Nutrition
The seeds are also good sources of protein, as well as iron, zinc, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, and potassium. In regards to iron, 25 grams of pepitas can provide over 20 percent of the recommended daily iron intake.
In 2007, Stevenson, et al., of the USDA's New Crops Products Research Unit searched the primary literature for information about the lipid content of pepitas, and then grew and analyzed pepitas from seven cultivars of C. maxima. They found the following ranges of fatty acid content in C. maxima pepitas:
| n:unsat | Fatty acid name | Percentage range |
|---|---|---|
| (14:0) | Myristic acid | 0.003-0.056 |
| (16:0) | Palmitic acid | 1.6-8.0 |
| (16:1) | Palmitoleic acid | 0.02-0.10 |
| (18:0) | Stearic acid | 0.81-3.21 |
| (18:1) | Oleic acid | 3.4-19.4 |
| (18:2) | Linoleic acid | 5.1-20.4 |
| (18:3) | Linolenic acid | 0.06-0.22 |
| (20:0) | Arachidic acid | 0.06-0.21 |
| (20:1) | Gadoleic acid | 0-0.035 |
| (22:0) | Behenic acid | 0.02-0.12 |
The reported concentration of myristate and palmitate (the cholestrogenic fatty acids) for the pepitas ranged from 1.6% to 4.9%. The total unsaturated fatty acid concentration ranged from 9% to 21% of the pepita. The total fat content ranged from 11% to 52%. Based on the quantity of alpha-tocopherol extracted in the oil, the vitamin E content of the twelve C. maxima cultivar seeds ranged from 4 to 19 mg/100 g of pepita.
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