Fish and seafood · IFCT 2017
Anchovy: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, Indian anchovy gives 88 kcal, 19.9 g protein and just 0.8 g fat, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. For so lean a fish it carries a fair 187 mg of DHA and 60 mg of EPA. Its 53 mg of magnesium ranks 2nd of the 41 fish and seafood in the tables.
About anchovy
The Indian anchovy is a slim silver fish a finger long, landed in huge numbers along the Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka coasts. Tamil cooks know it as nethili and Malayalis as netholi or kozhuva; IFCT 2017 records the names nethilli in Tamil, dindus in Marathi and nattoo in Telugu. It is one of the cheapest fish at the market, sold by the heap, and it is cleaned by pinching off the head and pulling out the gut with the thumb.
Because the fish is so small, the whole body is often eaten, softened bones included. Tamil homes make nethili meen fry and a tangy nethili kuzhambu, Kerala homes netholi peera, a dry toss of fish with grated coconut, shallots and kudampuli. Sun-dried anchovy, called nethili karuvadu, is a pantry staple along the coast and is fried crisp or cooked into a spicy thokku.
What anchovy brings to a meal
- 01
Lean, high-quality protein
Anchovy supplies 19.9 g of protein per 100 g with only 88 kcal and 0.8 g fat. That meets about 37 per cent of a sedentary man's daily protein requirement and 44 per cent of a woman's.
- 02
Omega-3 in a low-fat fish
It carries 187 mg of DHA and 60 mg of EPA per 100 g, the long-chain omega-3 fats the body uses for the brain, eyes and heart. Fattier fish carry more, but anchovy's share of omega-3 within its small fat content is high.
- 03
Magnesium and selenium
At 53 mg of magnesium per 100 g, anchovy ranks 2nd of 41 fish and seafood and 86th of 242 foods, meeting 12 per cent of a man's requirement. It also gives 56.2 micrograms of selenium.
- 04
Eaten whole for calcium
The IFCT figure is 37 mg of calcium per 100 g. When the small fish is fried or cooked soft enough to eat bones and all, a meal of anchovy brings more calcium than a fillet of a larger fish.
Anchovy nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 88 kcal | 4% | 5% |
| Protein | 19.9 g | 37% | 44% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 0 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 0 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.8 g | ||
| Water | 77.8 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.25 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.05 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.29 g | ||
| Omega-3 (EPA) | 60 mg | ||
| Omega-3 (DHA) | 187 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 30 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 37 mg | 4% | 4% |
| Iron | 0.54 mg | 3% | 2% |
| Zinc | 0.65 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Magnesium | 53 mg | 12% | 14% |
| Phosphorus | 246 mg | ||
| Potassium | 270 mg | ||
| Sodium | 212 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.04 mg | ||
| Selenium | 56.2 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Retinol | 12 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.03 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.04 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.91 mg | 5% | 7% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.06 mg | 3% | 3% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.73 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. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Anchovy: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fish-and-seafood/anchovy/
Where anchovy sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 40 fish and seafood and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In fish and seafood | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 19.9 g | 18th of 41 | 43rd of 243 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.73 mg | 19th of 41 | 59th of 242 |
| Magnesium | 53 mg | 2nd of 41 | 86th of 242 |
| Calcium | 37 mg | 17th of 41 | 115th of 242 |
| Zinc | 0.65 mg | 23rd of 41 | 118th of 243 |
How anchovy is eaten
- Nethili fry: cleaned anchovies coated in chilli, turmeric, ginger-garlic and a little rice flour, shallow-fried crisp.
- Netholi peera: Kerala dry dish of anchovy steamed with grated coconut, shallots, green chilli and kudampuli.
- Nethili kuzhambu: Tamil tamarind curry with shallots and garlic, eaten with rice the next day when the flavours deepen.
- Dried anchovy thokku: soaked karuvadu fried with onion, tomato and chilli as a small, salty side dish.
Before you plan around it
Even fresh anchovy has 212 mg of sodium per 100 g, ranking 7th of 243 foods in IFCT 2017, and sun-dried karuvadu is heavily salted, so people watching blood pressure should keep dried fish to a spoonful. Deep-frying adds a lot of oil to such a small fish. Anchovies spoil fast, so buy them bright-eyed and firm and cook them the same day.
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.
What people ask about anchovy
What is nethili fish called in English?
Nethili is the Indian anchovy, Stolephorus indicus. Malayalis call it netholi or kozhuva, and IFCT 2017 also records dindus in Marathi and nattoo in Telugu.
Is anchovy good for omega-3?
Yes, for so lean a fish. IFCT 2017 lists 187 mg of DHA and 60 mg of EPA per 100 g of anchovy. Oilier fish such as sardine and mackerel carry more, but anchovy is an affordable, everyday source along the southern coast.
How much protein is in anchovy?
Anchovy has 19.9 g of protein per 100 g in IFCT 2017, with 88 kcal and 0.8 g fat, meeting about 37 per cent of a sedentary man's daily protein requirement.
Is dried anchovy healthy?
Dried anchovy concentrates protein and minerals, but it is heavily salted. Used as a small side, a spoonful with rice and dal, it adds flavour; eaten in large amounts it adds too much sodium.
Related foods and tables
Sardine
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Mackerel
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Bombay duck
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Pomfret
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Prawns
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Protein content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by protein per 100 g.
Vitamin E content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by vitamin e per 100 g.
Magnesium content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by magnesium per 100 g.
All fish and seafood
41 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
Reading food composition tables and turning them into meal plans is taught in this NNWA course.