- Diet enrichment
- Recommendations for use
- Contraindications
Weight adjustment is a complex process that requires an integrated approach, based on various techniques. The use of agents that improve metabolic processes can be potentially effective.
Diet enrichment
Pumpkin is famous not only for turning into a carriage in one popular fairy tale. This vegetable contains many nutrients: fiber, vitamins, and an impressive mineral composition. No wonder nutritionists now and then express regret about its complete absence in many people’s diet.
Pumpkin seed oil is a kind of concentrate of all the very best the orange vegetable has to offer. The product is rich in B vitamins, as well as vitamins A and E. It also contains unsaturated fatty acids, phospholipids, flavonoids, and carotene (it is the substance that imparts a characteristic orange color to many pumpkin varieties).
What properties allow us to include pumpkin seed oil in the diet for weight loss? You may encounter the opinion that this product (when taken orally) breaks down the layer of subcutaneous fat and then removes everything unnecessary from the body. This belief, although tempting, is false. In fact, the following takes place:
- The pancreas starts working better;
- Digestive processes are activated;
- The body more effectively eliminates waste products.
Scientific fact. As a rule, subcutaneous fat is broken down only during active work of muscles, i.e., during playing sports. The simultaneous activation of metabolic processes creates favorable conditions for weight loss.
Another important condition is a healthy diet. If your diet is rich in refined fats and “fast” carbohydrates, pumpkin oil will, at best, slow down the formation of new subcutaneous fat layers.
Recommendations for use
How to take pumpkin seed oil for weight loss? Remember how new foods are introduced into a child’s diet. They often start with very small amounts. This case is similar.
It is recommended to start using the product with one teaspoon. Add this amount to a salad, ready-made sauce, a slightly cooled portion of porridge or soup (only if it is one of the varieties eaten cold). Any dish that involves the use of vegetable oil without heating will work.
Important! Heating pumpkin seed oil is unacceptable, as it almost completely deprives it of its beneficial properties. It is also important to observe the storage conditions: in a dark place and at a temperature not exceeding 25 degrees Celsius.
It is recommended to introduce any new product into the diet on a trial basis in a calm environment. Allergic reactions and intolerance are always possible. Even in people who eat pumpkin with pleasure without any discomfort for digestion.
One more sensitive issue should be considered: possible increased intestinal motility. If it is mild, then this effect can only be enjoyed. However, diarrhea is possible, and then sorbents, plenty of fluids, and rest will come to the rescue.
Has your body reacted positively to the new product? If you wish, you can slightly increase the “dosage.” However, you should not completely replace the vegetable oil in your diet with pumpkin oil. The maximum permissible amount is no more than three tablespoons per day. A larger amount can adversely affect pancreatic function.
If your body tolerates the product well, you can try another method and start drinking pumpkin seed oil for weight loss in its pure form. The regimen is simple: one teaspoon an hour before meals, up to three times a day. A more precise regimen will depend on your body’s reaction. Perhaps, for some people, even a single dose will produce the desired effect.
The smell and taste deserve special mention. Opinions about these characteristics are diametrically opposed. Some people praise the specific aromatic notes and taste, whereas others are not enthusiastic at best. Are you in the latter group? You can mitigate the unpleasant aftertaste by washing down the oil with a couple of sips of any natural juice. It is not recommended to use water for this purpose. Another option is to eat a bite of bread (oat, buckwheat) or a cracker. It should be kept in mind that bread itself stimulates the intestinal tract, and you need to observe your body’s reaction to such combinations of products.
This oil is not the right fit for you? Do not worry, there are other equally interesting options: sea buckthorn oil, castor oil, black cumin oil, coconut oil.
Contraindications
The main contraindications are disorders of the pancreas and gall bladder, especially in cases involving the formation of stones. In second place are gastrointestinal ailments such as gastritis and ulcers.
The following diseases and conditions require the use of pumpkin seed oil only with a doctor’s permission:
- Pregnancy/lactation;
- Diabetes (any type);
- Impaired function of internal organs.
Judicious use of pumpkin seed oil for weight loss allows you to achieve better results than a diet can give you in combination with feasible and acceptable physical activity.
