Chia Seeds vs Pumpkin Seeds – Which is Healthier?

Our Verdict

When comparing chia seeds to pumpkin seeds, we picked the chia.

Why?

Both are great! But chia is best.

Note: we’re going to abbreviate them both to “chia” and “pumpkin”, respectively, but we’ll still be referring to the seeds throughout.

In terms of macros, pumpkin has a little more protein and notably higher carbs, whereas chia has nearly 2x the fiber, as well as more fat, and/but they are famously healthy fats. We’ll call this category a subjective win for chia, though you might disagree if you want to prioritize an extra 2g of protein per 100g (for pumpkin) over an extra 16g of fiber per 100g (for chia). Chia is also vastly preferable for omega-3.

When it comes to vitamins, pumpkin is marginally higher in vitamin A, while chia is a lot higher in vitamins B1, B2, B3, B9, C, and E. An easy win for chia.

In the category of minerals, for which pumpkin seeds are so famously a good source, chia has a lot more calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and selenium. On the other hand, pumpkin has more potassium and zinc. Still, that’s a 7:2 win for chia.

Adding up the categories makes for a very compelling win for the humble chia seed.

Want to learn more?

You might like to read:

If You’re Not Taking Chia, You’re Missing Out: The Tiniest Seeds With The Most Value

Take care!