Pumpkin

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By the Nutriveda editorial team · Updated 5 November 2026

Pumpkin (Cucurbita species) is a winter squash with sweet orange flesh, harvested in autumn and eaten roasted, in soups, purées, pies and baked goods. 100 g of raw pumpkin has only 26 kcal but 426 µg of vitamin A (RAE), most of it as beta-carotene, plus 340 mg of potassium. One cup of mashed cooked pumpkin (245 g) has about 49 kcal and 706 µg of vitamin A, which is roughly the amount NIH recommends for an adult woman for a whole day. Cheap in season and slow to spoil, it is one of the most practical autumn vegetables.

Pumpkin nutrition per 100 g and per portion

Nutrient	Raw, 100 g	Boiled, 100 g	Portion: 1 cup mashed, boiled (245 g)
Energy	26 kcal	20 kcal	49 kcal
Protein	1.0 g	0.7 g	1.8 g
Fat	0.1 g	0.1 g	0.2 g
Carbohydrate	6.5 g	4.9 g	12.0 g
of which sugars	2.8 g	2.1 g	5.1 g
Fibre	0.5 g	1.1 g	2.7 g
Vitamin A (RAE)	426 µg	288 µg	706 µg
Beta-carotene	3,100 µg	2,100 µg	5,145 µg
Vitamin C	9.0 mg	4.7 mg	11.5 mg
Vitamin E	1.06 mg	0.8 mg	2.0 mg
Potassium	340 mg	230 mg	564 mg
Iron	0.8 mg	0.57 mg	1.4 mg

Source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: “Pumpkin, raw” (FDC 168448) and “Pumpkin, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt” (FDC 168449), checked 5 November 2026. The portion column is calculated from the boiled record’s measure “cup, mashed” = 245 g. Values rounded. The two records were analysed separately, so some values (fibre, for example) do not line up exactly.

Pumpkin is about 92% water, so a bowl of soup or a tray of roasted wedges is filling but light. Other winter squashes such as butternut differ somewhat from these USDA “pumpkin” records.

Glycemic index

Boiled pumpkin has a glycemic index of 64 ± 7 (glucose = 100) in the international GI tables (Atkinson 2008). For comparison, boiled carrots are 39 ± 4 in the same table. GI describes how fast the carbohydrate in a food raises blood sugar, not how much carbohydrate there is. Here the amount is small: 100 g of boiled pumpkin has 4.9 g of carbohydrate, and a full cup of mash has about 12 g. For how GI works and why the whole meal matters, see What is the glycemic index.

Health benefits: what the evidence says

• Vitamin A from beta-carotene. The body converts beta-carotene and other provitamin A carotenoids into vitamin A. NIH sets the adult RDA at 900 µg RAE a day for men and 700 µg for women; one cup of mashed pumpkin gives about 706 µg. Vitamin A is needed for normal vision, and NIH describes night blindness as the first sign of deficiency.
• Cooking helps. NIH notes that cooking and heat treatment can increase the bioavailability of beta-carotene from foods. Roasted pumpkin, soup and purée are all good ways to get it.
• Food, not supplements. The beta-carotene in pumpkin is not the same story as high-dose supplements. In the ATBC trial, beta-carotene supplements increased the risk of lung cancer by 18% in male smokers, and the US Food and Nutrition Board advises against beta-carotene supplements for the general population.
• Potassium. A cup of mashed pumpkin has about 564 mg. NIH gives an adequate intake of 3,400 mg a day for men and 2,600 mg for women and states that higher potassium intakes may help decrease blood pressure.
• Fibre for few calories. The same cup gives 2.7 g of fibre for under 50 kcal. EFSA considers 25 g of fibre a day adequate for normal bowel function in adults, so pumpkin is a small but easy contributor alongside legumes, whole grains and fruit.

How to eat pumpkin

• Roasted: cut into wedges or cubes, toss with a little olive oil and salt, and roast at about 200 °C for 25-40 minutes, until soft and browned at the edges. Thin-skinned varieties such as Hokkaido (red kuri) can be roasted with the skin on.
• Soup: soften onion and garlic, add cubed pumpkin, a piece of ginger and stock, simmer until tender and blend. Top with Greek yogurt and toasted seeds.
• Purée: mash roasted or steamed pumpkin and freeze it in portions. Stir it into porridge with cinnamon, into pancake batter, or into risotto at the end of cooking.
• Savoury dishes: in curries with chickpeas or lentils, or in bowls with quinoa.
• Do not throw away the seeds: rinse them, dry them and roast them with a little salt. See pumpkin seeds for their nutrition.
• Canned pumpkin: check that the label says only pumpkin, not “pie filling” with added sugar.
• Buying and storage: choose a pumpkin that feels heavy for its size, with firm skin and no soft spots. A whole, uncut pumpkin keeps for weeks in a cool, dry place. Once cut, wrap it, keep it in the fridge and use it within a few days.

Who should be careful

• Bitter pumpkin or squash. The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) warns about eating bitter zucchini and the botanically related pumpkins. The bitter taste comes from cucurbitacins, natural substances that were bred out of food varieties. Eating them usually causes stomach and gut irritation with symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea or abdominal pain, sometimes lasting several days. BfR advises tasting the raw vegetable before cooking and not using it if it tastes bitter.
• Kidney disease. Pumpkin is rich in potassium. NIH notes that people whose kidneys do not clear potassium well can develop high blood potassium even below normal intakes. If you have been told to limit potassium, ask your doctor or dietitian how much pumpkin fits.
• Orange skin. Eating very large amounts of beta-carotene-rich foods for a long time can turn the skin yellow-orange. NIH calls this carotenodermia, a harmless condition that goes away when intake drops.

Traditional view (Ayurveda)

In Usha and Vasant Lad’s food guidelines pumpkin is favourable for Vata and Pitta and on the list to avoid for Kapha. This is a traditional view, not a clinical finding.

Recipes with pumpkin

• Autumn minestrone with pumpkin and cabbage
• Pumpkin oat muffins
• Pumpkin soup with ginger and turmeric
• Roasted Mediterranean vegetables, autumn version
• Roasted pumpkin with chickpeas, tahini and pomegranate

Related entries and articles

• Pumpkin seeds – the part most people throw away
• Sweet potato and carrot – two other orange, beta-carotene-rich vegetables
• Zucchini – the summer squash from the same family
• Cinnamon and ginger – the classic spices for pumpkin
• What is the glycemic index
• Plant-based meals for weight loss

FAQ

Is pumpkin OK for people with diabetes?

Plain pumpkin can fit. Its glycemic index is 64 ± 7 (Atkinson 2008), but a normal portion carries little carbohydrate: 100 g of boiled pumpkin has 4.9 g. The bigger issue is sugar and flour in pumpkin pies and cakes. If you have diabetes, count the portion with the rest of the meal and follow your care team’s advice.

Can you eat pumpkin skin?

Yes, for thin-skinned varieties such as Hokkaido (red kuri), whose skin softens when roasted. The thick, hard skin of large carving and field pumpkins is usually peeled off. Wash the outside well before cutting either way.

What if my pumpkin tastes bitter?

Do not eat it. The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment explains that a bitter taste in zucchini and related pumpkins comes from cucurbitacins, which can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Taste a small raw piece before cooking, and throw the whole vegetable away if it is unusually bitter.

Sources

1. USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Pumpkin, raw (FDC 168448). fdc.nal.usda.gov
2. USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Pumpkin, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt (FDC 168449). fdc.nal.usda.gov
3. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin A and Carotenoids, Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. ods.od.nih.gov
4. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Potassium, Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. ods.od.nih.gov
5. EFSA NDA Panel (2010). Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for carbohydrates and dietary fibre. EFSA Journal 8(3):1462. efsa.europa.eu
6. German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). Vorsicht beim Verzehr von bitteren Zucchini (Caution when eating bitter-tasting zucchini), 2015. bfr.bund.de
7. Atkinson FS, Foster-Powell K, Brand-Miller JC. International Tables of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Values: 2008. Diabetes Care 2008;31(12):2281-2283. PMC
8. Lad U, Lad V. Food Guidelines for Basic Constitutional Types, from Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing, 2nd ed. The Ayurvedic Institute. ayurveda.com

This page is for information only and is not medical or dietary advice.