Surprising Side Effects of Eating Too Many Pumpkin Seeds
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3 Potential Side Effects of Pumpkin Seeds

3 Potential Side Effects of Pumpkin Seeds
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Updated on August 7, 2025
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Whether you eat them whole or extract them from their pulpy web, pumpkin seeds are full of protein, fiber and important minerals.

 But while pumpkin seeds offer health and nutritional benefits — and are a tasty, crunchy add-in to salads and trail mix — they can also be a source of some undesirable side effects.

Here's what you need to know about the potential side effects of eating pumpkin seeds, along with how to ward off these GI-related effects.

1. Pumpkin Seeds Can Leave You Gassy or Bloated

Pumpkin seeds contain fiber, with 0.9 grams of fiber per 1-ounce (oz) serving of shelled seeds.

 Eating the same amount of pumpkin seeds in the shell means even more fiber, with 2 grams of fiber per serving.

That fiber delivers many benefits, such as keeping you regular, lowering cholesterol, helping you get to a healthy weight and controlling blood sugar.

 But eating high-fiber foods can also cause indigestion.

 That is, you may feel bloated, gassy and flatulent and generally experience GI discomfort after having a handful (or several) of high-fiber pumpkin seeds.
Here's why: Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that isn't fully digestible by your body. Unlike other carbs (think: rice, flour and so on), fiber doesn't break down into glucose.

 Instead, the undigested fiber travels to your large intestine, where it's broken down by bacteria, with various gasses released as part of that process.

2. They Can Lead to Diarrhea

Eating more fiber than you're used to can also lead to loose, watery stools aka diarrhea.

This may feel confusing, since fiber is often recommended as a fix for diarrhea. But as it turns out, not all fiber has the same effect on your body.

There are two broad categories of fiber: soluble (which dissolves in water, forming a gel-like substance) and insoluble, which does not, per Mayo Clinic. Seeds tend to have insoluble fiber.

 But if you have diarrhea, you'll want to focus on adding soluble fiber, not insoluble fiber.

That said, most plant-foods have a mix of both types of fiber.

3. Pumpkin Seeds Can Also Cause Constipation

Constipation is also a possible side effect of eating pumpkin seeds — just as a lot of fiber can lead to loose stools, it can also have the reverse effect, and stop you up temporarily.

As with diarrhea, fiber can both cause the problem, and act as a potential useful solution.

You Can Take in More Salt and Calories Than Intended

While eating pumpkin seeds, it's easy to lose track of how much you're eating.

This could lead to you unintentionally consuming more calories than you realize — a 1 oz serving size of shelled pumpkin seeds has 151 calories. ‌Store-bought roasted pumpkin seeds can also have a lot of salt.

Aim to get unsalted or lightly salted options — or make your own! Keep in mind that you can eat the pumpkin seed shell, although you might find the texture off-putting. Plus, that's where a big share of the fiber is, so overdoing it on the shell could lead to some GI symptoms.

How to Prevent Side Effects From Pumpkin Seeds

Fortunately, when it comes to fiber-filled pumpkin seeds, the ways to avoid these GI-related symptoms are simple:

  • ‌Eat seeds in moderation. Adding too much fiber, too fast, to your diet can lead to digestive woes. Incorporate pumpkin seeds — and other high-fiber foods — to your diet over the course of weeks to help avoid gas and bloating.

     A typical serving size for seeds is 1 oz (or about ¼ cup).
  • ‌Discard the shell. Since the shells are a big source of fiber, you can remove them to reduce your fiber intake.
  • ‌Drink water, too. If you're upping your fiber intake, make sure to add water as well to ward off constipation.

How to Store Pumpkin Seeds

Because of their oil content, seeds can spoil quickly. Store them in a cool and dry place if you'll be eating them soon — for a longer lifespan, keep seeds in the freezer or refrigerator.

The Takeaway

  • Pumpkin seeds packed with protein, fiber and other important nutrients — but overeating them can lead to unpleasant digestive effects such as bloating and constipation or diarrhea.
  • As with other high-fiber foods, watch your serving sizes and be sure to drink plenty of water while incorporating them slowly into your diet.
  • Look for lightly salted or unsalted pumpkin seeds to watch your sodium intake as well.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. From Inflammation to Heart Health: The Perks of Pumpkin in Your Diet. Mayo Clinic. November 4, 2024.
  2. Waymouth Farms Inc. - Shelled Pumpkin Seeds. My Food Data.
  3. Lunds Inc - Pumpkin Seeds In Shell. My Food Data.
  4. Dietary Fiber: Essential for a Healthy Diet. Mayo Clinic. December 11, 2024.
  5. Indigestion. MedlinePlus. January 20, 2023.
  6. Fiber. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. April 2022.
  7. Gas in the Digestive Tract. Cedars Sinai.
  8. 10 Nutrition and Lifestyle Recommendations to Manage Diarrhea. Canadian Society of Intestinal Research.
  9. Increasing Fiber Intake. University of California San Francisco.
  10. Dietary Fibre. Canadian Society of Intestinal Research.
  11. Foods for Constipation. Johns Hopkins Medicine. May 1, 2025.
  12. Nuts & Seeds. California Department of Social Services.
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Lynn Grieger, RDN, CDCES

Medical Reviewer

Lynn Grieger is a registered dietitian-nutritionist, certified diabetes care and education specialist, certified personal trainer, and certified health and wellness coach. She completed requirements to become a registered dietitian at Valparaiso University in 1987 and completed a dietetic internship at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Illinois, in 1988. 

Lynn brings her expertise in nutrition, exercise, and behavior change to her work in helping people reach their individual health and fitness goals. In addition to writing for Everyday Health, she has also written for websites and publications like Food and Health Communications, Today's Dietitian, iVillage.com, and Rodale Press. She has a passion for healthy, nutrient-dense, great-tasting food and for being outdoors as much as possible — she can often be found running or hiking, and has completed a marathon in every state.

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Madeleine Burry is a Brooklyn-based writer and editor, covering health, parenting, and wellness. She's written for many online publications, including Health, Prevention, Women's Health, What To Expect, and Apartment Therapy. Previously, she was the associate managing editor for Parents.com, and a managing editor for Scholastic's parenting site.

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