Pumpkin Seeds Nutrition and Health Benefits

Pumpkin seeds nutrition depends on what you’re weighing. This guide uses pepitas, the edible kernels, rather than a handful of white shells scooped from a pumpkin.

They can add crunch to a meal or work as a measured snack. Their value comes from ordinary nutrients; you don’t need to regard them as a treatment for sleep, hormones or urinary symptoms.

Pumpkin seeds nutrition facts

The USDA record is dried pumpkin and squash seed kernels. The ounce serving weighs 28.35 g of kernels, without shells or added seasonings.

Source: USDA FoodData Central: Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels, dried (FDC ID 170556); official SR Legacy download. % Daily Value (DV) uses FDA values for a 2,000-calorie diet.

The low sodium figure belongs to this plain dried-kernel record. A salted snack may contain much more sodium. Check the bag rather than carrying the table’s value across to every product.

A half-ounce portion, about 0.5 oz (14 g), supplies roughly 79 calories and 4.2 g protein. This smaller amount can be a useful topping when you don’t want a full snack serving.

The USDA cup measure weighs 4.6 oz (129 g), more than four one-ounce portions. Treating an entire cup as a small serving would substantially underestimate calories.

If you add oil or sugar during preparation, include those ingredients. A home-roasted batch doesn’t remain identical to the plain dried-kernel entry just because the main ingredient is the same.

Health benefits of pumpkin seeds

Magnesium, zinc and iron are the clearest measurable strengths. These food contributions shouldn’t be turned into promises about treating a deficiency or disease.

Provides substantial magnesium Strong evidence

An ounce contains about 168 mg magnesium, around 40% of the FDA Daily Value. That is a substantial contribution from a small food portion.

NIH ODS describes magnesium’s roles in normal muscle and nerve function and many body processes. The nutrient content doesn’t prove that eating seeds resolves cramps, insomnia or anxiety.

Use pumpkin seeds magnesium numbers to compare foods, not to diagnose symptoms. A persistent symptom needs attention to its cause.

Contributes zinc Strong evidence

An ounce provides about 2.2 mg zinc, or 20% DV. Zinc is needed for normal immune function and for making DNA and proteins.

Plant foods contain compounds that can affect mineral absorption. The amount in the table is the measured food content, not a promise that your body absorbs all of it.

A dietary zinc contribution doesn’t establish a benefit from high-dose supplements or prove an effect on testosterone. Avoid extending the food’s nutrient role into an unrelated product claim.

Adds plant iron Strong evidence

The same ounce supplies about 2.5 mg iron, around 14% DV. Iron in plant foods is nonheme iron, which is absorbed differently from the heme iron in some animal foods.

NIH ODS explains that vitamin C helps nonheme iron absorption. Including a vitamin C food in the same meal is a practical choice, without claiming a precise absorption percentage for your dish.

If you have diagnosed iron deficiency, seeds alone shouldn’t replace your treatment plan. The amount you need and the cause of deficiency require individual assessment.

Contributes protein to a meal Strong evidence

An ounce contains about 8.6 g protein. That can make a topping nutritionally meaningful, rather than just decorative.

The serving also contains about 158 calories and 14 g fat. Decide how it fits with the rest of your meal rather than judging it only by grams of protein.

Do pumpkin seeds treat prostate or sleep problems?

The nutrition table doesn’t establish either claim. Research on urinary symptoms uses particular seed preparations, extracts or oils, which aren’t interchangeable with an ordinary snack.

The one-year GRANU study investigated pumpkin seed preparations in men with lower urinary tract symptoms associated with benign prostate enlargement. Its randomized, partially blinded design is more informative than a laboratory mechanism, but it still asks a specific treatment question in selected patients.

A different pilot study tested an oil-free hydroethanolic extract. The word extract signals that this isn’t the same material as a spoonful of pepitas.

Shelled vs whole pumpkin seeds

Shelled kernels and whole seeds weighed with shells are different portions. Use the entry that describes what you actually eat.

If you spit out the shells, don’t count their weight as edible kernels. Conversely, don’t apply a kernel’s fiber figure to a product that includes shells.

Color and packaging can be clues, but the product name and ingredient list are more useful. “Pumpkin seeds” alone may not explain the form clearly enough.

Who should be careful with pumpkin seeds?

Allergy, swallowing safety and prescribed diet restrictions deserve attention. The fact that seeds contain useful nutrients doesn’t make every form suitable for everyone.

More isn’t automatically better. A very large portion can crowd out other foods or make a meal much more energy-dense than intended.

How to prepare and roast pumpkin seeds

For seeds taken from a pumpkin, remove clinging flesh, rinse and dry thoroughly before roasting. A reliable method should specify the seed form, temperature and timing.

University of Minnesota Extension describes roasting cleaned, dried pumpkin seeds at 275°F (135°C) for about 30–35 minutes. Its method concerns seeds removed from a pumpkin, not a guarantee that every small shelled kernel needs that same time.

Wash the pumpkin’s outside before cutting so the knife doesn’t carry surface dirt into the preparation area. Use a stable board and clean hands and utensils.

Watch the seeds as they roast and follow your chosen method. Seasonings can burn, and browning isn’t a precise measure of nutrient content.

How to buy, store and use pepitas

Choose a labeled food product that matches your preferred use. Plain kernels are easy to portion; flavored products need their own label check.

Keep the package closed, use a dry utensil and follow storage instructions after opening. Avoid introducing moisture into a container of dry seeds.

For home-prepared seeds, follow the source method’s cooling and storage directions. Don’t seal a hot, damp batch and assume it will keep like a commercially dried product.

Try a measured amount over a salad, cooked vegetables or a suitable breakfast bowl. The texture may be more useful than adding an unmeasured handful to every meal.

A seed topping can accompany another protein source. You don’t have to build the whole meal around seeds to benefit from their magnesium and other nutrients.

How much protein does your portion contribute?

Use the amount you actually eat. An ounce adds about 8.6 g protein; a half ounce adds about 4.3 g when calculated from half the exact ounce weight.

That small rounding difference from a 14 g serving is normal. Choose one weight and use it consistently rather than trying to make every rounded number identical.

Use the food nutrition lookup for matching entries and read our editorial policy.

Pumpkin seeds vs other seeds

Pumpkin seeds are one of several nutritious seeds, and each has different strengths. Here’s how a 1-ounce (28 g) serving compares, using USDA values:

Values calculated from USDA FoodData Central for dried, unsalted seeds. Pumpkin seed values are for hulled kernels (pepitas).

Pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds stand out for protein, magnesium and zinc, making them especially useful for vegetarians and vegans. Chia and flax are much higher in fiber and are the richest plant sources of the omega-3 fat ALA, while sunflower seeds are an excellent source of vitamin E.

In practice, there’s no need to pick just one. A mix of seeds sprinkled over salads, oatmeal or yogurt gives you the benefits of each. A good daily habit is one small handful, about an ounce, because all seeds are calorie-dense.

If you buy roasted seeds, check the label for salt and oil. Salted and flavored varieties can add a surprising amount of sodium. Unsalted or lightly salted versions let you control your sodium intake. For more on the other seeds, see our guides to chia seeds and flaxseed.

Related reading: our roasted pumpkin seeds recipe.

More guides you may find useful: Brazil nuts and selenium.

Pumpkin seeds FAQ