Autumn means it’s time for cooler weather and seasonal produce such as apples, root vegetables, and pumpkins. Furthermore, pumpkin seeds are in season this time of year and can be found in most grocers. Pumpkin seeds are the is the edible seed of a pumpkin that are used to grow pumpkins as well as for eating. They offer many health benefits, are exceptionally high in protein and healthy fats, and can be found in many recipes not only in the fall but all year round.
Yes, Pumpkin Seeds are keto. The keto diet is high in fat and low in carbs so your body can use fat for energy instead of carbs. Pumpkin seeds are a high fat, low carb food and are suitable for a ketogenic diet. The best keto alternative to pumpkin seeds is Anthony’s Organic Sunflower Seeds.
Keep reading to learn more about pumpkin seeds and their nutritional value, benefits, and alternatives!
Contents
- All About Pumpkin Seeds
- What Makes Pumpkin Seeds Keto?
- Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds
- Different Forms of Pumpkin Seeds
- Pumpkin Seeds Nutritional Information by Brand
- Anthony’s Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Raw, Shelled
- GERBS Raw Whole Pumpkin Seeds (with shell)
- Food to Live Organic Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds
- David’s Pumpkin Seeds, Roasted & Salted (with shell)
- Good Sense Roasted & Salted Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Shelled
- Good Sense Pumpkin Seeds, Honey Roasted
- Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spiced Pumpkin Seeds
- Spitz Pumpkin Seeds, Seasoned
- Alternatives to Pumpkin Seeds
- Conclusion
- Related Questions
All About Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are found in the inside of pumpkins. They are flat, oval-shaped, and covered with a light-colored shell or husk on the outside and a green heart on the inside. They originate from Central America and are called “pepitas” in Spanish. Historically, pumpkin seeds were used for traditional medicine as an antiparasitic and are now commonly found in dishes universally.
When I was growing up, we would carve pumpkins in October to prepare for Halloween, which also meant roasting the pumpkin seeds that we removed from the insides of our jack-o’-lanterns. We would prepare them with the shells on, however, you can also eat them without the shells, raw, or even sprouted.
What Makes Pumpkin Seeds Keto?
Key features of keto foods include being high in fat and low in carbs. We can see from the nutrition information pumpkin seeds that this is the case and they are good for a keto diet. However, you’ll notice certain flavoring or additives can increase the carbohydrate content in certain forms of pumpkin seeds, so it’s best to stick with unflavored pumpkin seeds.
Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds
Not only are pumpkin seeds high in fat and protein, they are also high in fiber and essential vitamins and minerals. Fiber supports healthy digestion and blood sugar stabilization, as well as reducing the net carbs in this food to keep them keto-friendly. Packed with iron, zinc, and calcium, pumpkin seeds can help improve iron status and improve bone health. They are a plant-based source of fat, which means they contain healthy unsaturated fats. These fats are protective against heart disease and support healthy brain development.
Different Forms of Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds can be served in a few different forms depending on how they are prepared and cooked. They can be served raw, roasted, salted, boiled, or sprouted. Below we’ll go over each of these varieties and their nutritional content. We’ll talk more about what makes pumpkin seeds keto and explain the difference between sprouted and regular pumpkin seeds as well as shelled and unshelled, including which one is better for keto.
Shelled Vs. Whole Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seed shells are the external light-colored covering. It’s mostly made of carbohydrates, so when included they increase the carbohydrate content of pumpkin seeds by almost 2 times the amount. When they are deshelled, they appear as small green seeds that are best served raw. For keto, shelled seeds are best because some of the carbohydrates are removed. Keep in mind, however, a ¼ cup serving of shelled pumpkin seeds is higher in fat and calories than shelled, because they are smaller and more concentrated. The high fat content is good for keto, however, if you are also watching your calorie intake, you make want to consider having a smaller portion.
Sprouted vs. Regular Pumpkin Seeds?
When pumpkin seeds are sprouted, it means they have been soaked in water. This process allows for the seed to come to life and prepare to become a plant. By doing this, the nutrients in the seed have a higher rate of bioavailability, or available nutrients for absorption in our bodies. For example, above you’ll see the difference in the percentage of iron per serving between sprouted and regular pumpkins seeds. While regular, non-sprouted pumpkin seeds are over 20% of the recommended daily allowance for iron, sprouted pumpkin seeds offer 137%. Therefore, your best option is raw, sprouted pumpkin seeds for the highest amount of nutrient absorption.
Pumpkin Seeds Nutritional Information by Brand
Anthony’s Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Raw, Shelled
Ingredients:
- Pumpkin Seeds
Nutritional Information:
In a ¼ cup serving of raw, shelled pumpkin seeds, there is:
- Calories: 180
- Total Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 g
- Sodium: 0 g
- Carbs: 3 g
- Protein: 9 g
GERBS Raw Whole Pumpkin Seeds (with shell)
Ingredients:
- Pumpkin Seeds
Nutritional Information:
In a ¼ cup serving of raw whole pumpkin seeds, there is:
- Calories: 180
- Total Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 40 g
- Sodium: 790 g
- Carbs: 1 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Potassium: 2% RDA
- Iron: 3% RDA
Food to Live Organic Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients:
- Pumpkin Seeds
Nutritional Information:
In a ¼ cup serving of sprouted pumpkin seeds, there is:
- Calories: 152
- Total Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0 g
- Sodium: 138 g
- Carbs: 5 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Vitamin C: 1% RDA
- Iron: 129% RDA
David’s Pumpkin Seeds, Roasted & Salted (with shell)
Ingredients:
- pumpkin seeds
- salt
Nutritional Information:
In a ¼ cup serving of roasted and salted shelled pumpkin seeds, there is:
- Calories: 150
- Total Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 g
- Sodium: 940 g
- Carbs: 7 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Potassium: 30% RDA
Good Sense Roasted & Salted Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Shelled
Ingredients:
- pumpkin seeds
- sunflower oil
- salt
Nutritional Information:
In a ¼ cup serving of roasted and salted unshelled pumpkin seeds, there is:
- Calories: 170
- Total Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 g
- Sodium: 120 g
- Carbs: 4 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Iron: 20% RDA
Good Sense Pumpkin Seeds, Honey Roasted
Ingredients:
- pumpkin seeds
- sucrose
- vegetable oil (canola, sunflower, and/or soybean)
- wheat starch
- maltodextrin
- honey
- salt
- xanthan gum
- soy lecithin
Nutritional Information:
In a ¼ cup serving of shelled honey roasted pumpkin seeds, there is:
- Calories: 160
- Total Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 g
- Sodium: 110 g
- Carbs: 8 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Vitamin A: 0% RDA
- Iron: 20% RDA
Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spiced Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients:
- pumpkin seeds
- sugar
- butter (pasteurized sweet cream [milk], salt)
- pumpkin spices (ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice)
- salt
Nutritional Information:
In a ¼ cup serving of pumpkin spiced pumpkin seeds, there is:
- Calories: 170
- Total Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Cholesterol: 5 g
- Sodium: 85 g
- Carbs: 16 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Vitamin A: 2% RDA
- Iron: 15% RDA
Spitz Pumpkin Seeds, Seasoned
Ingredients:
- Pumpkin seeds
- Salt
- Sugar
- Paprika
- Monosodium glutamate
- Corn starch
- Spices
- Onion powder
- Dextrose
- Garlic
- sunflower oil
- turmeric
- natural flavor
Nutritional Information:
In a ¼ cup serving of seasoned pumpkin seeds, there is:
- Calories: 160
- Total Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 g
- Sodium: 730 g
- Carbs: 8 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Vitamin E: 4% RDA
- Iron: 10% RDA
Alternatives to Pumpkin Seeds
Anthony’s Organic Hulled Sunflower Seeds
Ingredients:
- Sunflower Seeds
Nutritional Information:
In a ¼ cup serving of hulled sunflower seeds, there is:
- Calories: 180
- Total Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 g
- Sodium: 0 g
- Carbs: 6 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Iron: 8% RDA
Sunflower seeds are often used as a substitute for pumpkin seeds as well as combined with them in many recipes. They have a pretty similar nutrient composition as they are both plant-based seeds, however, sunflower seeds do contain slightly more fat and carbs in a ¼ cup. Just like pumpkin seeds, raw and sprouted sunflower seeds will be best for the keto diet.
Nutiva USDA Organic Premium Nutrient-Dense Raw Black Chia Seeds
Ingredients:
- Chia Seeds
Nutritional Information:
In a ¼ cup serving of chia seeds, there is:
- Calories: 100
- Total Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 g
- Sodium: 0 g
- Carbs: 8 g
- Protein: 3 g
While chia seeds are smaller and harder than pumpkin seeds, they are similar in that they are both high in fat, iron, and protein. Chia seeds can replace pumpkin seeds in dishes like parfaits, salads, and baked goods. They are a little denser and higher in carbs than pumpkin seeds but that doesn’t mean chia seeds are a bad option for the keto diet. When serving, keep in mind that the recommended serving size for chia seeds is around 1 oz, or 2 tablespoons, which is half of the recommended portion for pumpkin seeds.
Conclusion
All in all, pumpkin seeds are nutrient-dense, high in fat, and low in carbs, all of which are an excellent choice for a keto diet. The best form of pumpkin seeds is raw, sprouted seeds because they offer the most bioavailable nutrients. That being said, regular raw pumpkin seeds are still a good option for the keto diet as they have comparable amounts of fat, protein, and carbs. When deciding between shelled and whole seeds, go for shelled pumpkin seeds because they will be lower in carbs than the latter. Try to avoid consuming pumpkin seeds that are flavored as they can be higher in carbs, which are not so keto-friendly.
Related Questions
Are pumpkin seeds gluten free?
Pumpkin seeds are gluten free. They do not contain any gluten that is found in wheat products. However, pumpkin seeds are often produced in the same facilities as other wheat-containing products, so check the label for any warnings of cross-contamination.
Are pumpkin seeds vegan?
Yes, pumpkin seeds are completely vegan. The only time they may not be is if they are roasted in an animal-derived fat or made flavored with things like honey or cheese.
Are pumpkin seeds good for heart disease?
Yes, pumpkin seeds contain healthy unsaturated fats and fiber which have both been shown to prevent heart disease. Fiber is also known to help reduce cholesterol and aid digestion, while unsaturated fats support good cardiovascular health and immune function- all of which play a part in preventing heart disease.