Updated on March 19, 2025
I have a feeling that not many people enjoy eating pumpkins, especially youngsters. I didn’t when I was younger! Not too long ago, I baked a pumpkin cauliflower pie for my vegan nieces on Christmas Day, only to realise it wasn’t well received—my bad for not asking if they actually liked pumpkin.
Pumpkin itself has impressive health benefits, but if you’re not a fan, consider pumpkin seeds instead. There are several health benefits of eating pumpkin seeds that you should know about. It’s never too late to introduce them into your diet—who knows, you might even develop a liking for pumpkin itself later on!
Read on to learn more about these tiny nutrient powerhouses. And if you find this article helpful, don’t forget to share it with someone who might benefit from it!
What Is Pumpkin Seeds
A short introduction is necessary.
Pumpkin seeds are the edible seeds of the pumpkin, a fruit from the squash family. These flat, dark green seeds have a subtly sweet, nutty flavour and a chewy texture.
They are a staple in Mexican cuisine, often referred to as pepitas, which means “little seeds of squash” in Spanish. If you’re in Malaysia, you might know them as “White Kuaci” among the Malaysian Chinese. These “kuaci” are typically sold unshelled, encased in a yellow-white husk.
Nowadays, you can find pumpkin seeds in various forms: raw and shelled, raw and unshelled, roasted and shelled, or roasted and unshelled. In this post, I’m referring specifically to dark green raw-shelled pumpkin seeds.
Pumpkin Seeds Nutrition Facts (per 28g Serving)
Pumpkin seeds may be small, but they’re packed with nutrients:
- Total Fat: 14g (18% DV*) including 6g of Omega-6
- Total Carbohydrate: 3g (1% DV) mainly dietary fibre (1.7g)
- Protein: 8.6g (17% DV)
*The Daily Value (DV) percentage tells you how much a nutrient contributes to your daily diet in a serving.
Key Minerals:
- Copper – 42% DV
- Magnesium – 42% DV
- Manganese – 56% DV
- Phosphorus – 50%DV
- Zinc – 20% DV
Key Vitamins:
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
What is Pumpkin Seeds Good For
Pumpkin seeds contain an abundance of beneficial compounds, including polyunsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants, sterols, squalene, and tocopherols—all of which contribute to various health benefits. Let’s explore them in detail.
1. Combat Oxidative Stress & Reduce Inflammation
Pumpkin seeds are rich in antioxidants, particularly Vitamin E (gamma-tocopherol), which possesses strong anti-inflammatory properties (1,2).
Antioxidants help protect your cells from harmful free radicals, which are a major contributor to diseases like cardiovascular disease. Consuming antioxidant-rich foods can support your overall health and reduce inflammation.
2. Support Bone Health
Magnesium is essential for bone formation, and a 28g serving of pumpkin seeds provides 42% of your daily magnesium needs. Since about 50-60% of the body’s magnesium is stored in bones, higher magnesium intake is linked to greater bone density and a lower risk of osteoporosis.
In addition, magnesium plays an active role in transporting calcium and potassium ions across cell membranes. This process is important to muscle contraction and normal heart rhythm.
Phosphorus is another key mineral found in pumpkin seeds. It supports bone and teeth formation, aids in cell growth and tissue repair, and helps the body produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate), a molecule essential for energy storage and transfer. You ought to know pumpkin seeds provide 50% of the daily value in a 28g serving.
3. Boost Heart Health
High magnesium intake is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, including metabolic syndrome—a combination of diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. If left unchecked, these conditions increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. (1)
4. Help Regulate Blood Sugar Levels
The high magnesium content in pumpkin seeds may help control blood sugar levels. A study involving 127,000 participants found that diets rich in magnesium were linked to a 34% lower risk of type 2 diabetes in women and 33% lower in men.
If you struggle with blood sugar control, adding pumpkin seeds to your diet might be beneficial.
5. Aid Digestion & Support Weight Management
Pumpkin seeds are a fantastic source of dietary fibre, which supports gut health and digestion. Fibre-rich diets are linked to a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity (1).
Since high-fibre foods promote satiety (keeping you full for longer), pumpkin seeds can also aid in weight management by preventing unnecessary snacking. Great for Weight Watchers.
6. Improve Sleep Quality
Are you struggling with sleep ? You need to know this.
Try adding pumpkin seeds to your evening snack routine.
Pumpkin seeds contain tryptophan, an amino acid that promotes sleep. A study shows that consuming 1g or more of L-tryptophan increases sleepiness and reduces sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep).
A 28g serving of pumpkin seeds provides 58% of your daily tryptophan needs.
Additionally, zinc in pumpkin seeds helps convert tryptophan into serotonin, which is then transformed into melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep cycles. Magnesium further supports sleep by promoting relaxation.
Still remember the magnesium content in pumpkin seeds we talked about earlier? Adequate magnesium levels have also been associated with better sleep (1).
In brief, pumpkin seeds, a good source of tryptophan, zinc and magnesium, all of this help promote good sleep.
7. May Reduce the Risk of Certain Cancers
A diet rich in pumpkin seeds has been linked to a reduced risk of certain cancers, including breast cancer.
A control study in Germany on postmenopausal women found that consuming pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and soybeans was associated with a lower risk of breast cancer, thanks to their phytoestrogen-rich compounds.
In a Nutshell
Pumpkin seeds may be small, but they pack a powerful nutritional punch! They provide a rich source of essential minerals, including magnesium, copper, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc—all of which support bone health, heart health, and blood sugar control.
They are also high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, which help fight oxidative stress and reduce inflammation—major factors in modern-day diseases.
Additionally, if you struggle with poor sleep, pumpkin seeds contain tryptophan, zinc, and magnesium, all of which support better rest. Plus, their fibre content aids digestion and weight management.
Now that you’re aware of the many health benefits of eating pumpkin seeds, why not swap unhealthy fried snacks for this nutritious alternative? Let us know in the comments below!
How to eat pumpkin seeds? Read here.
Start snacking on pumpkin seeds
If you like to start snacking on healthy pumpkin seeds, look what I’ve found for you.
For US Readers, below products can be purchased on Amazon US (Affiliate link*)
- Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Pumpkin Seeds, 2 Lbs – Premium Quality, Shelled, Raw, Unsalted → Top reviewed for freshness, USDA Certified Organic, Non-GMO, Gluten-Free.
- When seeds are sprouted, it helps to unlock their nutrients, making them easier for your body to absorb. Check this out → Go Raw Organic Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds, 14 Oz.
- Oh! Nuts Dry Roasted Unsalted Pumpkin Seeds, 2 lb | No Shell Pepitas → Packed in New York Zip-Seal Bag for Exceptional Freshness.
- Good Sense Roasted & Salted Organic Pumpkin Seeds (Pepitas) → Non-GMO & All Natural, 6 Ounce Resealable Bag
For my fellow Malaysians, use my affiliate link* to buy on Shopee or Lazada.
The selection is wider on Shoppe but if you’re used to buying on Lazada, there are a few with good reviews. Click on the link. It will take you directly to the page.
*I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This allows me to enjoy a cup of coffee while writing and sharing more articles like this one. Read about the Affiliate Disclosure here.
Last but not least, share this article with friends who might find these tips useful! Click the SHARE button.
Learn more:
- What Health Benefits Do Walnuts Have
- What Health Benefits Do Almonds Have
- How Healthy is Granola Bars
Thank you for reading and stay healthy!
Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links as part of the Amazon.com Services LLC Associate Programs and other affiliate services. This means that meyourhealthycorner.com receives a small commission by linking to amazon.com and other sites at no extra cost to the readers.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional, and this post should not be taken as medical advice. Please do your own research. The material on this blog is provided for informational purposes only. It is general information that may not apply to you as an individual and is not a substitute for your own doctor’s medical care or advice.
Hey there! This was an absolutely awesome read. As a health nut myself (no pun intended), I’m really interested in learning about nutritious food and what benefits I can get from consuming them. I really like having handful of pumpkin seeds every now and then. Also, I live in germany so I get pumpkin seed brotchen which is basically a roll with pumpkin seeds on them. I think everyone should have pumpkin seeds as part of their diet especially since they help prevent certain types of cancer and promote good sleep and healthy weight loss. Many people nowadays aren’t aware of the benefits of eating pumpkin seeds and your article was very informative and worth my time to read. Thanks for this awesome post and I hope you have a wonderful day!
When I wrote and shared this post, I didn’t expect to learn more about food from other countries. Earlier, Alejandra shared her Mexican Mole Verde, and now German Pumpkin Seeds Brotchen. I love bread making and this I will definitely try. I’ve just searched the recipe, and it’s doable. Coincidentally, I bought a bag of whole wheat graham flour yesterday.
All said, this means pumpkin seeds is a versatile food ingredient, and we can easily include them in our daily diet for health benefits. No matter which country we are from.
Thanks for reading this post and commenting, Gabriel.
Food brings people together.
Thank you so much for sharing a great article to read today to learn more about Pumpkin seeds health benefits, I’m mexican and I know we love to have Pepitas often, as a snack and as an ingridient of many recipes, the most known is the Mole Verde or Green Mole and I must say that mole is the favourite of many. I love to have pumpkin seeds from time to time and your article helped me to get more information about its benefits, it’s also good to know what % of fat, protein and carbs you can get from there, I must say this will help you to know how much to have if you’re doing a diet to get fitter.
After reading your article, it’s clear for me pumpkin seeds have many benefits, and the best is we all can have them at home and use them as a snack or to garnish any dish, they go great on salads!
Hi Alejandra. Nice to see you here.
I have pumpkin seeds on salads too and most of my homemade bread. Also, have them in my muesli for overnight oats. They give more texture to the oatmeal.
Thanks for telling us about the Mole Verde. I’ve just searched it up and quite interested in trying this sauce. My family likes spicy food.
Good day!
Good afternoon Sharon,
My personal experience with pumpkin seeds is very positive.
I normally do a bone density test every 2 or 3 years. Over the years, I was seeing a steady decline until I started eating these seeds.
In 2 years I had improved over 2%. You might think that is not much but let’s face it, getting older and improving is great. I am 71 now and my bones are getting stronger thanks to having introduced pumpkin seeds years ago in my daily diet.
Food plays a significant role in your health.
Regards, Taetske
You are absolutely correct, Taetske. That 2% isn’t much but tells a lot for seniors. I’m happy for you on your improvement.
Magnesium, important for bone formation contributes 42% daily value in a 28g serving of pumpkin seeds. That’s a lot.
Wishing you good health.
Thank you for such a thorough and comprehensive article.I had no idea pumpkin seeds were this rich in nutrients and possessed this many health benefits. As a man, I found your article particularly interesting as many of the health benefits you listed go hand in hand with an increase in testosterone production, which is vital for overall male health.I also struggle with mild insomnia so I may need to consider pumpkin seeds and hope to have a better sleep quality. Thank you again.
Thanks for reading and commenting.