# Do ya eat pumpkin seeds whole (with the shell)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 23, 2011, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582 "2011-10-23T23:02:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2011, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582/1 "2011-10-23T23:02:05Z")
After carving up two _gigantic_ pumpkins for jack-o-lanterns, we now have a big tub of pumpkin seeds, which I washed, separated from the pulp, and set aside to be roasted fresh in small batches. I absolutely _love_ toasted pumpkin seeds. I toss the seeds with some salt, sugar and a little cayenne pepper, and then roast them in the toaster oven. I’m eating them right now! Man, these are great! The thing is, I eat the pumpkin seed whole. I chew up the whole thing, shell and all. I think it tastes great and in fact the shell is my favorite part. But some other people have remarked that they never eat the shells, and that they break open the seed and eat the little meaty part inside - which strikes me as insane and also much too time-consuming, as pumpkinseed shells are rather soft and do not break open easily like sunflower seed shells. Do you eat the shells or not? ---
**Author:** ![Aestivalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Aestivalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aestivalis)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2011, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582/2 "2011-10-23T23:19:45Z")
I eat them whole. I just use salt though, no sugar or cayenne, cause I share with the kids. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2011, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582/3 "2011-10-23T23:31:09Z")
Yes. Sunflower seeds too. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2011, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582/4 "2011-10-23T23:31:14Z")
Yup, I eat the whole thing too. LOVE THEM! ---
**Author:** ![Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7993a0/32.png) [@Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamaika_a_jamaikaiake)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2011, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582/5 "2011-10-23T23:42:53Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Yes. Sunflower seeds too. Ditto. And I eat peanut shells. Om nom fiber! ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582/6 "2011-10-24T00:42:39Z")
Yes, I eat the pumpkin seed shells, too. Haven’t tried it with sunflower seeds, but now I will. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582/7 "2011-10-24T01:20:46Z")
When I could eat them, I only ate the meat inside. However, I enjoyed sucking on the shells. I’d tuck about four seeds into my mouth, and let them soften, before cracking them open and eating the meat. I live in an area that is mostly Hispanic, and so I’m able to find shelled pumpkin seeds for sale. They just aren’t the same. I’ve tried eating the shells of both pumpkin and sunflower seeds, but they tear up my gut. One of the things that I regret about having to get my upper teeth removed is the fact that I can’t really eat nuts and seeds. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582/8 "2011-10-24T01:29:48Z")
> [@Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](#): > > Ditto. And I eat peanut shells. Om nom fiber! Triple ditto. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582/9 "2011-10-24T05:20:38Z")
Huh. Then I just learned that people actually don’t eat the whole thing! If you spice them, you’re also losing that part. But then I remember being equally mystified that people bothered cracking open the sunflower seeds. Except pet rats, but they were really good at doing that in seconds. With sunflowers, if I eat a bunch, I will spit out the whole mess after awhile, as it starts to build up and is harder to swallow. I will occasionally eat edamame (i.e. soybean) pods, but usually just open them. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582/10 "2011-10-24T06:42:33Z")
Eh, as I said, I used to put the whole things in my mouth, so I’d get most of the salt flavoring, even if I did crack the shells and spit them out after I had sucked on them a while. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582/11 "2011-10-24T14:38:18Z")
Pumpkin seed shells, definitely; sunflower seed shells, no. By the way, roasted acorn squash seeds are really good too. ---
**Author:** ![Chopper9760](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Chopper9760](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chopper9760)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582/12 "2011-10-24T15:08:50Z")
_blink_ There’s a shell? They’re tasty whole so I don’t see the point in shelling them. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582/13 "2011-10-24T15:18:16Z")
Of course you eat the whole thing. Of course you don’t eat the sunflower seed shell (though you crack them in your mouth and spit out the shells. Of course you don’t eat the peanut shell because that will shred your colon and kill you. I know this is true because that’s what my mom told me when I was five. I figure she can’t possibly have lied about everything and since I know Santa Claus and God wasn’t true, that one must be. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Righteous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Dr.Righteous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Righteous)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582/14 "2011-10-24T17:15:34Z")
I just carved my pumpkins yesterday and had a snack of roasted seeds just a few minutes ago. I also had no idea people took them out of the shells. I guess this explains why when I have bought pumpkin seeds they don’t look or taste the same as what I am used to - they’ve probably been de-shelled. I was actually thinking they might come from a different variety of pumpkin, but this might be the answer. I’m in a Hispanic area as well, so Lynn Bodoni’s answer is probably it. Wish I could find what I’m snacking on now in the stores. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582/15 "2011-10-24T17:23:53Z")
Bucking the trend, it is just the pepita here. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582/16 "2011-10-24T17:26:04Z")
Whole thing. Sometime crack them open, but generally too much of a pain. The shells aren’t going to rip up your guts like sunflower shells, and they contain important nutrients. ---
**Author:** ![MrSquishy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9e5f3/32.png) [@MrSquishy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSquishy)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582/17 "2011-10-24T18:12:47Z")
With pumpkin seeds, I always eat the shells. Peanuts, I sometimes eat the shells. I feel a little guilty though because they usually taste super-salty so I’m guessing they’re full of sodium. But they’re delicious and I assume the fibre is good for you. I never eat sunflower seed shells. Could they really “rip up your guts” though? I think they soften fairly readily when wet, right? ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582/18 "2011-10-24T19:05:50Z")
I didn’t know there was any other way. But then again, I didn’t know the difference between white meat and dark meat until after I was married. When it comes to eating, I don’t ask very many questions. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582/19 "2011-10-24T19:31:44Z")
Got some pumpkin seeds to go with my lunch today. Ate everything except the bag. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582/20 "2011-10-24T20:50:04Z")
> [@MrSquishy](#): > > I never eat sunflower seed shells. Could they really “rip up your guts” though? I think they soften fairly readily when wet, right? I used to eat them shells and all when I was in my 20’s. They can still come out pretty sharp. Got tired of the pain and blood. Never eat the damned things anymore unless they’re the unshelled kind. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ya-eat-pumpkin-seeds-whole-with-the-shell/600582.md?page=2)