The short answer
A good source, if not a high one. One portion of pumpkin seeds (a small handful) gives about 2.6 mg of iron, 14% of the 18 mg a day women aged 19 to 50 need. It is non-heme iron, so only a small share gets in unless a vitamin C helper shares the plate. The phytate in it holds some of that back.
- mg2.6In one portion: a small handful
- %14Of the 18 mg a day women aged 19 to 50 need
- mg8.8Per 100 g, as eaten
Worth knowingAbout 8.8 mg per 100 g, but a handful is 30 g: about 2.6 mg.
How it compares
Iron per portion, next to other foods on the seeds shelf.
- Pumpkin seeds2.6 mg
- Sesame seeds1.5 mg
- Tahini1.3 mg
- Chia seeds1.2 mg
- Flaxseed0.6 mg
What helps its iron in
Plant iron
Only a small share gets in on its own. A vitamin C helper on the same plate lifts it.
Cook JD, Monsen ER (1977), Am J Clin Nutr. 25 mg of vitamin C with a meal raised its iron absorption 1.65 times, and 1,000 mg almost 10 times. With meat in the meal, the rise was smaller.
What holds it back
Phytate
Phytate in the seed binds plant iron. Soaking, sprouting and long fermentation break it down, and a vitamin C helper works against it.
Hallberg L, Brune M, Rossander L (1989), Am J Clin Nutr. Phytate in bread cut iron absorption by 18% to 82%, more with more phytate. Vitamin C in the same meal counteracted it.
Get more from it
- Put a helper on the same plate: vitamin C from one of these.Lemon juiceRed bell pepperTomatoTomato pasteStrawberriesBlackcurrants
Recipes with pumpkin seeds
All recipes
Questions
How much iron is in pumpkin seeds?
About 8.8 mg per 100 g, so a small handful (30 g) gives about 2.6 mg. The number is from USDA FoodData Central: Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels, dried.
Is the iron in pumpkin seeds easy to absorb?
Less easily than iron from meat or fish. On its own only a small share gets in. A vitamin C helper on the same plate lifts it, and coffee, tea and dairy near the meal hold it back.
What should I eat with pumpkin seeds for iron?
A vitamin C helper on the same plate: lemon juice, red pepper, tomato, parsley or berries. A little meat or fish helps too, if you eat it.
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central: Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels, dried
- Cook JD, Monsen ER. Vitamin C, the common cold, and iron absorption. Am J Clin Nutr, 1977
- Ballot D, et al.. The effects of fruit juices and fruits on the absorption of iron from a rice meal. Br J Nutr, 1987
- Rossander L, Hallberg L, Björn-Rasmussen E. Absorption of iron from breakfast meals. Am J Clin Nutr, 1979
- Hallberg L, Brune M, Rossander L. Iron absorption in man: ascorbic acid and dose-dependent inhibition by phytate. Am J Clin Nutr, 1989
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Iron: fact sheet for health professionals
- US Code of Federal Regulations, 21 CFR 101.54: nutrient content claims for "good source" and "high"
Iron is from food tables, for the food as eaten, and real foods vary with the cut, the brand and the recipe. Your body takes in a share of it, and a larger share when your stores are low.
Educational, not medical advice. ferritin.ai does not diagnose or treat any condition. Talk to your doctor about your own results.