Pumpkin Seeds: Nutrition, How Much to Eat & Are They Good for You?
Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) are one of the highest-magnesium foods on the Canadian shelf — a 30 g handful covers 40% of the daily target. What’s actually in them, how much to eat, and which form (raw, roasted, in-shell) wins.
Written by UnityLife Admin
Edited by the UnityLife editorial team
Pumpkin seeds are a quietly excellent food. They’re among the densest plant sources of magnesium, zinc and plant-based iron in the average grocery store, and a 30 g handful (about 2 tbsp shelled) is roughly 150 calories — a workable snack portion. They’re also one of the few seeds that don’t need refrigeration to stay fresh.
What’s in a serving
A 30 g (about 2 tbsp shelled) serving of dry-roasted pumpkin seeds contains: 150 calories, 9 g protein, 13 g fat (mostly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated), 4 g carbs (2 g fibre), 156 mg magnesium (40% of the Canadian RDA), 2.2 mg zinc (20% RDA), 2.5 mg iron (14% RDA for men, 6% for menstruating women).
The magnesium content is the standout. Most Canadians are mildly under-target on magnesium — a Statistics Canada CCHS analysis found 40% of adults intake below the EAR (estimated average requirement). One handful of pumpkin seeds covers most of the gap.
Roasted vs raw vs in-shell
Roasted seeds: same nutrients as raw, slightly nuttier flavour. The high-temperature roasting can mildly reduce vitamin E content (~10%) and produce a small amount of acrylamide if over-roasted. Salted roasted seeds add 100–200 mg sodium per 30 g serving.
Raw / sprouted: same fat and mineral content, slightly higher vitamin E. Some people find them easier to digest. Grocery store "pepitas" are usually raw or lightly salted.
In-shell (whole pumpkin seeds): the white outer hull is edible but tough to digest and can crack tooth enamel if you bite directly. Discard or eat sparingly. The green inner kernel is the food we’re actually after.
How much should you eat
A handful (30 g) per day is a sensible daily portion: ~150 calories, meaningful magnesium and zinc, doesn’t crowd out other foods. Two handfuls (60 g) is also fine but starts to push the calorie budget.
For prostate health (a popular use case), studies typically use 100–200 g/day or extracted pumpkin seed oil supplements — well above casual snack consumption. Don’t expect prostate effects from a daily handful, but the cardiovascular and bone-mineral effects of the magnesium are real at handful-doses.
Pumpkin seeds are oxalate-moderate. People with calcium-oxalate kidney stones may want to cap intake at 30 g/day.
The bottom line
Pumpkin seeds are one of the best single sources of magnesium and zinc in the average Canadian grocery store. A 30 g handful per day is a small calorie cost for a meaningful nutrient gain — especially helpful for vegetarians, who often run low on zinc.
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The bottom line
Pumpkin seeds are one of the best single sources of magnesium and zinc in the average Canadian grocery store. A 30 g handful per day is a small calorie cost for a meaningful nutrient gain — especially helpful for vegetarians, who often run low on zinc.
Frequently asked questions
They contain tryptophan and magnesium, both involved in melatonin production — but a single serving doesn’t deliver clinically meaningful doses. The "pumpkin seeds for sleep" claim is overstated. A handful as part of an evening snack is fine; don’t expect noticeable sleep effects.
Sources & further reading
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