Pumpkin itself is a great food for a cholesterol-lowering diet. It has almost no fat, no cholesterol, and a good amount of fibre. The trouble is what gets added in autumn recipes: butter, cream, sugar, condensed milk and pastry. Here is how to enjoy the flavour and keep the benefits.
The short version
Plain canned pumpkin: ½ cup has about 0.2 g of saturated fat and 3.5 g of fibre. A slice of pumpkin pie has about 5 g of saturated fat. A pumpkin spice latte depends on the milk and whipped cream, so check the chain's nutrition page. Pumpkin seeds are healthy but calorie-dense: an ounce has 2.4 g of saturated fat.
Pumpkin foods compared
| Food | Serving | Saturated fat | Cholesterol | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pumpkin, canned, plain | ½ cup (122 g) | 0.2 g | 0 mg | 41 |
| Pumpkin pie mix, canned | ½ cup (135 g) | 0.1 g | 0 mg | 140 |
| Pumpkin pie, home-made | 1/8 of a 9" pie (155 g) | 4.9 g | 65 mg | 316 |
| Pumpkin pie, shop-bought | 1 slice (133 g) | 2.6 g | 35 mg | 323 |
| Pumpkin seeds (pepitas), dried | 1 oz (28 g) | 2.4 g | 0 mg | 157 |
| Whipped cream topping, pressurised | 2 tbsp (6 g) | 0.8 g | 5 mg | 15 |
Note the canned "pumpkin pie mix" is a sweetened product, so it is not the same as plain canned pumpkin. Check the label: plain pumpkin purée has one ingredient. The pie's saturated fat comes from the crust, evaporated milk or cream and eggs.
Pumpkin spice lattes and bakery treats
Pumpkin spice drinks and baked goods are made of milk, sugar and flavouring, and often a lot of cream. The USDA database doesn't cover chain-specific drinks, so check the nutrition page of your coffee shop: a large latte made with whole milk and whipped cream can carry several grams of saturated fat, while a small one made with skimmed or oat milk and no cream carries much less. Ask for no whipped cream and a smaller size, or have it made with a plant milk.
Pumpkin bread, muffins and doughnuts follow the same rule: the saturated fat depends on the butter, oil and icing, not the pumpkin. Recipes that use oil instead of butter and no cream-cheese frosting are the lighter ones. See baking with less saturated fat.
How to cook with pumpkin for your cholesterol
- Pumpkin soup: roast or simmer pumpkin with onion, garlic and stock, blend, then finish with a spoonful of yoghurt or a splash of oat milk instead of cream. Add red lentils for more soluble fibre.
- Pumpkin and bean chilli: pumpkin cubes, kidney beans, tomatoes and spices make a vegan chilli with almost no saturated fat.
- Pumpkin porridge: stir canned pumpkin and cinnamon into oats for extra fibre and flavour. Oats provide beta-glucan, a soluble fibre that lowers LDL; see our oats food check.
- Roasted wedges: toss with olive oil, paprika and garlic.
- Pumpkin seeds: roast with a pinch of salt and spice. They are rich in unsaturated fat and fibre, but high in calories, so measure a small handful (about 1 oz).
This is general information, not medical advice. If you take cholesterol medication or have a heart condition, check changes to your diet with your doctor, dietitian or pharmacist.
Sources
- American Heart Association: Saturated fat (aim for under 6% of calories, about 13 g on 2,000 calories).
- NHS: Fibre.
- USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy), values per serving calculated from the per-100 g record: FDC 168450, 169273, 172788, 172787, 170556, 170860. fdc.nal.usda.gov
Frequently asked questions
Is pumpkin good for cholesterol?
Pumpkin the vegetable is a good choice: it has almost no fat, no cholesterol, and about 3.5 g of fibre per half cup of canned purée. It has no special LDL-lowering effect by itself, but it is a good swap for higher-fat sides.
Is pumpkin pie bad for cholesterol?
A slice has about 5 g of saturated fat, mostly from the crust, milk or cream and eggs. It is a moderate treat, not a banned food. Skipping whipped cream and sharing a slice are easy ways to cut it down.
Is a pumpkin spice latte bad for cholesterol?
It depends on the size, the milk and the whipped cream. A large whole-milk version with whipped cream can have several grams of saturated fat, while a small skimmed or plant-milk one has much less. Check your coffee shop's nutrition information.
Are pumpkin seeds good for cholesterol?
Pumpkin seeds are mostly unsaturated fat and contain fibre, so they are a good snack in a small portion. An ounce has about 158 kcal and 2.5 g of saturated fat, so measure them rather than eating from the bag.
Can I eat canned pumpkin every day?
Yes, plain canned pumpkin (just pumpkin, no sugar or spices added) is a low-calorie, high-fibre food that you can add to oats, soups, smoothies and curries.
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