When carving pumpkins or using them for cooking, don't overlook the pumpkin seeds inside. These seeds can be washed, dried, shelled and eaten as a tasty snack or combined in many foods. Instead of throwing them out, pumpkin seeds provide a nutritional boost that is enjoyed by both adults and kids.
Use
Pumpkin seeds are a relatively high-fat food. According to Self Nutrition Data, 1 cup of dried, unsalted pumpkin seeds has 747 calories, with 530 of those calories from the 63 g of fat found in every cup. One oz. has 150 calories, with 107 of those calories from the 13 g of fat contained in every ounce. Even a single ounce meets 20 percent of the minimum daily requirement for fat.
This data suggests that small amounts of pumpkin seeds might be a good way for people looking to boost their caloric intake, particularly because they do not contain cholesterol.
Minerals
According to Self Nutrition Data, 1 cup of dried, unsalted kernels has 59.3 mg of calcium, 20.7 mg of iron, 738 mg of magnesium, 24.8 mg of sodium and 10.03 mg of zinc. One oz. of dried, unsalted kernels has 12 mg of calcium, 4.2 mg of iron, 150 mg of magnesium, 5 mg of sodium and 2.1 mg of zinc. These values suggest that raw pumpkin seeds are a good source of minerals.
Significance
One cup of pumpkin seeds has 7 g of protein. This is a high-quality protein that includes all of the essential amino acids. Foods that have high-quality proteins are desirable because they do not need to be combined with other foods to obtain all the necessary amino acids.
Warning
According to Self Nutrition Data, 1 cup of dried pumpkin seeds has 1,620 mg phosphorus. This exceeds the minimum daily requirement. Kidney patients and others who may need to restrict their phosphorus intake should consult their doctors before eating pumpkin seeds.
Likewise, the same amount of pumpkin seeds has 1,114 mg of potassium. Although this is only 32 percent of the minimum daily requirements, kidney patients who must restrict their potassium intake should talk to their doctor about whether pumpkin seeds should be part of their renal diet.
Uses
In addition to a snack food, pumpkin seeds can be added to many recipes for a quick nutrition boost. For example, they can be added directly to bread dough, or gently pressed into the top of a formed loaf before baking. Likewise, they can be added to muffin and quick bread dough. Pumpkin seeds are also a novel touch to green salads, as well as rice or couscous-based salads.
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