Pumpkin and pumpkin pie: big vitamin A numbers, thin human trials

Pumpkin is sold on its vitamin A, and the human trials behind that are thinner than the reputation. In a 6 week trial in 110 schoolchildren in Bangladesh, one arm ate sweet pumpkin meals supplying 1.5 mg beta-carotene. The leafy vegetable arm, with 4.4 mg, raised serum beta-carotene more than control (0.44 against 0.20 micromol/L), and the abstract gives no separate figure for the pumpkin arm. In Filipino schoolchildren, a mix of carotene-rich vegetables that included squash doubled the body's vitamin A store in 9 weeks, at low and higher fat intakes alike. Squash was one of four vegetables there, so the result belongs to the mix. On paper the numbers are large: a 230 g cup of cooked pumpkin supplies about 996 ug RAE vitamin A in the US survey database. Pumpkin pie is a dessert first. A regular 5.3 oz (150 g) slice carries about 36.8 g of sugars, calculated from the per 3.5 oz (100 g) value, and we found no trial on the pie itself.

How much is actually in it

• By the UK tables boiled pumpkin shows 955 ug carotene per 3.5 oz (100 g) against 450 ug raw, while potassium falls from 130 to 84 mg and vitamin C from 14 to 7 mg. — CoFID 2021 records 13-326 Pumpkin, flesh only, raw and 13-549 Pumpkin, flesh only, boiled in unsalted water, per 3.5 oz (100 g) (n = 2 reference records) Evidence E source
  Raw: 13 calories, water 95.0 g, carotene 450 ug, retinol equivalent 75 ug, potassium 130 mg, vitamin C 14 mg; boiled: 12 calories, water 94.9 g, carotene 955 ug, retinol equivalent 160 ug, potassium 84 mg, vitamin C 7 mg
• Raw pumpkin seeds measured 499.7 mg magnesium and 8.363 mg iron per 3.5 oz (100 g) across 8 USDA samples, with iron varying 19% between samples. — USDA FoodData Central Foundation Foods, Seeds, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), raw, 8 samples (n = 8 samples) Evidence E source
  Magnesium 499.7 mg (468.5 to 511.0, spread 9%); iron 8.363 mg (7.84 to 9.42, spread 19%); potassium 691.2 mg (657 to 806); selenium 20.52 ug (0.0 to 64.7, spread 315%)

What a real portion looks like

• A regular 5.3 oz (150 g) slice of pumpkin pie carries about 36.8 g of sugars in the US survey database. — USDA FNDDS Pie, pumpkin, food code 53347000 (fdc 2708011) (n = 9 measures) Evidence E source
  Total sugars 24.55 g per 3.5 oz (100 g); mini slice 75 g 18.4 g; regular slice 150 g 36.8 g; large slice 250 g 61.4 g; whole 8-9 inch pie 1200 g
• One cup of cooked pumpkin (230 g) supplies about 996 ug RAE vitamin A in the US survey database. — USDA FNDDS Pumpkin, cooked, food code 73201020 (fdc 2709692) (n = 3 measures) Evidence E source
  Vitamin A 433 ug RAE per 3.5 oz (100 g); 1 cup 230 g 995.9 ug; 1 cup mashed 250 g 1082.5 ug; unspecified 115 g 497.9 ug

What your body absorbs

• In dewormed Bangladeshi schoolchildren fed for 6 weeks, a sweet pumpkin meal gave 1.5 mg beta-carotene, and the leafy vegetable arm with 4.4 mg raised serum beta-carotene more than control (0.44 vs 0.20 micromol/L). — 110 children aged 8-12 years in Bangladesh, meals 6 days per week for 6 weeks (n = 110) Evidence B source
  Serum beta-carotene rise 0.44 micromol/L (95% CI 0.32 to 0.55) leafy vegetables vs 0.20 (95% CI 0.14 to 0.26) control, P = 0.002
• Carotene-rich vegetables including squash doubled the total-body vitamin A pool in 9 weeks even with only 2.4 g fat per meal, as well as with 10 g. — Filipino schoolchildren aged 9-12 years, three meals a day, 5 days a week, 9 weeks (n = 116) Evidence B source
  Serum beta-carotene 5-fold, total-body vitamin A pool 2-fold, similar across 7, 15 and 29 g fat per day
• Eating 6.3 oz (180 g) a day of green beans, pumpkin and sweet corn for four weeks raised serum lutein, with serum lutein up 37% across the study. — 29 healthy normolipemic adults aged 45-65 years, 1.8 mg lutein a day from fruit or vegetables, 4 weeks (n = 29) Evidence C source
  Serum lutein +37%; macular pigment unchanged

What cooking and storage change

• Even pressure-cooked, squash kept 237.83 mg potassium per 3.5 oz (100 g), the only one of the lowest values above 200 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g). — vegetables analyzed after different cooking methods for patients at a cardiology institute in Brazil; sensory panel of 68 patients (n = 68) Evidence C source
  Squash pressure-cooked 237.83 mg K per 3.5 oz (100 g) vs zucchini 93.62 mg and spinach 74.85 mg
• Boiling in water that is then drained keeps 75 percent of vitamin C, 65 percent of folate and 90 percent of potassium in the USDA vegetable group pumpkin belongs to. — USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors Release 6, group Vegetables and Vegetable Products, method VEG,OTHER,BLD,WATER COVER,DRAINED, code 3775 (n = 16 nutrients in the method row) Evidence E source
  Folate 65% retained, vitamin C 75%, thiamin 80%, niacin and vitamin B6 85%, potassium, phosphorus, riboflavin 90%, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc 95%

What it does to your health

• Adding 2.3 oz (65 g) of pumpkin seed to a high-carbohydrate meal cut the post-meal glucose response by about 35% in 15 healthy adults. — normoglycemic adults, single meals, crossover (n = 15) Evidence B source
  Glucose iAUC about 35% lower than control meal, P = .025
• Soups of root and squash vegetables gave a higher post-meal glucose than cruciferous soups over 2 weeks, by 2.5 mg/dL (0.14 mmol/L) in the 2 hours after meals. — 18 non-diabetic adults with elevated blood pressure, median age 68, 300 g soup per day, two 2-week periods (n = 18) Evidence B source
  PPGR 2-h mean difference -0.14 mmol/L (95% CI -0.24 to -0.04) cruciferous vs root/squash; no difference in mean glucose

Safety, limits and interactions

• Among 25 children with pumpkin seed allergy at one clinic, 64% had anaphylaxis, yet all tolerated pumpkin flesh. — children diagnosed with IgE-mediated pumpkin seed allergy at a tertiary clinic in Turkey, 2016-2024, median age 2.98 years (n = 25) Evidence D source
  Anaphylaxis 64%; co-allergy tree nuts 76%, other seeds 72%; pumpkin pulp tolerated 100%

Who this works differently for

• A 3.5 oz (100 g) serving of homemade pumpkin complementary food gave Ugandan infants 152.5 ug RAE vitamin A against 100.9 ug from a bean and pumpkin blend, with both eaten equally well. — Ugandan children aged 6 to 24 months, single-day crossover servings (n = 70) Evidence B source
  Vitamin A intake 152.5 vs 100.9 ug RAE, p < 0.00001; mean eaten 1.9 vs 1.9 oz (54.4 vs 53.9 g)

The bottom line

Boiling moves the numbers in two directions. By the UK tables boiled pumpkin shows 955 ug carotene per 3.5 oz (100 g) against 450 ug raw, while potassium falls from 130 to 84 mg and vitamin C from 14 to 7 mg. These are two separate analyses, so they do not prove that cooking adds carotene. For the vegetable group pumpkin belongs to, USDA factors for boiling and draining keep 75 percent of vitamin C, 65 percent of folate and 90 percent of potassium. In a Brazilian cardiology study, pressure-cooked squash of an unnamed variety still held 237.83 mg potassium per 3.5 oz (100 g), the only one of the lowest values above 200 mg. In 18 adults with elevated blood pressure, 300 g a day of root and squash soups gave a post-meal glucose 2.5 mg/dL (0.14 mmol/L) higher over 2 hours than cruciferous soups (95% CI 0.04 to 0.24), over two 2-week periods. The authors call the clinical meaning uncertain. In a non-randomized four week study of 29 healthy adults aged 45 to 65, one group ate 6.3 oz (180 g) a day of green beans, pumpkin and sweet corn, and serum lutein rose 37% across the whole study. The seeds are a separate food. Raw pumpkin seeds measured 499.7 mg magnesium and 8.363 mg iron per 3.5 oz (100 g) across 8 USDA samples, and that iron is the plant kind. Adding 2.3 oz (65 g) of seeds, a large portion, to one high-carbohydrate meal cut the glucose response by about 35% in 15 healthy adults. Who should be careful. Pumpkin seed allergy can be severe. Among 25 children with it at one clinic in Turkey, 64% had anaphylaxis, and all of them tolerated pumpkin flesh. This is a case series, so it says nothing about how common the allergy is. For babies, a 3.5 oz (100 g) serving of homemade pumpkin food gave Ugandan infants aged 6 to 24 months 152.5 ug RAE vitamin A against 100.9 ug from a bean and pumpkin blend, with each tried on a single day. That trial measured intake and acceptance, and it did not measure vitamin A status.

Sources

1. pmpk-daily-r7-09 · reference dataset
   CoFID 13-326 Pumpkin, flesh only, raw: Energy 13 kcal, Water 95.0 g, Carotene 450 ug, Retinol Equivalent 75 ug, Potassium 130 mg, Vitamin C 14 mg | CoFID 13-549 Pumpkin, flesh only, boiled in unsalted water: Energy 12 kcal, Water 94.9 g, Carotene 955 ug, Retinol Equivalent 160 ug, Potassium 84 mg, Vitamin C 7 mg
   CoFID 2021, Public Health England, codes 13-326 and 13-549 · checked 2026-09-29
2. pmpk-daily-r7-13 · reference dataset
   Seeds, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), raw | Magnesium, Mg 499.7 MG range 468.5-511.0 n=8 spread 9% | Iron, Fe 8.363 MG range 7.84-9.42 n=8 spread 19% | Potassium, K 691.2 MG range 657.0-806.0 n=8 spread 22% | Selenium, Se 20.52 UG range 0.0-64.7 n=8 spread 315%
   USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30 · checked 2026-09-29
3. pmpk-daily-r7-11 · reference dataset
   Pie, pumpkin, fdc 2708011: Total Sugars 24.55 G per 100 g | 1 mini/small slice 75 g | 1 regular slice 150 g | 1 large slice 250 g | 1 regular pie (8-9 in dia) 1200 g
   USDA FNDDS, Pie pumpkin code 53347000 · checked 2026-09-29
4. pmpk-daily-r7-12 · reference dataset
   Pumpkin, cooked, fdc 2709692: Vitamin A, RAE 433 UG per 100 g | 1 cup 230 g | 1 cup, mashed 250 g | Quantity not specified 115 g
   USDA FNDDS, Pumpkin cooked code 73201020 · checked 2026-09-29
5. pmpk-daily-r7-01 · RCT
   (2) 1.5 mg beta-carotene from sweet pumpkin (n=36, 18 dropouts); ... with a statistically higher increase (micromol/l) in the DGLV group (0.44; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.32, 0.55) compared to the control group (0.20; 95% CI 0.14, 0.26; P = 0.002).
   Eur J Clin Nutr, 2001 · checked 2026-09-29
6. pmpk-daily-r7-02 · RCT
   Similar increases in mean serum beta-carotene (5-fold), alpha-carotene (19-fold), and beta-cryptoxanthin (2-fold) concentrations; total-body vitamin A pool size (2-fold); and liver vitamin A (2-fold) concentrations were observed after 9 wk in the 3 study groups
   Am J Clin Nutr, 2007 · checked 2026-09-29
7. pmpk-daily-r7-07 · clinical trial
   Twenty-nine healthy normolipemic subjects, aged 45-65 y, consumed 1.8 mg lutein/day supplied from fruits (14 subjects, 500 g/day of oranges, kiwi and avocados) or vegetables (15 subjects, 180 g/day of green beans, pumpkin, and sweet corn) for four weeks. Serum lutein concentration increased by 37%.
   Nutrients, 2021 · checked 2026-09-29
8. pmpk-daily-r7-05 · RCT
   Among the lowest values, only squash (237.83 mg/100 g), also pressure-cooked, exceeded 200 mg/100 g.
   Clin Nutr ESPEN, 2025 · checked 2026-09-29
9. pmpk-daily-r7-10 · nutrient retention factor dataset
   USDA-RETN-R6:3775 | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | VEG,OTHER,BLD,WATER COVER,DRAINED | folate_total_ug 65% | vitamin_c_mg 75% | thiamin_mg 80% | niacin_mg 85% | vitamin_b6_mg 85% | phosphorus_mg 90% | potassium_mg 90% | riboflavin_mg 90% | calcium_mg 95% | iron_mg 95% | magnesium_mg 95% | zinc_mg 95%
   USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors, Release 6 (2007) · checked 2026-09-29
10. pmpk-daily-r7-03 · RCT
    Glucose iAUC was significantly lower in P compared with C (reduction of ~35%, P = .025).
    Nutr Res, 2018 · checked 2026-09-29
11. pmpk-daily-r7-04 · RCT
    Overall PPGR 2-h and AUC were lower in the active versus control (mean difference: -0.14 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.24, -0.04, p = 0.005 and -20.1 mmol/L × min, 95% CI -34.1, -6.1, p = 0.005, respectively)
    Diabetes Obes Metab, 2025 · checked 2026-09-29
12. pmpk-daily-r7-06 · case series
    Twenty-five children (76% boys) were identified, with a median diagnosis age of 2.98 years. Immediate reactions were universal, and anaphylaxis occurred in 64%. ... Pumpkin pulp was tolerated in all the patients.
    Allergy Asthma Proc, 2026 · checked 2026-09-29
13. pmpk-daily-r7-08 · RCT
    The mean intake of vitamin A was significantly higher (p < 0.00001) in PB (152.5 μgRAE) compared to BPB (100.9 μgRAE).
    BMC Pediatr, 2020 · checked 2026-09-29