How much protein is in pumpkin seeds?

Most nuts and seeds get oversold on protein. Pumpkin seeds — pepitas — are the rare one that lives up to it. A real-world serving is 1 oz (28 g), a small cupped handful of kernels, and that delivers ~8.5 g of protein for ~157 calories. At 30.2 g of protein per 100 g, pepitas top every common nut and seed on the shelf: an ounce gives you noticeably more than almonds (~5.9 g), cashews (~5.1 g), or walnuts (~4.3 g). If there’s one item in this aisle that actually earns its “high-protein snack” billing, this is it.

That said, the honest framing still applies. Pepitas are calorie-dense — about 49.1 g of fat per 100 g, which is why even a modest ounce lands at 157 calories. And the protein is incomplete: like most plants, pumpkin seeds run low in the amino acid lysine, so the quality has a gap even though the quantity is excellent. You wouldn’t hit a daily protein target on pepitas alone — but as snacks and toppings go, this is the one that genuinely pulls its weight instead of riding along as an afterthought.

A mineral powerhouse, not just protein

Protein is the headline, but the minerals are why pepitas punch above a typical snack. They’re one of the richest common food sources of magnesium — the mineral most diets fall short on — and an ounce also brings meaningful zinc, plus iron (~2.5 mg) and potassium (~227 mg per ounce). That combination is unusual: most foods that are high in protein are low in these minerals, and most foods rich in magnesium and zinc don’t carry 8.5 g of protein per ounce. Pepitas do both at once, which is what makes them a legitimately nutrient-dense choice rather than empty crunch.

The one discipline they share with every other nut and seed is portion control. Because they’re easy to eat by the handful and so calorie-dense, the gap between a measured ounce and absent-minded grazing is the difference between a 157-calorie snack and a 350-calorie one. Measuring once — a small cupped handful is about right — keeps the protein and minerals working for you without the calories getting away.

How to use them

Pepitas are versatile in a way a protein bar isn’t: scatter them over a salad or grain bowl for crunch, fold them into oatmeal or yogurt, or eat a measured ounce straight as the highest-protein option in the snack drawer. Just remember that even the best seed is a supporting protein — for the heavy lifting, lean on foods built for the job and let pepitas add protein, minerals, and texture on top. If you want a portioned, grab-and-go option for the pantry, the graded packaged nuts and seeds below are a solid starting point, and our guide on how much protein per day helps you set the daily number these snacks slot into.