On a popular episode of Dr. Oz show, the good doctor shared two of his “best-kept health secrets”. While I did not watch the show myself (I’ve only watched 2 of his shows ever), several readers emailed me about it and I confirmed the topic selection by checking his blog post of the same day. Apparently, Dr. Oz is now a big fan of pumpkin seed oil.
In fact, he is so taken with this supposed “health secret” that he described pumpkin seed oil as being in the same league with coconut oil and olive oil.
Not sure what planet Dr. Oz is coming from with that statement, but he sure isn’t in Kansas anymore!
Here’s what he had to say about pumpkin seed oil in his blog post:
“My next health secret can help lower your blood pressure and cholesterol. It’s a cooling oil that has joined the ranks of olive and coconut oil at promoting longevity. It’s pumpkin seed oil. It has a nice nutty flavor with earthy tones. Not only is it a great source of omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, it’s also been shown to lower blood pressure and increase HDL or good cholesterol. The essential fatty acids also work with the HDL to lower cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of heart disease.
Use pumpkin seed oil with some fresh lemon, ginger and garlic to make your own salad dressing. You can also use it as a garnish for starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes or use as a substitute for butter.”
Dr. Oz clearly does none of his own research before putting out this type of confusing and extremely misleading health information. Lower blood pressure, cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease? Talk about being stuck in a 1950’s mental time warp.
Cholesterol level is not a good indicator of heart disease risk and many doctors and researchers are now actually warning people about the dangers of lowering cholesterol. In fact, it is a complete MYTH that people with high cholesterol are more prone to heart attacks!
The truth is that young and middle-aged men with cholesterol levels over 350 are only slightly more at risk for heart attacks. Those who have cholesterol levels just below 350 are at no greater risk than those whose cholesterol is very low. For elderly men and for women of all ages, high cholesterol is associated with a longer lifespan.
Pumpkin Seed Oil Full of “Good” Fats? Not So
Regarding Dr. Oz’s assertion that pumpkin seed oil is a good source of omega-3 fats – I found very conflicting information on this. Some sources claimed that there were hardly any omega-3 fats in pumpkin seed oil and others claimed up to 15%.
No doubt the truth depends on the type of pumpkin seeds the oil comes from, but the bottom line is that you really can’t be sure how much omega-3 is in pumpkin seed oil. Most of the sources I checked claimed that there was little to none.
The label isn’t going to help you either as omega-3 and omega-6 fats are lumped together and listed as “polyunsaturated”. In addition, if the pumpkin seed oil is not cold-pressed, any omega-3 fats present will be rancid and dangerous to consume anyway!
Relying on pumpkin seed oil as a source for your critically important omega-3 fats is not a good idea, Dr. Oz!
Now for the real sticking point.
Pumpkin Seed Oil is NOT as Good as Olive Oil and Coconut Oil
Dr. Oz’s claim that pumpkin seed oil has “joined the ranks” of olive oil and coconut oil is nothing short of completely ludicrous. The reason is that both olive oil and coconut oil are extremely low in inflammation triggering and backside building omega-6 fats. Moreover, coconut oil is loaded with incredibly healthy and beneficial medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) that help you lose weight and fuel your brain optimally.
Pumpkin seed oil has no MCT’s at all!
Omega-6 polyunsaturated fats are those fats that are used everywhere in processed foods (think chips, cookies, crackers, muffins – the stuff most people eat way too much of) and when these types of fats are consumed to excess, they contribute to inflammation and chronic illness.
Additionally, while a very small amount of omega-6 fats are necessary for health, when excessively consumed as happens in the Western diet, vegetable oils contribute to the overproduction of neuromodulatory lipids called endocannabinoids that are responsible for signaling hunger to the brain.
Guess what these little guys do? They give you the munchies!
You may wonder why the word endocannabinoid sounds a bit like cannabis (weed). Weed is famous for giving people the munchies too so you can consider omega-6 vegetable oils the marijuana of fatty acids and pumpkin seed oil is loaded with it.
Omega-6 Fats in Pumpkin Seed Oil are the Ones to Avoid
Omega-6 fats are the type of fats that health-conscious people want to avoid with their oils of choice. Why? They are already getting plenty of it in their diet and only a small amount is needed for health, so no need to get more with the oils they are choosing to cook and make salad dressing with at home.
How much omega-6 does pumpkin seed oil actually have? How about up to a whopping 64%!
According to the Australian Pumpkin Seed Company, pumpkin seed oil has the following lipid breakdown (note that there are no omega-3 fats listed):
Fatty acid profile of Pure Pumpkin Oil
- Linoleic Acid (Omega 6 PUFAs) 64.2%
- Oleic Acid (Omega 9) 11.3%
- Palmitic Acid (saturated) 14.6%
- Stearic Acid (saturated) 9.9%
Even more conservative estimates of the omega-6 composition of pumpkin seed oil list anywhere from 42-57% which is still far too high for this oil to even be considered for home use. Next to the very unhealthy fatty acid profile of grapeseed oil which clocks in at 65+% linoleic acid, pumpkin seed oil has the most unbalanced fatty acid profile of omega-6 fats I’ve ever examined.
By comparison, olive oil has 3-21% omega-6 fats, canola has about 20%, and coconut oil has about 2%.
Should you follow Dr. Oz’s advice and use pumpkin seed oil? Or, another one of his favorites – CLA safflower oil supplements for weight loss. Seriously? Sure, do as he says if inflammation, chronic illness, and metabolic syndrome are your goals.
Pumpkin seed oil is no way, no how in the same league as olive oil and coconut oil!
I will say one positive thing about Dr. Oz and his love of pumpkin seed oil. At least he doesn’t suggest that people cook with it. He suggests to use it for salad dressing which would be the least damaging way to use it as a polyunsaturated fat like pumpkin seed oil should not be heated or used for cooking.
On the other hand, he doesn’t say not to cook with it either! Maybe he made that clarification in the actual show. I hope so!
Let me suggest a piece of friendly advice. Skip the Dr. Oz Show. While he seems to be a really nice guy and does give out good information once in a while (and has had some good guests on in the past like Dr. Mercola and Dr. Kaayla Daniel), when it comes to listening to him for consistently correct health information, his advice does nothing but confuse and ultimately harm his viewers.
He is obviously trying to please both the health community and his Big Food, Big Pharma sponsors by sitting on the fence. A tough spot to be in to keep your job, so make sure your health isn’t a casualty of this back and forth battle.
Want to Know the Real Skinny About Fats?
If learning more about fats is of interest to you, my book Get Your Fats Straight, gives you the lowdown so you know which ones to eat and which ones to avoid.
References
Pumpkin Seed Oil Analysis
Why Women Need Fat, William Lassek MD
The Oiling of America
My Best Kept Health Secrets
More Information
Myths and Truths about Cholesterol
Is Rice Bran Oil Healthy?
How Argan Oil Benefits Health
Red Palm Oil Benefits Rival Coconut Oil
Walnut Oil: Healthy Sub for Flax Oil
Palm Oil
But….. pumpkin seed oil may have other benefits. Apparently it can help with an overactive bladder possibly. Also with some prostate issues. It may lower blood pressure in post menopausal women. I’d like to understand it’s effect on estrogen better. It may be useful against breast cancer. Studies at pubmed dot com.
In search of a non soy,sunflower source of phosphatidylserine I read an abstract that cited Pumpkin Seed Oil as a good source of Phospholipids PC,PS. Since pumpkin seeds are recommended by Dr Adamo for my blood type I was planning to add it to my salad dressing which is 1 tbs walnut, 4 tbs olive, 5 tbs hemp and 6 tbs flax oils. Any thoughts?
John
The over-consumption of Omega-6 fatty acids in the western diet is indeed problematic. That being said, a broad spectrum of EFAs are found in “alternative” oils such as Borage Oil, Sea Buckthorn Oil, Pomegranate Seed Oil, Pumpkin Seed Oil, etc. It is the antioxidant value of each particular source that science is beginning to appreciate (vitamins, minerals and synergistic compounds). For the above reasons, it’s unlikely that the EFA composition was the only consideration in Dr. Oz hailing the benefits of pumpkin oil. Honestly, it would have been more appropriate to comment within the context of what was presented on the show, not merely the way the show was summarized on the website (which are two different things, and no doubt different writers/editors, too).
It’s a healthy food that comes from a plant provided by nature. Like olive oil, coconut oil and any other oil claimed to have these amazing health benefits, it should be consumed in moderation. No one should read this and walk away thinking the oil is unhealthy for you. It has its particular set of health benefits just like every other edible plant. Take it for what it is, just like we do any other nut, seed or oil. Try it out for yourself to see if it feels right for you. There are highly regarded doctors that do support some claims about this oil. Dr. Mercola, a well respected “natural health” doctor proudly supports this oil. Take it for what it’s worth. It is not a replacement for a healthy lifestyle, but can quite possibly contribute some healthy benefits to your life.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/09/30/pumpkin-seed-benefits.aspx
been told it lowers dht
Pumpkin seeds or their oil are helpful for men’s urinary health. European men of advanced age have used them for centuries to relieve symptoms of BPH, (benign prostate hypertrophy), a normal condition in men over 50. Pumpkin has been used for centuries in Europe for erectile dysfunction. It allegedly increases blood flow. Pumpkin seed oil also relieves symptoms of cystitis, bladder irritation associated with diet, age or medical conditions of the bladder. I have no shares in pumpkin farms. I just know I have gotten some positive effects for several medical problems. Being dismissive of it because of one aspect of its ingredients seems narrow-minded.
Paul, I’d rather get my oils in their natural state so the seeds are what I opt for: hemp seeds come first, and then a mix of chia, flax, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, poppy (have heard about safflower seeds but haven’t found them to try). I do not gorge on them, however. They also may be safer in their natural form and less quick to go rancid.
Brian Peskin has a lot to say about Parent Essential Oils, he coined the term, and I have now gone off all fish and the fish oils which I used in moderation. Five weeks of study on his and other sites regarding the dangers of fish oils, and I am sold.
My eczema flared up horribly after more than a year eating a lot of fish (Pink & Sockeye Salmon) and using the fish oils espoused by conventional and natural medicine, which may be the cause of my horrid three months of pain and eruptions.
But back to Oz. Certainly he knows where his bread and butter come from and, like other doctors and actors, he doesn’t have much time left over from making money to do much actual research. That research is our responsibility, eh?
Your good points on pumpkin oil suggest that we need a mix of many oils/seed/food types and that overusing one or a few instead of a wider mix can do more harm than good. Thanks for the information on pumpkin seeds; I found this site in my study of them.
Namaste and care,
mhikl
I’m used to coconut essential oil and i’ve got to say it’s great. We have learned about applying pumpkin seed essential oil several days previously and came across your current write-up following doing a bit of more study if it’s genuinely healthy. Thank you for your skills which i should better acquire my own fingers off, i seriously value that will.
I’m a 62 year old man. Pumpkin seed oil has done wonders for my urinary tract. The best research is to try it yourself instead of listening to all the know-alls.
I just wanted to say I came across this site because I was looking to buy pumpkin seed oil and was very taken aback by what was said in this article.
I need pumpkin seed oil not because Dr. Oz said it was good, or some health store suggested it – I’m buying it because my family is Austrian and Slovenian and we love the stuff! It is a staple of our diet! My mother brought back several liters the last time she went back home and we just ran out. What’s funny is that for the first time I am reading what Dr. Oz claimed to be benefits of the oil – and maybe he’s right!
I am quite accustomed to Slovenian food which is a hearty fair of smoked meats, potatoes, grease, fats, and salads made with Pumpkin Seed Oil. I never knew anyone who died of heart disease and few people are obese (but I admit that is starting to change as processed foods are becoming introduced). Most people drink heavily (especially a form of plum moon-shine called Slivovice) but for the most part they are healthy! They do drink a lot of home remedy teas… but looking back I knew quite a few people who were diagnosed with kidney problems that just went away or they lived with it until they died at the ripe old age of 95 or above. Also, infertility is not a common problem there like it is here – I believe that that is also a benefit from pumpkin seed oil.
Also, you don’t cook with Pumpkin Seed Oil! If you tried you would notice that it burns in the pan before you could even start to saute or fry. There are some Austrian baked goods that are made with it, but I never knew anyone who did anything with it except put it on their salad.
Basically what I’m saying is try it because it tastes good. It has a nice dark nutty flavor close to sesame seed oil. Also, this is an oil that has been used for centuries my certain cultures that have a better health record than we Americans do – maybe one should not be so critical about it.
Hi Valentina, I do so readily agree with you. I too grew up in Austria and the pumpkin seed oil from Styria is the best in the world.The benefits of pumpkin seed oil – besides the incredible taste- are numerous, highest of all – and proven by years and years of research is the good it does for your urinary tract system, prevention of prostate problems for men in particular. But like you said – it just tastes awesome
Hey Valentina! Pumpkin oil is fantastic! And I agree with you that people shouldn’t be cooking with it. Just add it into your salad and you’ll love it!
Yes, the Western diet is quite high in omega 6 fats that can’t be denied. But I imagine the people, like myself, that seek out pumpkin seed oil aren’t eating a standard Western diet — at least until seen on Dr. Oz… 🙁
Linoleic Acid is only inflammatory if consumed in excess of omega 3’s. Otherwise it is a beneficial, and even necessary, fat for skin, hair etc. Pumpkin seed oil is also EXTREMELY high in fat soluble chlorophyll which is very health promoting. It clears toxins from the system, helps build blood cells and so on. Pumpkin seeds (and possibly the oil too as the better quality ones are unrefined) has an amino acid, curcurbitin, that paralyzes intestinal parasites and rids the body of them. I use pumpkin seeds as a dewormer for my dogs rather than chemical dewormers. Unlike diatomaceous earth, curcurbitin is effective against tapeworms (I foster so worms are always a potential, but minor problem).
I would ask that you reconsider the benefits of pumpkin seed oil WHEN used responsibly in an otherwise health promoting diet. 🙂 Thank you