History

Pumpkins, and their seeds, are native to the Americas, and indigenous species are found across North America, South America, and Central America. The word pepita is consistent with this heritage, since it comes from Mexico, where the Spanish phrase pepita de calabaza means little seed of squash. Pumpkin seeds were a celebrated food among many Native American tribes, who treasured them both for their dietary and medicinal properties. In South America, the popularity of pumpkin seeds has been traced at least as far back as the Aztec cultures of 1300 1500 AD. From the Americas, the popularity of pumpkin seeds spread to the rest of the globe through trade and exploration over many centuries. In parts of Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean (especially Greece), pumpkin seeds became a standard part of everyday cuisine, and culinary and medical traditions in India and other parts of Asia also incorporated this food into a place of importance.