How to eat pumpkin seeds

People often wonder how to eat pumpkin seeds; these small, oval-shaped seeds that contain a bountiful supply of healthy nutrients. Found inside a whole pumpkin fruit, these green coloured seeds are a great source of a healthy snack.

When a pumpkin is carved open to find the seed, they come with a hard white-yellow outer shell that is surrounded by the inner flesh (orange in colour) of the fruit.

So, you are now wondering how to eat pumpkin seeds? Or perhaps you are wondering if you can eat them raw or roasted?

Before we get to find out how to eat pumpkin seeds, let us dive more into the nutritional values and benefits of shell-free (without a shell) pumpkin seeds, which are usually sold at grocery stores.

Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds

1. Nutritional numbers

As mentioned earlier, Pepita, as it is commonly known in Mexico, is packed with healthy nutrients. Let us look at a few numbers for one small portion of pumpkin seeds as reported by Healthline (One small portion equals 28 grams):

Fat: 13 grams (6 of which are omega-6s)
Calories: 151
Fiber: 1.7 grams
Carbs: 5 grams
Phosphorus: 33% of the RDI (Recommended Dietary Intake)
Magnesium: 37% of the RDI
Manganese: 42% of the RDI
Iron: 23% of the RDI
Vitamin K: 18% of the RDI
Protein: 7 grams
Copper: 19% of the RDI
Zinc: 14% of the RDI

2. Antioxidant agent

Shell-free pumpkin seeds have high levels of antioxidants, which are known to have multiple positive health impacts such as inflammation reduction.

These seeds contain Vitamin E and carotenoids in their architecture, which gives them antioxidation properties.

So, adding pumpkin seeds as part of a healthy lifestyle can possibly have many health benefits.

We will soon touch upon benefits of pumpkin seeds for hair as well.

3. Pumpkin seeds for weight loss

Thanks to the fiber (5 g in every 28 g) content present in them, it is ideal to have pumpkin seeds for weight loss.

And how do they help with weight loss? Since pumpkin seeds take longer to eat and digest, this allows us to feel satiated, which then results in a possible lesser intake of food due to the feeling of satiety. Additionally, pumpkin seeds boost metabolism thanks to their zinc content, which further helps in effective weight management.

Therefore, if you’re looking to effectively manage your weight then pumpkin seeds for weight loss is an effective strategy.

If you’d like to know how to eat pumpkin seeds for weight loss, continue reading to find out the different ways to consume this superfood.

Also, click to find out how to make yourself a healthy snack for weight loss.

In addition to knowing how to eat pumpkin seeds you’d like to know the other seeds to eat for weight loss, read about how to eat seeds for weight loss to know more.

4. Benefits of pumpkin seeds for hair

Another positive impact pumpkin seeds have on our body is in our hair. Since pumpkin seeds contain an amino acid called cucurbitacin and a healthy dose of Vitamin C, there are underlying benefits of pumpkin seeds for hair growth.

You can pick up a bottle of pumpkin seed oil, which could possibly benefit your hair health if applied regularly on your scalp.

Additionally, you can also eat a serving of pumpkin seeds regularly to see similar results.

5. Pumpkin seeds benefits for skin

Thanks to their zinc content, the concept of pumpkin seeds benefits for skin is not really a secret. This superfood helps your skin because “zinc protects your cell membranes, helps maintain collagen, and promotes skin renewal,” according to this report. So alongside effective weight management, you could also experience pumpkin seeds benefits for skin!

6. Pumpkin seeds during pregnancy

Many people often wonder “is it safe to eat pumpkin seeds during pregnancy?”

A report by Medicine Net suggests you can. Since pumpkin seeds have omega-3 fatty acids, they aid in the development of the fetus’s brain and eyes.

Since Omega-3 fatty acids are usually lacking in many people’s diet, pumpkin seeds are a great addition to your diet during pregnancy.

So, you can eat pumpkin seeds during pregnancy.

7. Sperm quality

Another positive effect of pumpkin seeds’ zinc content is its effect on the quality of sperm. Healthline cites a study that states that zinc helps protect the human sperm from the negative effects of chemotherapy and autoimmune diseases. Also, due to its high nutritional value and antioxidant nature, as mentioned above, pumpkin seeds reportedly contribute to better testosterone levels. The above is just a gist of some of the benefits of pumpkin seeds and how incorporating them into your healthy lifestyle can have positive effects.

There are a few different ways to go about eating pumpkin seeds and incorporating them into your healthy diet. This also answers the question how to eat pumpkin seeds for weight loss. We will also cover how much pumpkin seeds to eat daily.

These are a few easy ways to incorporate pumpkin seeds into your daily routine:

Smoothies: You can blend pumpkin seeds with your favorite smoothie to add a healthy kick to your drink.

Cupcakes: Do you have a sweet tooth but want to eat a bit healthier? Garnish some seeds on your favorite cupcake either raw, grated or even roasted.

Trail mix: Add pumpkin seeds as is in your trail mix for a delicious mid-meal snack.

Salads: Pumpkin seeds are a great topping for your fruit or veggie salads.

Curries: Take your favorite curry dish to the next level, aesthetically and nutritionally, sprinkling a few ground pumpkin seeds.

Snack: Dry roasted pumpkin seeds serve as a great snacking option.

Sauce: Your homemade sauces will feel healthier with a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds.

The above is but a sample of how to eat pumpkin seeds.

Can we eat pumpkin seeds raw?

Since pumpkin seeds are a staple ingredient in many different dishes, as seen just above, many people are worried about whether they can consume these seeds raw or roasted.

So, how to eat pumpkin seeds? Can we eat pumpkin seeds raw? How much pumpkin seeds to eat daily? What are the roasted pumpkin seeds benefits?

The answer to the above question is that pumpkin seeds can be eaten raw or roasted.

While consuming pumpkin seeds in their raw avatar is a healthy option, roasted pumpkin seeds appeal to our taste buds a bit more.

Since raw pumpkin seeds are not as tasty, people prefer roasting them as it is nuttier and crunchier.

However, take some precautions while consuming raw pumpkin seeds as they may possibly lead to food-related ailments. This is especially true if you don’t care about hygiene and best practices regarding food safety.

Regarding how much pumpkin seeds to eat daily, a quarter cup (around 30 grams) is the ideal serving limit as recommended by the American Heart Association. But to answer the original question of whether can we eat pumpkin seeds raw, the answer is yes!

Pumpkin seeds Indian recipe

Now that we know the nutritional values of pumpkin seeds, how to eat them, and roasted pumpkin seeds benefits, check out these hand-picked recipes that are sure to tickle your taste buds.

Masala pumpkin seeds snack

This is possibly the easiest snack you’ll ever make as it needs very little effort from you! This is a pumpkin seeds Indian recipe that is a must for the amateur home cook

Ingredients: Raw pumpkin seeds, butter, chili powder, pepper powder,

Preparation: Take a handful of raw pumpkin seeds and put them in a frying pan. Add half a teaspoon of butter and Sautee it in low-medium flame.

Add half a teaspoon of chili powder and pepper powder and further sautee it in medium flame for a few minutes until the green seeds start turning brown.

Switch off the stove and allow it to cool on a separate plate for a couple of minutes.

You now have a healthy yet tasty snack to munch on while you watch your favorite movie or IPL match.

One of the roasted pumpkin seeds benefits is the above tasty recipe.

Honey Roasted

Ingredients: Raw pumpkin seeds, Coconut Oil, Raw Honey, and Sea Salt

Preparation: Line your tray with a baking sheet and preheat it inside your oven at 180 Celsius.

Mix the ingredients well in a bowl and line it up on the tray. Roast it for 20 minutes and then remove it to cool down.

You have given a sweet twist to the traditional roasted pumpkin seeds!

Chutney

You can easily make this homemade chutney in a few minutes using only basic ingredients.

Ingredients: raw or roasted seeds (your preference), mustard oil few cloves of garlic, red chillies, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, ginger, curry leaves, jaggery (or any sweetener of your choice).

You can use this chutney as a dip for chips or serve it as an accompaniment with Dosa.

We now know how to eat pumpkin seeds for weight loss with these above recipes.

Final bite

Pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of vital nutrients that help you live a healthier lifestyle. It’s got all the nutritional goodness one needs and by incorporating it into your healthy lifestyle you will experience positive health effects on your body.

It is also easy to consume and is very versatile with respect to food preparation.

You can have it raw, roasted, as a smoothie, as a garnish for your salads and curries, and even as part of your homemade sauce. And it also easily blends into our daily cuisine in more ways than one. Check out some healthy recipes that you can try out at home.

Happilo is a health food brand that aims to promote health and nutrition through smart snacking. They offer a wide range of premium quality nuts, dry fruits, trail mixes and much more that is meant to satisfy all your cravings without any guilt. With the help of international suppliers from the US, Afghanistan and Thailand, Happilo brings you the tastiest produce without compromising on quality.