Every Halloween, millions of pumpkins get carved into lanterns, and most of the seeds end up in the bin. That is a shame, because pumpkin seeds are one of the most nutrient-dense snacks you can eat.
They are small, cheap and easy to cook at home. They also contain a mix of minerals and amino acids that play a direct role in how well you sleep. Here is what is inside them, what the research says, and how to get more of them into your week.
What Is Actually in a Pumpkin Seed?
There are two types of pumpkin seed you will come across. Whole seeds come straight out of a carving pumpkin and still have their white, fibrous shell. Pepitas are the flat green kernels you buy in a packet, and they come from varieties of pumpkin that grow seeds without a tough outer shell.
Both are nutritious. A 28-gram serving of roasted kernels (about a small handful) gives you:
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It provides around 156 mg of magnesium, which is more than a third of the daily value.
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It contains about 2.2 mg of zinc, or around a fifth of what most adults need in a day.
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It delivers roughly 8 to 9 grams of plant protein.
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It supplies tryptophan, the amino acid your body uses to make serotonin and melatonin.
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It contains mostly unsaturated fats, which support heart health.
Very few foods contain this much magnesium in such a small serving. That alone makes pumpkin seeds worth a closer look.
Magnesium: The Mineral Many People Don’t Get Enough Of
Magnesium is involved in more than 300 processes in the body, including muscle function, energy production and the activity of your nervous system. It also helps regulate GABA, a brain chemical that calms nerve activity and helps your body shift into rest mode.
Many adults don’t get enough magnesium from their diet. Processed foods tend to be low in it, and stress and heavy exercise can increase how much your body uses.
The link between magnesium and sleep has been studied in clinical trials. In one double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 46 older adults with sleep difficulties took 500 mg of magnesium or a placebo every day for eight weeks. The magnesium group fell asleep faster, slept for longer and spent more of their time in bed asleep. They also had higher melatonin levels and lower cortisol levels than the placebo group.
A handful of pumpkin seeds won’t give you a supplement-sized dose, but it is one of the most efficient ways to raise your magnesium intake from food.
Zinc and Your Sleep Cycle
Zinc is best known for its role in immune function, but it matters for sleep too. The brain stores zinc in some of its nerve cells and releases it during nerve signalling.
A 2017 review in Nutrients looked at the research on zinc and sleep. The authors found that zinc levels in the blood change across the sleep-wake cycle, and that some human studies have linked higher zinc intake to better sleep quality and longer sleep. The research is still at an early stage, but it points to zinc as one of the nutrients your sleep depends on.
Your body has no dedicated store of zinc, so you need a steady supply from food. Pumpkin seeds are one of the best plant sources, which makes them especially useful if you eat little or no red meat or shellfish.
Tryptophan: From Seed to Sleep Hormone
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, which means your body can’t make it and you have to get it from food. Your body converts tryptophan into serotonin, a brain chemical involved in mood, and then converts serotonin into melatonin, the hormone that tells your body it is time to sleep.
Pumpkin seeds are one of the richer plant sources of tryptophan. Eating tryptophan alongside some carbohydrate may help more of it reach the brain, because carbohydrate reduces the number of other amino acids competing with it for entry. That makes a small evening snack of pumpkin seeds with oats or a piece of fruit a sensible option.
Easy Ways to Eat More Pumpkin Seeds
You don’t need to eat them straight from the jar. Here are a few simple ways to add them to meals you already make:
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Sprinkle a spoonful over porridge, yoghurt or overnight oats.
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Scatter them over soups and salads for extra crunch.
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Blend them into smoothies or homemade pesto in place of pine nuts.
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Stir them into homemade granola or energy balls.
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Mix them with dark chocolate and dried fruit for an evening snack.
So, Are Pumpkin Seeds Worth It?
Yes. Pumpkin seeds give you a high dose of magnesium and zinc, a useful amount of plant protein and tryptophan, all in a small serving that costs very little. They won’t fix poor sleep on their own, but they are an easy way to give your body more of the nutrients it relies on to rest well. Next time you carve a pumpkin, roast the seeds instead of throwing them out.
Sleep Better With Genius Sleep
If you want a more reliable way to get these nutrients in the evening, Genius Sleep was made for exactly that. It contains three of the key nutrients found in pumpkin seeds: L-Tryptophan, Magnesium Bisglycinate (a gentle, well-absorbed form of magnesium) and Zinc Gluconate.
These sit alongside Reishi, L-Theanine, Tart Cherry Extract and Passionflower Extract to help your mind and body wind down before bed. Take Genius Sleep in the evening as part of your wind-down routine, and pair it with a handful of roasted pumpkin seeds for a food-first boost.
