Pumpkin Seeds: Nutrition and Health Benefits

When I think of fall, pumpkins automatically come to mind. Or, to be more specific, pumpkin pie, cake, rolls, and lattes…

But what about all of the seeds that are left over after carving jack-o’-lanterns and baking cinnamon-scented fall treats?

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I’ll give you the scoop on pumpkin seed nutrition and why you shouldn’t toss those innards from your homegrown crop!

Homemade roasted pumpkin seeds make a great snack, as do unsalted store-bought ones. They’re crunchy, flavorful, and offer a surprising amount of nutritional perks.

A one-ounce serving of whole roasted, unsalted pumpkin seeds (eaten with the shells on) provides 126 calories, 5 grams of protein, 5.5 grams of fat, and 15 grams of carbohydrates.

Because they come from a plant, the fats they provide are healthier unsaturated fats as opposed to the less healthy saturated fats that come from animal sources, which are solid at room temperature.

Additionally, a serving of whole roasted pumpkin seeds provides 5 grams of dietary fiber, 20 percent of the recommended daily intake for healthy adults of magnesium, and 8 percent of the recommended daily amount of potassium.

A serving will also satisfy 25 percent of your recommended daily zinc needs, and 7 percent of your recommended daily iron intake.

Note that these percentages are based on an average of the recommended daily intake values for healthy adult males and females between the ages of 18 and 59.

They can be removed from the shells and enjoyed as well, and are sometimes sold in stores this way.

On the other hand, ‘Pepita,’ a hybrid cultivar grows