Pumpkin seeds are a delicious and healthy snack that contain many beneficial nutrients including some healthy fats. According to the USDA Food and Nutrient Database, 1 oz. of pumpkin seeds contains 158 calories, 8.6g of protein, 13.9g of fat, 3g of carbohydrate and 1.7g of fiber.
The majority of the calories in pumpkin seeds come from fat of 3 main types: Saturated fat, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. Despite the high fat content, the Linus Pauling Institute notes that people with higher intakes of nuts and seeds do not weigh more, but actually tend to weigh less than people who consume nuts and seeds less frequently. Pumpkin seeds are an excellent snack by themselves, or added to salads, oatmeal, yogurt or granola.
Saturated Fat
One ounce of pumpkin seeds contains 2.5g saturated fat. The two main saturated fats making up this 2.5g are palmitic acid and stearic acid. Saturated fat has a bad reputation due to its ability to raise cholesterol levels, however not all saturated fats have the same effect. In Gropper's "Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism," the authors note that stearic acid, which pumpkin seeds contain, actually helps to lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol.
Monounsaturated Fat
One ounce of pumpkin seeds contain 4.6g monounsaturated fat in the form of oleic acid. Monounsaturated can help to decrease total and LDL cholesterol levels.
Polyunsaturated Fat
The last group of fatty acids in pumpkins seeds is polyunsaturated fats, and one ounce of pumpkin seeds contains 5.9g of polyunsaturated fat. The majority of the polyunsaturated fat is in the form of linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid. While polyunsaturated fats can help to decrease total and LDL cholesterol levels, you should avoid eating excessive amounts of omega-6 fatty acids, as they may promote inflammation in the body.
Inflammation is associated with many health conditions including heart disease, diabetes, cancer and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, the ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids in the American diet is about 15 to 20:1 while in the beginning of human evolution, the human diet had a 1:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. Fortunately, pumpkin seeds do contain small amounts of the beneficial omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid, which may help to decrease inflammation in the body.
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