Are Pumpkin Seeds Keto? How Pumpkin Seeds Fit into The Most Popular Diets

What’s inside this bag: Are pumpkin seeds keto and/or allowed on a low-carb diet? You’ll be surprised to find out about the many diets pumpkin seeds are suitable for.

 

Asking if you’ve heard of the keto diet is like asking if you’ve heard of skiing. It’s popular and you know it, and you also know that it’s not for everybody. However, there’s still a chance that you either want to try it, have tried it and enjoyed it, or have tried it and realized that it wasn’t your thing.

The keto diet is arguably one of the hottest diet and health plans out there, with people raving about their weight loss results globally.

But just like with any other diet plan, there are foods that you may need to avoid in order to maintain this dietary/ lifestyle change, and that’s not always the easiest thing to do.

 

WHAT IS THE KETO DIET?

 

Simply put, the ketogenic diet is an incredibly low-carb, high-fat eating and health plan. If done correctly the end results are your body going into a metabolic state (ketosis) in order for fat to be burned as fuel, rather than carbohydrates.

Some major benefits of the ketogenic diet are:

• Your body ends up with a surplus of energy as fat turns to ketones in the liver, which supplies energy for the brain
• Reduction in blood sugar and insulin levels
• Rapid weight loss

And while there are plenty of different types of ketogenic diets, the Standard Keto Diet (SKD) is the one that’s been researched the most and is traditionally used for fat burning and weight loss.

The high-fat approach seems to be one of the most filling ways to lose weight, compared to other weight loss methods. Studies find that those who use the keto approach are likely to lose more weight than those on a calorie-restricted, low-fat diet.

The Benefits of Eating High-Fat, High Protein & Low-Carb Foods

 

High fat, high protein and low-carb foods have numerous health and weight loss benefits.

Rapid weight loss is one of the major benefits of adopting a low-carb, high fat, high protein diet. This is mostly due to the fact that low-carb diets, especially the keto diet, acts to rid excess water from your body and also helps to lower insulin levels, resulting in fewer sugar cravings.

Not only do low-carb, high-fat diets help you to lose weight in a rapid manner, but blood triglycerides are shown to lower, healthy cholesterol levels rise, and these diets can become effective at preventing metabolic syndrome.

But not everybody finds success with high fat, low-carb diets and one of the biggest reasons for this is that finding foods that suits their new diet and lifestyle needs, or finding healthy snacks that fit the bill can be a hard thing to do.

ARE PUMPKIN SEEDS KETO? THE LOW-CARB SUPER SNACK THAT FITS THE BILL

 

This is where pumpkin seeds come into play.

We often get asked: are pumpkin seeds keto, what makes a pumpkin seed keto, and how to add them to a low-carb, high fat, high protein diet?

Not only are pumpkin seeds high in beneficial nutrients, but they can absolutely be added to a keto diet, or a low-carb, high-fat diet. As a matter of fact, pumpkin seeds are one of those amazing superfoods that can be added to virtually any diet without adverse effects.

1/3 of a cup of Skuta Sea Salt pumpkin seeds contain 19grams of fat, 14 grams of protein, 1 gram of sugar, and 0 grams of carbohydrates, making them an optimal food or snack for the ketogenic diet.

However, the Standard Keto Diet is low carb, moderate protein, and the protein content of pumpkin seeds is relatively high, so you may need to mindful of just how much pumpkin seeds you are consuming. But there are other types of keto diets you can adopt that contain a higher amount of protein. For example, the High Protein Keto Diet is similar to the Standard Keto Diet, but instead of 75% fat to 20% protein to 5% carbs, you can bump up your protein intake a bit and consume 60% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbs.

The High Protein Keto Diet is optimal for anyone looking for a leaner intake of meat, doing plant-based keto approach, those who train or are athletes and need protein for quick recovery.

Either way, the verdict is that pumpkin seeds can be added to any keto diet, are loaded with so many nutrients, and contain healthy fats and fiber so they are the perfect food for weight loss and keeping you feeling full and satisfied.

If you want to learn more about how pumpkin seeds have the ability to keep you feeling full, take a peek at this article that explains just that.

 

WHAT OTHER DIETS ARE PUMPKIN SEEDS GOOD FOR?

 

Yes, pumpkin seeds are keto, but that’s not the only diet that they fit into. Pumpkin seeds are loaded with anti-inflammatory fats, such as Omega 3, contain immune and fertility boosting zinc, contain iron and other electrolyte balancing minerals and are loaded with antioxidants, making them a perfect treat for most diets!

 

Paleo

The Paleolithic diet is defined by consuming foods that we would have consumed during the Paleolithic era. This includes meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. It also limits processed foods, legumes and grains. The Paleo diet is used for weight loss, gut health and auto-immune diseases.

Because our bodies were naturally designed to consume seeds, pumpkin seeds make the perfect snack or food option for if you are considering adopting a Paleo approach.

 

Plant-based

Plant-based, vegan, or even a meat-based, plant-focused diet simply means the central focus of the diet is on plants. A large percentage of each meal is made up of fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, legumes. Some plant-based diets contain small amounts of meats, fermented dairy or eggs, whereas some are completely void of all animal products.

Whatever the case, meat and eggs offer up certain nutrients that many vegetarians and vegans struggle to consume in a plant-focused diet. Pumpkin seeds offer up a large range of nutrients, plenty of protein and a healthy ratio of Omega fats, making them a more than wonderful addition to a plant-based diet.

 

Kids

If you have kids, pumpkin seeds (especially the Skuta varietal) are the perfect addition to the diet. Pumpkin seeds have a low-allergy rate, are the perfect sized snack for small hands, are loaded with nutrients that help with brain development and growth and can easily be added to snack and treats.

The only thing to consider with pumpkin seeds and tots is that they present a choking risk for under the age of 3. Easily bypass the risk by turning the seeds into a seed butter or adding to smoothies and blending.

 

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting is simply taking a break from food for an extended period of time. There are plenty of different techniques and fasting strategies, but the core focus is removing food for over 5 hours and then going back to your regular, healthy eating patterns.

While pumpkin seeds would definitely fall into the food category and need to be avoided during a fast, the best way to break a fast is by doing it with fat and protein-rich foods. Pumpkin seeds paired with some bone broth make the perfect ‘post-fast’ option.

 

Heart Healthy & Diabetic

Heart health, diabetes and metabolic conditions need to be very mindful of how much saturated fats and sugar are being added into the diet. Adding more nutrient dense foods that contain healthy fats and are low in saturated fats are great for these types of conditions.

The Omega 3:6 fatty acid ratio, plus all of the beneficial antioxidants and minerals are great for heart health, and the low-carb count that pumpkin seeds have made them perfect for a low GI diet.

Pregnancy 

Pumpkin seeds are a near perfect pregnancy and fertility food, and not just because of all the beneficial nutrients that they contain. Folate is one of the top nutrients that pregnant women need adequate levels for the health of their child. Pumpkin seeds not only contain a high amount of folate, but they contain calcium, iron, B vitamins, protein and fiber and also make a perfect on-the-go snack!

As you can see, pumpkin seeds are in-fact keto, as well as adaptable to most diet and health plans.

 

 

There are so many ways you can take Skuta’s pumpkin seeds on-the-go with you. We’d love to see your favourite way to Skuta and don’t forget to tag us @skutapumpkin and use #snackskuta for a chance to be featured.