Can you eat pumpkin seed shells?

The shells of pumpkin seeds, also called seed coats or husks, are edible. Pumpkin seeds have a subtly sweet, nutty flavor and a malleable, chewy texture. They are yellow-white in color.

The pumpkin shell provides extra fiber, while the seeds are a source of the mineral zinc. The shell itself has little zinc, but the thin layer between the shell and the seed called the endosperm envelope has highly concentrated amounts of zinc. It is tricky to separate the endosperm envelope from the shell. Roasted pumpkin seeds are also a good source of magnesium, with 150 mg per ounce. Some pumpkin varieties produce seeds without shells.