Are Pumpkin Seeds Keto-Friendly?

Pumpkin seeds are keto-friendly if consumption is limited. They are high in fats and high in carbs, and therefore one needs to consume them sparingly.

Keto if Limited

• A keto diet is ideally low in carbs and high in fats. During a keto diet, it is best to limit your daily carb consumption between 20g and 30g to maintain ketosis.
• However, pumpkin seeds are high in carbs (14.7g of net carbs per 100g serving). Therefore, it would be best to limit the serving size of pumpkin seeds on keto to maintain ketosis.
• You need to monitor the macros and ingredients in your foods to stay within your daily carb allowance on keto.

Source of Healthy Fats 

• 70% of the macros on a keto diet come from fats, 20–25% from proteins, and the remaining 5–10% from carbs.
• Pumpkin seeds are rich in healthy fats but are not an ideal source of fats on keto as they are also high in net carbs.
• For your body to use fats for energy on keto, you need to limit your carb consumption within the daily carb allowance. 
• You can get fats from other low-carb, high-fat alternatives like pecans, avocado, or salmon.

Whole Food

• Pumpkin seeds are whole food and free of harmful non-keto ingredients like food additives, highly refined oils, and artificial sweeteners.
• Pumpkin seeds are packed with essential nutrients and minerals such as zinc and magnesium. 
• Therefore, they are associated with numerous health benefits such as improved heart and prostate health and protection against certain cancers.
• They are also rich in antioxidants that help reduce inflammation in the body. 
• Despite these numerous health benefits, you should consume pumpkin seeds moderately on keto due to their high amount of net carbs.