Vegetables and starchy roots
Cooked pumpkin
Cooked pumpkin is 94% water, so 100 g (3.5 oz) brings only 20 kcal and 1.1 g of fiber.
Estimated satietyHow it is calculated
Estimated satiety: 5 out of 5
| Starting point | +1 |
|---|---|
| Very low energy density: 20 kcal/100 g | +2 |
| Protein: 3.6 g/100 kcal | 0 |
| Fiber: 5.5 g/100 kcal | +2 |
| Solid food with 93.7 g of water | +1 |
| Sum | 6 |
| Capped at 5 | 5 |
Our own estimate from the values per 100 g: useful for comparing foods with each other, not a measurement in people. Holt index (1995): this food was not measured.
- Prepared by
- Alex Gonzalez
- Last updated
- Next review
- Sources
- 6 primary
- Data
- USDA FDC 168449
No clinical review. No advertising from drug companies and no affiliate links.How we work
Nutrition facts
- Calories
- 30 kcal per serving
- 20 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Protein
- 1.1 g per serving
- 0.7 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Carbohydrates
- 7.4 g per serving
- 4.9 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which sugars
- 3.1 g per serving
- 2.1 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fiber
- 1.7 g per serving
- 1.1 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fat
- 0.1 g per serving
- 0.1 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which saturated
- 0.1 g per serving
- 0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Water
- 140.6 g per serving
- 93.7 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Source: USDA FoodData Central: Pumpkin, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt (FDC ID 168449), accessed September 23, 2026.
A typical 150 g (5.5 oz, about 1/2 cup) serving provides about 30 kcal, 1.1 g of protein, and 1.7 g of fiber.
What it is and how to eat it
Pumpkin changes name by country: calabaza in Spain and Mexico, zapallo in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Peru, ahuyama or auyama in Colombia, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, and ayote in much of Central America. There are many varieties, with orange, green or cream skin, such as butternut squash, called zapallo anco in Argentina; the Mexican calabacita, on the other hand, is zucchini, eaten young. This page covers pumpkin boiled and drained without salt, with 20 kcal, 1.1 g of fiber and 288 µg of vitamin A per 100 g according to USDA, mostly as beta-carotene.
A 150 g (5.3 oz) serving provides only 30 kcal, 1.1 g of protein and 1.7 g of fiber, so it adds volume and water for very few calories, but almost no protein. Cooked, it is soft, almost fat-free and low in fiber, so it usually sits well in the first few days of treatment, when the 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy suggests avoiding fatty and very high-fiber foods, and after a dose increase. To give the dish some protein, add legumes or dairy, as in the pumpkin soup with crispy chickpeas and yogurt or the pumpkin and chayote soup with yogurt and pepitas; the same advisory suggests eating the protein part of a meal first.
What the evidence says
A 150 g serving provides 432 µg of vitamin A, 54% of the 800 µg EU reference value, and with 288 µg per 100 g it exceeds the 240 µg required for a "high vitamin A" claim, twice the 120 µg for "source"; under that condition, the EU allows the claim that vitamin A contributes to the maintenance of normal vision (Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006, (EU) No 1169/2011 and (EU) No 432/2012). According to the Office of Dietary Supplements at the US National Institutes of Health, it takes 12 µg of beta-carotene from food to provide 1 µg of vitamin A, and the main effect of long-term, excess beta-carotene is carotenodermia, a harmless yellow-orange skin color that goes away when intake stops. I have not found trials showing that pumpkin itself helps with weight loss more than other low-calorie vegetables.
Recipes with this food
Pumpkin soup with crispy chickpeas and yogurt9.3 g protein per serving
Pumpkin and chayote soup with yogurt and pepitas8.5 g protein per serving
Satiety
The 1 to 5 score is our own estimate: it starts at 1 point, adds points for low energy density, for protein and fiber per 100 kcal, and for the water in solid foods, and subtracts points for drinks with calories. It is useful for comparing foods with each other; it is not a measurement in people.
What to keep in mind on a GLP-1 medication
Frequently asked questions about cooked pumpkin
How many grams of protein are in a 150 g (5.5 oz) serving of cooked pumpkin?
100 g (3.5 oz) of cooked pumpkin has 0.7 g of protein. A typical 150 g (5.5 oz) serving has about 1.1 g of protein. That is 3.6 g of protein per 100 kcal.
How many kcal are in a 150 g (5.5 oz) serving of cooked pumpkin?
100 g (3.5 oz) of cooked pumpkin has 20 kcal. A typical 150 g (5.5 oz) serving has about 30 kcal. That is a very low energy density.
How much fiber is in a 150 g (5.5 oz) serving of cooked pumpkin?
100 g (3.5 oz) of cooked pumpkin has 1.1 g of fiber. A typical 150 g (5.5 oz) serving has about 1.7 g of fiber.
Does cooked pumpkin keep you full?
Yes, very filling for the calories it provides: our estimated satiety score is 5 out of 5. Calculation: 1 (base) + 2 (very low energy density: 20 kcal/100 g) + 0 (protein: 3.6 g/100 kcal) + 2 (fiber: 5.5 g/100 kcal) + 1 (solid food with 93.7 g of water) = 6; capped at 5. It is an estimate based on its composition, not a measurement in people.
What should I know about cooked pumpkin if I take Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Zepbound and feel nauseous?
Based on our tags, this is what matters about cooked pumpkin on a GLP-1 medication. “Easy to digest”: a soft or low-fat food that many people tolerate well when they feel nauseous or get full quickly. “Low energy density”: plenty of volume for few calories; make sure it does not push protein foods off your plate. “Hydrating”: a lot of water, which contributes to hydration when you eat and drink less. These are general guidelines, not medical advice: everyone tolerates foods differently.
What is a typical serving of cooked pumpkin?
We use 150 g (5.5 oz) as a typical serving, about 1/2 cup. That amount provides about 30 kcal, 1.1 g of protein, and 1.7 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.
Similar foods
Sources
Sources for the data on this page, with the access date.
- Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Pumpkin, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt (FDC ID 168449).accessed .
- Clinical guidelineObesity (Wiley).Mozaffarian D, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: A joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. Obesity. 2025;33(8):1475-1503. doi:10.1002/oby.24336.accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (Annex).accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (Annex XIII, nutrient reference values).accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods.accessed .
- InstitutionNIH Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin A and Carotenoids: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.accessed .