Beautiful red and yellow leaves, the crisp wind breeze, and our favorite Starbucks coffee – the pumpkin spice latte. You know exactly the type of comfort we associated comfort with.
If you’ve ever asked yourself “is pumpkin keto?” then believe us when we say that you are not the only person to do so!
Especially as we are nearing the fall of 2022, you may be curious as to whether you can or can’t enjoy pumpkin goodies from the popular coffee shop lattes to grandma’s delicious pumpkin pie.
Well, you’re in luck!
Why don’t you continue to read on to find out more about the specifics of keto pumpkin recipes, what the net carbs are in pumpkin, and to get a definitive answer to the question “is pumpkin keto-friendly?“.
Keep reading to learn more!
What Are Pumpkins?
A pumpkin is not only a wonderful carving canvas used to make a spooky Halloween lantern, but it is actually a botanical berry! That’s right, pumpkins are fruit and not vegetables, regardless of their similarity to popular carbs such as squash.
The beauty of pumpkins is their versatility. Nearly every aspect of a pumpkin can be used in cooking, including the skin and the seeds!
Canned pumpkin puree isn’t usually made using one type of pumpkin -in fact, multiple pumpkin varieties are used and so the flavor is more unique.
Our favorite part of pumpkins? Pumpkin Seeds!
These make one of the best ketogenic-friendly snacks out there, especially when roasted and seasoned with a little bit of salt. Pumpkin seeds are not only a great source of healthy fats, but also give us protein, magnesium, zinc, and even copper, making them a nutritional powerhouse!
Does Pumpkin Have Carbs?
Although traditionally pumpkins are not carbs, as of the likes of their starchy relatives such as the potato or turnip, however, they are low carb and have even fewer net carbs.
The American Diabetes Association has formulated a list of starchy vegetables that pumpkin falls under. Out of all the vegetables listed, pumpkin and peas are of the lowest net carbs content as well as having the highest fiber. (*)
Why don’t we take a look at the nutritional content in one cup (245g) of pumpkin and see just how keto-friendly it is and how low the net carbs are! (*)
- Calories 45
- Total Fat 0.2 grams
- Total Carbs 12 grams
- Net Carbs 6.9 grams
- Protein 1.8 grams
- Potassium 564 milligrams
As well as these nutrients, one cup of pumpkin also provides us with 282% of our recommended vitamin A daily allowance, 19% of vitamin C, and 7.8% iron!
Fun Fact: Is Pumpkin high in carbs?
Now, although one cup of pumpkin seems to have a high net carbs content of 6.9 grams, it is highly unlikely for you to consume that much pumpkin in one sitting. Therefore, one average serving of pumpkin will have considerably lower net carbs and make it more ketogenic-friendly.
Health Benefits Of Pumpkins
With an impressive low net carb count and immaculate flavoring, this unique fruit comes with a plethora of health benefits too to make our indulgence even more satisfying!
1. Vitamin A
As we have noted in the above nutrient profile, one cup of pumpkin is not only ketogenic-friendly but comes with a whopping 282% of your daily recommended allowance of Vitamin A.
Why exactly is vitamin A good for us? Let us explain.
Vitamin A has been scientifically proven to help our bodies fight infection by boosting our immune system. (*) This is why some people who have a Vitamin A deficiency tend to be more prone to infection and opt for Vitamin A supplements.
Better yet, pumpkin also contains a high beta-carotene content which allows our body to absorb Vitamin A more easily which helps improve our eye-sight. (*)
2. Antioxidant Properties
Pumpkins are a wonderful source of antioxidants such as alpha-carotene and beta-carotene which help work against the free-radical damaging process that causes diseases such as cancer. (*)
Further studies have shown that these antioxidants help protect against damage from the sun, prevent certain eye conditions, and reduce our risk of cancer. (*)
3. Weight Loss
Pumpkins, unlike their starchy relatives, are known as nutrient-rich food. Their crazy low calories and ridiculous nutritional benefit just make them a powerhouse for us to consume and enjoy.
Want to know a crazy fact? In one serving of pumpkin, there is 94% water.
Fun Fact: Are pumpkins good for weight loss?
So how does it help you with weight loss? Simply put, one cup of pumpkin is enough to leave you full so that you don’t crave more food, and it only contains a minimal amount of calories!
Also, pumpkins contain a relatively high fiber content which is known to help curb your appetite and prevent food cravings!
4. Heart Health
Pumpkins contain a wonderful amount of potassium and various other micronutrients. A higher dietary intake of potassium has been proven to reduce incidents of stroke and help prevent high blood pressure. (*)
Furthermore, the antioxidants which we have already discussed help reduce the amount of “bad” cholesterol in our body and prevent us from suffering from heart disease.
Can You Eat Pumpkin On The Keto Diet?
All in all, if you ever find yourself asking the question “is pumpkin keto-friendly?” or “is pumpkin a low carb foo?” or “is pumpkin keto-approved” you can safely assume that it is both!
Similar to the other various ketogenic-friendly vegetables which we have reviewed in our blog, pumpkin poses as a perfect keto food because of its low calorie, low carb, and high fiber content.
Now that we have established that pumpkin is ketogenic-friendly, have you ever wondered if other pumpkin products are ketogenic-friendly? For example, is there a low-carb pumpkin pie recipe?
You’re in luck; we’re going to explain all!
Pumpkin Seed Carbs
When looking for the best low-carb pumpkin products, make sure you try pumpkin seeds! These things are absolutely amazing and so versatile!
You can have these on yogurt, granola, or even as a tasty snack by themselves! So how many net carbs do they contain?
One ounce of roasted pumpkin seeds contains:
- 4.3g of Total Carbs
- 2.4g of net carbs
Although raw pumpkin seeds may have a lower net carb content, when roasted they taste so much better!
Pumpkin Puree Carbs
Pumpkin puree is your go-to source of pumpkin when you decide to make any baked pumpkin good. But exactly how many net carbs are present in this wonderful creation?
- 11 grams of total carbs (*)
- 8 grams of net carbs
However, the best part is that not all of these carbs are consumed when used in baking as some of them are converted into fibers and other absorbed nutrients!
Pumpkin Pie Carbs
Pumpkin pie is notoriously known for being excessively sweet, filling, and gives us that false sense of a healthy dessert. However, pumpkin pie fillings contain a lot of sugar which adds to the already present net carbs in pumpkin.
One serving of the pumpkin pie filling can truly knock you out of ketosis because of its whopping total count of 48.9g of net carbs. (*) To make this more appropriate for the keto diet, you should attempt making your own ketogenic-friendly pumpkin pie at home!
Pumpkin Spiced Latte Carbs
Although these are the world’s favorite go-to coffees when it comes to that specific time of year, you’ll need to remember to ask for ketogenic-friendly milk as your base, as well as a sugar-free syrup. This is because in one cup of these conventional pumpkin spiced lattes you can consume nearly a whopping 52 grams of net carbs!
Bonus: Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
Why not try to make some of these wonderful pumpkin-based keto-friendly foods yourself and save yourself the net carbs? We’ll make it easy for you and start with our favorite: The pumpkin cheesecake
Once you make a keto-friendly cheesecake base using almond flour, stevia, and butter of your choice, try out the following for the best toppings:
- One pack of cream cheese – pick your favorite one and ensure that it is not flavored!
- One half to a cup of pumpkin puree
- Stevia (as to your sweetness preference)
- 2-4 eggs
- Homemade pumpkin spice
- Half a teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Half a teaspoon of cinnamon
To watch the magic happen, you’ll simply mix all of the above to form a wonderful topping and then preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Once your crust is complete after about 10-12 minutes in the oven, leave to cool down and top with your wonderful pumpkin cheesecake topping.
Set for around 45 minutes to an hour in the fridge, and serve with a drizzle of some wonderful sugar-free caramel syrup!
To Conclude: Is pumpkin keto friendly?
Pumpkins are not only keto-friendly but also one of the healthiest foods we can incorporate into our diets. It’s low carbs, high protein, rich in vitamins and minerals, we can safely assume.
The antioxidants and vitamins contained in pumpkin will help boost our immune systems and help us lose weight!
Whether it’s pumpkin as a whole or other pumpkin products, make sure you try your best to utilize the amazing versatility of this wonderful fruit!
