Know2eat

Pumpkin

Cucurbita pepo

What pumpkin has been studied for

2 associations assessed — 1 with at least some human evidence behind it. Strongest first.

  • 1 Limited
  • 1 Insufficient
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About pumpkin

A large orange-fleshed winter squash, eaten as a vegetable across much of the world and grown mainly for carving in others. The deep colour is a direct read-out of its carotenoid content.

Also known as Field pumpkin, Sugar pumpkin, Calabaza

Eye HealthBlood Sugar & Metabolic Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Limited

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Macular health

Eye Health
Limited evidence

Pumpkin supplies lutein and zeaxanthin alongside its beta-carotene, and higher intake of those two carotenoids is associated with denser macular pigment. The trials behind that association used supplements, and pumpkin has not been tested against an eye outcome.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Blood glucose response

Blood Sugar & Metabolic Health
Insufficient evidence

Pumpkin polysaccharide extracts lower glucose in rodent models, and that literature is often cited as if it applied to eating pumpkin. The few human trials are small, use extracts rather than food, and do not agree with each other.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

2 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Pumpkin

Ask about Pumpkin

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories26 kcal1%
Protein1 g2%
Total fat0.1 g0%
Carbohydrate6.5 g2%
Fibre0.5 g2%
Total sugars2.76 g—
Water91.6 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.052 g0%
Monounsaturated fat0.013 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.0050 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.0020 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A426 µg47%
Vitamin C9 mg10%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E1.06 mg7%
Vitamin K1.1 µg1%
Thiamin (B1)0.05 mg4%
Riboflavin (B2)0.11 mg8%
Niacin (B3)0.6 mg4%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.298 mg6%
Vitamin B60.061 mg4%
Folate16 µg4%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline8.2 mg1%
Minerals
Calcium21 mg2%
Iron0.8 mg4%
Magnesium12 mg3%
Phosphorus44 mg4%
Potassium340 mg7%
Sodium1 mg0%
Zinc0.32 mg3%
Copper0.127 mg14%
Manganese0.125 mg5%
Selenium0.3 µg1%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene3100 µg—
Alpha-carotene4016 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin1500 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash0.8 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Pumpkin, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 168448).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • with fatIncreases beta-carotene absorption

    Carotenoids are fat-soluble and absorption rises severalfold when pumpkin is cooked or served with oil, butter or another fat source.

  • cookedIncreases carotenoid bioaccessibility

    Heat disrupts the cell walls that trap carotenoids in the plant matrix, so cooked pumpkin releases more beta-carotene for absorption than raw pumpkin.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Worth knowing

    Bitter squash and cucurbitacin poisoning

    Like other cucurbits, pumpkins from saved or cross-pollinated seed can produce bitter cucurbitacins that cause violent gastrointestinal illness. Bitterness is the warning sign and the food should be discarded.

  • Too much

    Carotenoderma at very high intake

    Eating large amounts of carotenoid-rich vegetables daily can turn the palms, soles and face faintly orange. It is harmless and fades once intake falls, but it is regularly mistaken for jaundice — the distinguishing feature is that the whites of the eyes stay white.

  • Worth knowing

    Tinned pumpkin is usually a different species

    Most canned pumpkin is made from Cucurbita moschata varieties rather than the field pumpkin described here, and its composition differs. Pumpkin pie filling additionally contains added sugar and spice.