41 foods · IFCT 2017
Fish and seafood: nutrition per 100 g
IFCT 2017 covers 41 fish and seafood, from rohu, catla, hilsa and pomfret to mackerel, sardine, seer fish, prawns, crab, squid and clams. Most fish give 18 to 24.5 g of protein per 100 g with little fat. Tuna leads for protein at 24.5 g, hilsa is the fattiest at 18.5 g, and mud crab carries the most calcium at 201 mg.
About fish and seafood
India's long coastline and great rivers give it a huge variety of fish, and IFCT 2017 analysed 41 of them. Marine fish include pomfret, seer fish (vanjaram), mackerel, sardine, tuna, Bombay duck and the snappers. Freshwater and backwater fish include rohu, catla, silver carp, pangas, tilapia and karimeen, and Bengal's beloved hilsa moves between the sea and the rivers. Prawns, crab, lobster, oyster, clam, squid and octopus complete the group.
Most fish are lean, high-protein foods. Among the fish, protein runs from 13.5 g per 100 g in Bombay duck to 24.5 g in tuna, and many white fish carry under 2 g of fat. The oily fish are the exception: hilsa carries 18.5 g of fat, salmon 9.9 g and sardine 9.0 g, and fish like these are the main dietary source of the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA. Farmed pangas is also fatty, at 16.8 g.
Shellfish behave differently. Crab, mud crab, oyster and clam carry less protein, between 9.5 and 12.1 g per 100 g, but more calcium, with mud crab at 201 mg and crab at 128 mg. Bombay duck, whose soft bones are usually eaten, gives 159 mg. Fish carry no fibre or carbohydrate, and frying in a thick masala coat adds energy that the fish itself lacks.
Fish and seafood compared
Per 100 g of the edible portion. Open any food for its full panel, varieties and names in Indian languages.
| Food | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchovy | 88 kcal | 19.9 g | 0 g | 0.54 mg | 37 mg |
| Bhetki (barramundi) | 68 kcal | 15.3 g | 0 g | 0.31 mg | 9 mg |
| Black snapper | 90 kcal | 19.5 g | 0 g | 0.56 mg | 10 mg |
| Bombay duck | 69 kcal | 13.5 g | 0 g | 0.81 mg | 159 mg |
| Catfish | 124 kcal | 15.9 g | 0 g | 0.82 mg | 22 mg |
| Catla | 94 kcal | 17.9 g | 0 g | 1.14 mg | 44 mg |
| Chembali | 97 kcal | 20.1 g | 0 g | 0.31 mg | 24 mg |
| Clam | 58 kcal | 12.1 g | 0 g | 1.01 mg | 121 mg |
| Crab | 82 kcal | 10.2 g | 0 g | 1.1 mg | 128 mg |
| Freshwater Eel | 108 kcal | 20.4 g | 0 g | 1.54 mg | 53 mg |
| Hilsa (ilish) | 259 kcal | 21.8 g | 0 g | 1.19 mg | 20 mg |
| Kalava | 89 kcal | 19.4 g | 0 g | 0.26 mg | 11 mg |
| Karimeen (pearl spot) | 92 kcal | 19.7 g | 0 g | 0.6 mg | 12 mg |
| Lobster | 70 kcal | 16 g | 0 g | 0.77 mg | 73 mg |
| Mackerel | 101 kcal | 21.5 g | 0 g | 1.46 mg | 31 mg |
| Matha | 93 kcal | 21.2 g | 0 g | 0.32 mg | 14 mg |
| Milk fish | 106 kcal | 23.7 g | 0 g | 1.35 mg | 29 mg |
| Moon fish | 126 kcal | 20.7 g | 0 g | 1.67 mg | 29 mg |
| Mud crab | 45 kcal | 10 g | 0 g | 0.87 mg | 201 mg |
| Mullet | 94 kcal | 20.2 g | 0 g | 1.31 mg | 35 mg |
| Octopus | 80 kcal | 14.7 g | 0 g | 1.08 mg | 22 mg |
| Oyster | 60 kcal | 9.5 g | 0 g | 0.9 mg | 126 mg |
| Pangas | 204 kcal | 17.1 g | 0 g | 0.69 mg | 11 mg |
| Parrot fish | 90 kcal | 20.8 g | 0 g | 0.38 mg | 9 mg |
| Pomfret | 123 kcal | 18.9 g | 0 g | 0.78 mg | 18 mg |
| Prawns | 91 kcal | 19.2 g | 0 g | 0.78 mg | 49 mg |
| Queen fish | 96 kcal | 21 g | 0 g | 0.49 mg | 6 mg |
| Rani | 90 kcal | 18.8 g | 0 g | 0.87 mg | 38 mg |
| Red snapper | 104 kcal | 22.8 g | 0 g | 0.37 mg | 8 mg |
| Rohu | 102 kcal | 19.7 g | 0 g | 1.04 mg | 39 mg |
| Salmon | 172 kcal | 21 g | 0 g | 0.98 mg | 24 mg |
| Sardine | 152 kcal | 17.9 g | 0 g | 0.83 mg | 42 mg |
| Seer fish (vanjaram) | 136 kcal | 22.3 g | 0 g | 0.41 mg | 10 mg |
| Shark | 95 kcal | 21.6 g | 0 g | 0.38 mg | 8 mg |
| Silan | 151 kcal | 22.7 g | 0 g | 0.56 mg | 29 mg |
| Silver carp | 133 kcal | 21.7 g | 0 g | 0.58 mg | 86 mg |
| Sole fish | 88 kcal | 19.1 g | 0 g | 0.33 mg | 47 mg |
| Squid | 80 kcal | 16.1 g | 0 g | 0.5 mg | 23 mg |
| Tiger prawns | 65 kcal | 14.8 g | 0 g | 0.73 mg | 38 mg |
| Tilapia | 83 kcal | 18.5 g | 0 g | 2.84 mg | 99 mg |
| Tuna | 112 kcal | 24.5 g | 0 g | 1.6 mg | 10 mg |
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad.
The richest fish and seafood by nutrient
Protein
- 1.Tuna24.5 g
- 2.Milk fish23.7 g
- 3.Red snapper22.8 g
Iron
Calcium
- 1.Mud crab201 mg
- 2.Bombay duck159 mg
- 3.Crab128 mg
Energy
- 1.Hilsa (ilish)259 kcal
- 2.Pangas204 kcal
- 3.Salmon172 kcal
What people ask about fish and seafood
Which fish has the most protein?
Tuna leads IFCT 2017 at 24.5 g of protein per 100 g, followed by milk fish at 23.7 g, red snapper at 22.8 g, silan at 22.7 g and seer fish at 22.3 g. Rohu has 19.7 g and catla 17.9 g.
Which Indian fish is highest in fat?
Hilsa is the fattiest fish in IFCT 2017 at 18.5 g per 100 g, then pangas at 16.8 g, salmon at 9.9 g and sardine at 9.0 g. Oily fish such as hilsa, salmon and sardine supply the long-chain omega-3 fats EPA and DHA.
Is freshwater fish as nutritious as sea fish?
Both are good protein. Rohu has 19.7 g protein per 100 g and catla 17.9 g, against 22.3 g in seer fish and 18.9 g in black pomfret. Sea fish tend to bring more iodine, but local, fresh fish of either kind is a good choice.
Are crab and prawns good for calcium?
Crab is. Mud crab carries 201 mg calcium per 100 g and crab 128 mg in IFCT 2017, while big prawns have 49 mg. Shellfish are also high in natural sodium, so go easy on added salt when cooking them.
Explore the rest of the tables
Cereals and millets
14 foods per 100 g.
Pulses and legumes
14 foods per 100 g.
Green leafy vegetables
26 foods per 100 g.
Vegetables and mushrooms
39 foods per 100 g.
Roots and tubers
10 foods per 100 g.
Fruits
44 foods per 100 g.
Nuts and oilseeds
14 foods per 100 g.
Spices, herbs and condiments
21 foods per 100 g.
Cooking oils and fats
14 foods per 100 g.
Milk and dairy
3 foods per 100 g.
Meat, poultry and eggs
14 foods per 100 g.
Sugars and natural drinks
3 foods per 100 g.