Communications from Simon Fraser University. His areas of research include adaptogens, probiotics, and essential fatty acids. He is currently the Product Information Supervisor for Flora Manufacturing and Distributing.
- Damiano R, et al. The role of Cucurbita pepo in the management of patients affected by lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia: A narrative review. Arch Ital Urol Androl. 2016 Jul 4;88(2):136-43.
- Cho YH, et al. Effect of pumpkin seed oil on hair growth in men with androgenetic alopecia: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2014;2014:549721.
