Breakfast and tiffin
Calories in Poha
One bowl of poha has about 161 kcal, with 3.3 g of protein, 19.1 g of carbohydrate and 7.7 g of fat. The figure is from the Indian Nutrient Databank and describes a small bowl cooked from 20 g of dry rice flakes, 15 g of potato, 5 g of peanuts and a teaspoon of oil. A fuller plate has more.
Nutrition in 1 bowl of poha
| Nutrient | 1 bowl of poha | 2 bowls of poha |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 161 kcal | 322 kcal |
| Protein | 3.3 g | 6.6 g |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 19.1 g | 38.2 g |
| Total fat | 7.7 g | 15.4 g |
| Dietary fibre | 2 g | 4 g |
| Sugars | 0.5 g | 1 g |
Of this energy, about 48% comes from carbohydrate, 44% from fat and 8% from protein.
1 bowl of poha is about 8% of the daily energy requirement of a sedentary adult man and 10% of a sedentary adult woman's (ICMR-NIN, 2020).
For comparison, ICMR-NIN's Dietary Guidelines for Indians list 1 cup at about 270 kcal.
These figures are from the Indian Nutrient Databank (INDB), which calculates each dish from a standard recipe using Indian food composition data. They describe that recipe and that serving: a larger portion, or more oil, ghee or sugar, gives more. Source: Vijayakumar A, Dubasi HB, Awasthi A, Jaacks LM. Development of an Indian Food Composition Database. Current Developments in Nutrition. 2024;8(7):103790 (Indian Nutrient Databank, INDB).
What this figure covers
The figure belongs to a standard recipe: 40 g of rice flakes, 30 g of potato, 10 g of peanuts and 10 g of oil, cooked together and divided into 2 bowls. Each bowl therefore starts from only 20 g of dry poha, which is a small helping; many households cook a good deal more than that for one person, and a plate at a stall or canteen is usually heaped. ICMR-NIN's Dietary Guidelines for Indians put a cup of poha at about 270 kcal. The gap is one of quantity: a full cup holds more flakes, and usually more oil, than this modest bowl does.
Carbohydrate supplies 48% of the energy in this bowl and fat supplies 44%, with protein at 8%. The rice flakes and the potato account for the carbohydrate. The fat comes from the teaspoon of oil in the tadka and, to a smaller extent, from the peanuts, which add a little protein along with it. That is why poha that looks light and dry on the plate can still carry a fair amount of fat: the flakes take up whatever oil is in the pan.
What goes into one serving
The recipe INDB analysed makes 2 bowls. These are its main ingredients; spices, salt and water are left out.
| Ingredient | In the recipe | In 1 bowl of poha |
|---|---|---|
| Poha (rice flakes) | 40 g | 20 g |
| Potato | 30 g | 15 g |
| Peanuts (groundnut) | 10 g | 5 g |
| Lemon | 7.5 g | 4 g |
| Oil | 10 g | 5 g |
What changes the number
- 01
How much dry poha goes in
The reference bowl is cooked from 20 g of rice flakes. Rinsed flakes swell and fluff up, so it is hard to judge the dry quantity from the plate. A helping three times this size comes to 483 kcal, which shows how quickly a heaped plate moves away from the small-bowl figure.
- 02
The oil in the tadka
Each bowl counts one teaspoon of oil, which is about 44 kcal of its 161 kcal. A second teaspoon takes the bowl to about 205 kcal. Oil is the most concentrated source of calories in the pan, so the tadka is the easiest part of poha to overdo.
- 03
Peanuts, potato and toppings
The recipe has 5 g of peanuts and 15 g of potato in each bowl. A generous handful of peanuts, fried cashews or a layer of sev on top raises the calories quickly, because all three are rich in fat. Extra onion, peas or tomato adds bulk for very little energy.
- 04
Sugar and coconut
Some regional styles add sugar to the pan. One teaspoon takes this bowl from 161 kcal to about 177 kcal, and two teaspoons to about 193 kcal. Grated coconut on top adds fat as well, while lemon juice and coriander add flavour for almost nothing.
How poha compares
Other dishes of the same kind, one serving each, lightest first. Serving sizes differ, so read the serving before the number.
| Dish | One serving | Energy (kcal) | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idli | 1 idli | 34 | 1.2 |
| Rava Idli | 1 rava idli | 61 | 2.8 |
| Besan Chilla | 1 besan chilla | 71 | 4.1 |
| Pesarattu | 1 pesarattu | 76 | 3.3 |
| Dhokla | 1 piece of dhokla | 87 | 5.4 |
| Jowar Dosa | 1 jowar dosa | 97 | 2.8 |
| Egg Bhurji | 1 bowl of egg bhurji | 130 | 7.7 |
| Plain Dosa | 1 plain dosa | 138 | 3.7 |
| Omelette | 1 omelette | 144 | 6.8 |
| Upma | 1 bowl of upma | 157 | 3.5 |
| Semiya Upma | 1 bowl of semiya upma | 158 | 3.3 |
| Poha | 1 bowl of poha | 161 | 3.3 |
| Rava Dosa | 1 rava dosa | 167 | 5.4 |
| Uttapam | 1 uttapam | 174 | 4.2 |
| Oats Porridge | 1 bowl of oats porridge | 290 | 10.3 |
| Cornflakes With Milk | 1 bowl of cornflakes with milk | 326 | 10 |
| Meetha Dalia | 1 bowl of meetha dalia | 329 | 10.6 |
| Puttu | 1 puttu | 344 | 5.3 |
| Masala Dosa | 1 masala dosa | 345 | 6.9 |
| Vegetable Upma | 1 plate of vegetable upma | 345 | 11.1 |
| Namkeen Dalia | 1 plate of namkeen dalia | 346 | 9.7 |
| Stuffed Moong Dal Chilla | 1 stuffed moong dal chilla | 352 | 15.9 |
In a meal and in a day
For a sedentary adult, one bowl of this size is about 8% of a man's daily energy requirement and 10% of a woman's, so it is a light breakfast and many people will want two. Two bowls of poha come to 322 kcal with 6.6 g of protein, which is still low in protein for a morning meal, and fibre is modest at 2 g a bowl. A glass of milk, a bowl of curd, a boiled egg or a handful of sprouts makes the meal more filling than a third bowl of poha would.
Ways to keep it lighter
- Measure the oil with a teaspoon; rinsed and softened flakes need very little of it.
- Bulk out the pan with onion, peas, carrot or tomato so the same bowl holds fewer flakes.
- Keep the peanuts to a small sprinkle and leave the sev off the top.
- Leave out the sugar, or use a pinch, and rely on lemon and coriander for flavour.
- Add curd or an egg for protein in place of a second helping of poha.
Before you rely on the number
The bowl behind this figure is small, and portion creep is the main thing to watch: what most people call a plate of poha may be two or three of these bowls. Each one is salted in the pan as well, before any sev or pickle goes on. Poha is mostly quick-digesting rice starch, so anyone managing diabetes or blood pressure on a plan from a doctor or dietitian should keep to the portions in that plan.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
Poha: common questions
How many calories are in 2 bowls of poha?
Two bowls of the size in the reference recipe have about 322 kcal, with 6.6 g of protein, 38.2 g of carbohydrate and 15.4 g of fat. That is the amount cooked from 40 g of dry rice flakes and 10 g of oil, and many home plates are nearer to this than to a single small bowl.
Is poha good for weight loss?
Poha can fit, since a small bowl is 161 kcal, but 44% of that energy is fat from the oil and peanuts and it has only 3.3 g of protein, so on its own it does not keep hunger away for long. Less oil, more vegetables and curd or an egg alongside all help. What happens to weight depends on everything eaten across the day.
How much protein is in a bowl of poha?
About 3.3 g in a bowl cooked from 20 g of rice flakes, which is 8% of its energy. Two bowls give 6.6 g and three give 9.9 g. The peanuts add a little, but poha is not a protein food, so curd, milk, sprouts or an egg on the side has to make up for it.
Is poha lighter than upma?
In this set of recipes the two are almost level: a bowl of poha has 161 kcal and a bowl of upma 157 kcal, with 3.3 g and 3.5 g of protein. The choice between them matters less than the oil in the pan and the size of the bowl.
The recipe, the ingredients and related reading
Poha
The recipe on this site, step by step.
Poha (rice flakes): nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Potato: nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Peanuts (groundnut): nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Indian breakfast for weight loss: what to change and what to keep
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Indian food calorie chart: household portions, not per 100 g
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Indian food calorie counter
Add up a whole plate in rotis, katoris and cups.
Calories in every dish
All the cooked dishes, with calories per serving.
Learn to read a plate
Certification in Nutrition
Estimating what is on a plate and turning it into a meal plan is taught in this NNWA course.