PUMPKIN SEEDS

OH THE GLORY of a pumpkin! The trending star of Halloween, giant fall blossom that feeds us well past the new year's advent in the stead of so many available alternate vegetables. But what of the seed? That stripped from the inner organ of the world of flora that reintroduces a new generation. I've recently discovered there to be a shortage of the salted variety. The shortage, probably due to the recalled realiztion the the excessive salt generally applied prior to packaging for market brings the actual value of an ingested pumpkin seed to a low.

We know the risks of eating too much salt. It plays into hypertension. It brings the value of what could be a good source of so many nutrients to a dead end. While eating pumpkin seeds, washed and roasted... plain tends to lose some of the glamour in the eye of a typical snack lover, that is the more healthful approach to enjoying "pumpkin roe" ...compare.

THE COFFEE STAND does not draw attention of recent co-workers. Instead, the VENDING MACHINE culls every one of them to its front to peer beyond the original view of what hovers just inside the glass case. They seek nutrients complimentary to hypertension, hyperglycemia or diabetes plans issued by the "we care" company doctors applied through insurance plans guaranteed to "keep them working" long hours for our clients. Peanut butter cookies are sought after for added energy that "may not" aggravate the constant blood sugar level. The "skins" or "pork rinds" are alternated as protein replacement during "no time for lunch" breaks. Pork rinds are made from pork skins. The fresh pork skins are sliced, then boiled or slow-cooked. This reduces the pork skins to about one-fourth of their original size. They're drained, then deep-fried. As for the "health supporting evident," there is an actual study on it entitled "Pork Rinds and Nutrition

based on one 14-gram (0.5-ounce) serving of plain pork rinds:

80 calories

9 grams of protein

5 grams of fat (7% of daily value)

0 grams of carbohydrates

0 grams of fiber

0 grams of sugars

270 milligrams of sodium (11% of daily value)

20 milligrams of cholesterol (6% of daily value)

The protein provided by one small package of "skins" is not a valid health resolve while there are better options available. The excessiv sodium and cholesterol say this vending snack is a "no go" for anyone in need of a healthy lifestyle.

While store shelves offer healthy snacks in every from from chips, popcorn and skins to the new "healthy food" items that include dried watermelon slices, dried kiwi or pineapple, the traditional dried plums, grapes and apricots or dates; those have yet to migrate into the typical employee gathering area vending machine. We don't see the dehydrated veggies like freeze dried peas, Wasabi Peas, Harvest Peas, Dried Ginger slices, Trail Mix blends, and there are still the individual packages of nuts... mixed or specified. Let us not forget the banana chips or apple chips and potassium charge dried cranberries. In some places we can find individually packaged varieties of cheese. Add a healthful vending drink and we can be there for them the way we want to! Our workplaces exclaim their concern for "keeping us around" albeit, for another shift or day's work, but are they willing to honor up to that statement and put something healthy in the dollar drop machine? All it takes is a word to the owner of the machines that eat our money. Aw dang.... WHO CARES!?

I was looking for pumpkin seeds, a crunchy nutritional snack that... "oops!" has an excessive salt coating that may give me high blood if I don't control my diet... next time." The vending machines offer a predictable exchange rate of employees... new ones coming in to replace those that left for the hospital or doctor's office. Oh... before I let you go, PUMPKIN SEEDS are becoming rare on the shelves... salted but perhaps the stripped seed is a better find.

Unsalted Pumpkin Seeds

Total Fat 12g 15%

Saturated Fat 2.3g 12%

Polyunsaturated Fat 5.7g.

Monounsaturated Fat 3.9g.

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 12mg 1%

Total Carbohydrates 34g 12%

Dietary Fiber 12g 43%