Fish and seafood · IFCT 2017
Karimeen (pearl spot): nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, karimeen gives 92 kcal, 19.7 g protein and 1.4 g fat, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. Its 452 mg of potassium ranks 2nd of 41 fish and seafood, and its thiamine, 0.08 mg, ranks 1st of 37 in the group. It is a lean backwater fish with 100 mg of DHA and very little sodium.
About karimeen (pearl spot)
Karimeen, the pearl spot, is the fish most people picture when they think of Kerala's backwaters. A flat, dark cichlid with rows of pale, pearl-like spots, it lives in the brackish lagoons of Kuttanad, Vembanad and Ashtamudi and has been named Kerala's state fish. Goans know it as kalunder, and IFCT 2017 records names in seven languages, from elimeenu in Kannada to sethakendai in Tamil and cashimara in Telugu.
Karimeen pollichathu is the dish that made it famous: the whole fish, scored, rubbed with chilli and pepper, wrapped in banana leaf with a thick shallot masala and roasted on a griddle. Houseboat cooks fry it whole in coconut oil, Syrian Christian kitchens cook karimeen mappas in coconut milk, and Goan homes stuff kalunder with recheado masala. Demand now outstrips the wild catch, so much karimeen is pond and cage farmed.
What karimeen (pearl spot) brings to a meal
- 01
Potassium-rich and low in sodium
Karimeen gives 452 mg of potassium per 100 g, ranking 2nd of 41 fish and seafood and 66th of 243 foods. Its sodium is just 24 mg, among the lowest in the group.
- 02
Top thiamine among fish
At 0.08 mg of thiamine per 100 g, karimeen ranks 1st of 37 fish and seafood with a value in IFCT 2017. Thiamine helps the body use carbohydrate for energy.
- 03
Lean protein
It supplies 19.7 g of protein per 100 g with 1.4 g fat, meeting 36 per cent of a sedentary man's daily protein requirement and 43 per cent of a woman's.
- 04
Moderate omega-3
Karimeen carries 100 mg of DHA and 27 mg of EPA per 100 g, modest beside oily sea fish but useful in a lean freshwater-type fish.
Karimeen (pearl spot) 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 | 92 kcal | 4% | 6% |
| Protein | 19.7 g | 36% | 43% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 0 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 0 g | ||
| Total fat | 1.4 g | ||
| Water | 78.7 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.58 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.29 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.27 g | ||
| Omega-3 (EPA) | 27 mg | ||
| Omega-3 (DHA) | 100 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 16 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 12 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Iron | 0.6 mg | 3% | 2% |
| Zinc | 0.46 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Magnesium | 28 mg | 6% | 8% |
| Phosphorus | 192 mg | ||
| Potassium | 452 mg | ||
| Sodium | 24 mg | ||
| Selenium | 19.7 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Retinol | 1 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.08 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.05 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.15 mg | 6% | 8% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.09 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.37 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. Karimeen (pearl spot): nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fish-and-seafood/karimeen-pearl-spot/
Where karimeen (pearl spot) 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 | 19.7 g | 19th of 41 | 47th of 243 |
| Potassium | 452 mg | 2nd of 41 | 66th of 243 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.08 mg | 1st of 37 | 79th of 239 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.37 mg | 37th of 41 | 107th of 242 |
| Energy | 92 kcal | 23rd of 41 | 122nd of 257 |
How karimeen (pearl spot) is eaten
- Karimeen pollichathu: whole fish in shallot, tomato and chilli masala, wrapped in banana leaf and slow-roasted on a tawa.
- Karimeen fry: scored whole fish marinated in chilli, pepper, turmeric and lime and shallow-fried in coconut oil.
- Karimeen mappas: a Syrian Christian coconut milk curry with ginger, green chilli and a touch of vinegar.
- Kalunder recheado: Goan pearl spot slit and stuffed with red recheado masala, then pan-fried.
Before you plan around it
Karimeen is bony, with fine pin bones through its flat body, so it needs patience and care with children. The fish is lean, but pollichathu and fry recipes use generous coconut oil, which adds most of the fat. Because it is expensive, small tilapia are sometimes passed off as karimeen; the real fish has the pale pearly spots that give it its English name. Iron is low at 0.6 mg per 100 g.
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 karimeen (pearl spot)
What is karimeen called in English?
Karimeen is the green chromide or pearl spot, Etroplus suratensis. It is kalunder in Goa and Konkani, and IFCT 2017 lists its common name as cichlid fish.
Is karimeen fish healthy?
Yes. IFCT 2017 gives karimeen 19.7 g protein, 1.4 g fat and 452 mg potassium per 100 g, with only 24 mg sodium. It is lean; how much oil goes into the pollichathu or fry decides how rich the dish is.
Why is karimeen so expensive?
It grows slowly, lives only in brackish backwaters and is in heavy demand from homes, restaurants and tourists. Farming has increased supply, but wild backwater karimeen still fetches a premium.
Related foods and tables
Tilapia
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Kalava
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Chembali
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Mullet
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Milk fish
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Coconut oil
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Protein content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by protein per 100 g.
Potassium content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by potassium per 100 g.
Thiamine (vitamin B1) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by thiamine (vitamin b1) 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.