Why is Zenbev so expensive?
After all, Zenbev is only pumpkin seed flour, isn’t it? I might as well just eat pumpkin seeds! No. The pumpkin seeds in Zenbev are specifically chosen for their amino acid complex and suitability. The production is complicated. Zenbev is made from dehulled pumpkin seeds which makes it difficult to extract the oil. It would be comparatively simple to crush pumpkin seeds with hulls but then the fibre content and antinutritive factors (ANFs) would be prohibitive. The hull of a seed is nature’s protection and as a result the hull is not particularly appealing to eat nor is it healthy – the fibre content is too high and the ANFs are there to protect the seed from predators. Dehulled seeds are much harder to work with but also much healthier. The cold press of dehulled pumpkin seeds takes a LONG TIME to crush a ton (about 1 week). It is a little like driving a car on ice, if you go slow everything is fine but going fast leads to trouble like the burning of the seed meal. After the cold pres
